1. ( some of what you need to know in a few minutes ) Peggy G. Lemaux Cooperative Extension Specialist UC Berkeley

2. Tour D’Onion: Where is all that genetic information?

4. CELLS

5. Cell Wall Nucleus

6. Dividing cell Chromosomes

7. Chromosome Genes

10. Used in Marker- Assisted Breeding Strategies

11. (equivalent to a gene)

12. GMO Genetically Modified Organism GEO Genetically Engineered Organism LMO Living Modified Organism rDNA Recombinant DNA Biotechnology TERMS USED

13. Classical Breeding Uses plant machinery in plant Uses plant machinery in laboratory Genetic Engineering compared to Gene exchange is random involving entire genome Gene exchange is specific, single or a few genes Primarily within genera, not between kingdoms like plants and bacteria Source of gene from any organism When/where genes expressed not controlled by breeder When/where gene expressed can be controlled precisely

14. SOURCE: http:// www.ers.usda.gov/Data/BiotechCrops / Total all GE varieties in U.S. in 2007 Corn = 73% Cotton = 87% Soybean = 91%

15. 0 20 40 60 80 100 120 140 199619971998199920002001200220032004200520062007 Global Area of Biotech Crops, 1996 to 2007: Industrial and Developing Countries (Million Hectares) Total Industrial Developing Source: Clive James, 2008 23 industrial and developing countries in order of acreage: US, Argentina, Brazil, Canada, India, China, Paraguay, South Africa, Uruguay, Philippines, Australia, Spain, Mexico, Colombia, Chile, France, Honduras, Czech Republic, Portugal, Germany, Slovakia. Romania, Poland. 282 million acres worldwide: comparable in size to combined areas of CA and TX

16. Estimated 75% of Processed Foods Have GE Ingredients

17. GE Papaya GE Squash Only a few whole foods on the market are genetically engineered GE Sweet Corn

18. WHAT’S IN THE PIPELINE?

19. SOURCE: Rivero, R.M., Kojima, M., Gepstein, A., Sakakibara, H., Mittler, R., Gepstein, S. and Blumwald, E. 2007. Delayed leaf senescence induces extreme drought tolerance in a flowering plant. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences USA 104: 19631-19636. Engineered drought tolerance leads to vigorous growth of plants after prolonged drought while control plants died

20. SOURCE: http://archives.foodsafety.ksu.edu/agnet/2007/4-2007/agnet_april_10.htm#story0 Arcadia Biosciences develops canola that uses 50% less nitrogen fertilizer

21. SOURCE: http://www.democratandchronicle.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080806/BUSINESS/808060336/1001 Field Trials Conducted in California with Grape Root Stocks Engineered for Resistance to Fanleaf Virus

22. Altering transport gene in carrot results in more bioavailable calcium in humans SOURCE: Morris, J., Hawthorne, K.M., Hotze, T., Abrams, S.A. and Hirschi, K.D. 2008. Nutritional impact of elevated calcium transport activity in carrots. PNAS 10.1073/pnas.0709005105.

23. New High Lysine Corn for Animal Feed Deregulated - Reduces Need for Lysine Supplements SOURCE:February 2006, BIOSPACE http://www.biospace.com/news_story.aspx?StoryID=8883&full=1

24. SOURCE: Niederberger et al., 2004. Vaccination with genetically engineered allergens prevents progression of allergic disease. PNAS early edition (August 13, 2004) Genetically engineered pollen reduces allergy symptoms in sufferers

25. SOURCE: Doty, S.L., James, C.A., Moore, A.L., Vajzovic, A., Singleton, G.L., Ma, C., Khan, Z., Xi, G., Kang, J.W., Park, J.Y., Meilan, R., Strauss, S.H., Wilkerson, J., Farin, F. and Strand. S.E. 2007. Enhanced phytoremediation of volatile environmental pollutants with transgenic trees. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences USA 104:16816-16821. Engineered poplar removes environmental pollutants through roots and air Removal of carbon tetrachloride

26. What is the U.S. regulatory process that governs these engineered plants?

27. Field testing -Permits -Notifications Determination of non-regulated status U.S. Regulatory Agencies (based oversight on existing regulations) USDAFDAEPA Food safety Feed safety Pesticidal plants -tolerance exemption -registrations Herbicide registration

28. Changes in nutritional content Changes in nutritional content No peer-reviewed food safety tests No peer-reviewed food safety tests Creation of allergens or activation of toxins Creation of allergens or activation of toxins Pharma crops contaminating food supply Pharma crops contaminating food supply Labeling Labeling Gene flow from food to intestinal bacteria that increases antibiotic resistance Gene flow from food to intestinal bacteria that increases antibiotic resistance What are some food safety issues?

31. Changes in nutritional content Changes in nutritional content No peer-reviewed food safety tests No peer-reviewed food safety tests Creation of allergens or activation of toxins Creation of allergens or activation of toxins Pharma crops contaminating food supply Pharma crops contaminating food supply Labeling Labeling Gene flow from food to intestinal bacteria that increases antibiotic resistance Gene flow from food to intestinal bacteria that increases antibiotic resistance What are some food safety issues?

32. Example of animal safety test

33. SOURCE: Flachowsky, G. 2007. Feeds from Genetically Engineered Plants - Results and Future Challenges. ISB News Report, March 2007, pp. 4-7. Experiments comparing first generation GE crops with comparable non-GE crops

34. Changes in nutritional content Changes in nutritional content No peer-reviewed food safety tests No peer-reviewed food safety tests Creation of allergens or activation of toxins Creation of allergens or activation of toxins Pharma crops contaminating food supply Pharma crops contaminating food supply Labeling Labeling Gene flow from food to intestinal bacteria that increases antibiotic resistance Gene flow from food to intestinal bacteria that increases antibiotic resistance What are some food safety issues?

35. Inadvertent Creation of Allergens and Toxins Is Toxin Creation Confined to GE Foods? No – naturally occurring toxins happen due to classical breeding efforts also, e.g., potato (glycoalkaloids) and celery (psoralens )

36. Starlink corn contamination

37. Fumonisin Reduction with Bt-maize 1989: High levels of fumonisin cause large-scale outbreaks of lethal lung edema in pigs, brain tumors in horses1989: High levels of fumonisin cause large-scale outbreaks of lethal lung edema in pigs, brain tumors in horses Fumonisin contamination caused by insect infestationFumonisin contamination caused by insect infestation 20- to 30-fold fumonisin reduction with Bt-maize20- to 30-fold fumonisin reduction with Bt-maize Modified from Drew L. Kershen University of Oklahoma SOURCE; Hammond, B. et al., (Feb. 2004), Lower fumonisin mycotoxin levels in the grain of Bt-corn grown in the United States in 2000-2002, J. Agric. Food Chem. 52: 1390-1397

38. Where to get more information?