I remember when I first genetically engineered bacteria in the laboratory in 1997, at Leiden university. Every student was taught to do it, its quite a simple process. At that time we did tend to learn that one gene created a single protein. So I thought GMO was a good thing. Ten years later, at medical school, I learned this was not the case and that DNA could create many proteins and have a great many additional functions. I would have to agree with Vrain now in saying that GMO is likely to be dangerous. "When we started with genetic engineering in the 1980s, the science was based on the theory that one gene produces one protein. But we now know, since the human genome project, that a gene can create more than one pro tein. The insertion of genes in the genome through genetic enginee ing interrupts the coding sequence of the DNA, creating truncated, rogue proteins, which can cause unintended effects. It’s an invasive technology. Biotech companies ignore these rogue proteins; they say they are background noise. But we should pay attention to them. It must be verified that they produce no negative effects"
Posted on: Sun, 23 Jun 2013 19:57:41 +0000
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