Biotechnologies: Agriculture, Food, and Natural Resource Issues

BI 430/430H/530FS 430/430H/530

Instructors:Steve StraussKirstin Carroll

Student Introductions:

1. Name, background, major/dept, and reason for interest in this class.

2. What do you expect this class to be about?

What is Biotechnology?What is Biotechnology?

Biotechnology – techniques of modern biology that employ living organisms (or part of organisms) to make or modify products, improve plants or animals, or develop microorganisms for specific uses.

Early examples of biotechnology….Plant domesticationFermentation (bread, wine, cheese)Crop domestication

MaizeRice

TomatoPine

Plant domestication

BrassicaBrassica oleraciaoleracia

Wildcabbage

Kale, 500 BC

Ornamental kaleLate 1900's

Cauliflower1400's

BroccoliItaly, 1500's

Cabbage, 100 AD

KohlrabiGermany, 100 AD

Brussel sproutsBelgium, 1700's

Creation of crops that never Creation of crops that never existed in nature before…existed in nature before…

Wheat, Triticum aestivumTriticum urartu2n=14

Aegilops speltoides2n=14

Triticum turgidum2n=28

X

Triticum aestivum2n=42

Aegilops tauschii2n=14X

Modern Biotechnology and Modern Biotechnology and GEGE

Biotech = GE = GM = GMO = GEO

This class will focus mainly on biotechnologies that include the use of modern genetic engineering (GE) techniques.

GE - is the use of recombinant DNA (gene splicing) and asexual gene transfer methods to alter the structure or expression of specific genes and traits.

Biotechnology issuesBiotechnology issues A new science – genomicsA new science – genomics A new technology – gene transferA new technology – gene transfer New laws have been generatedNew laws have been generated

– New patent rights and market powerNew patent rights and market power– Food safety regulationsFood safety regulations– Environmental safety regulationsEnvironmental safety regulations– Novel contaminants and liabilitiesNovel contaminants and liabilities

Raises new ethical issues – is it OK? Raises new ethical issues – is it OK? Obtaining global agreement on food trade Obtaining global agreement on food trade

and biodiversity protection rulesand biodiversity protection rules Social controversy = misuse of science, Social controversy = misuse of science,

propaganda wars, fear, stigmapropaganda wars, fear, stigma

Rapid Adoption of Rapid Adoption of Biotechnology – fastest Biotechnology – fastest

growing technology ever!growing technology ever!

Rapid Adoption of Rapid Adoption of BiotechnologyBiotechnology

– 70% of all processed foods on 70% of all processed foods on U.S. store shelves contain some U.S. store shelves contain some component from GM organismscomponent from GM organisms

– All aspartame (a.k.a. All aspartame (a.k.a. Nutrasweet) is from GM bacteria, Nutrasweet) is from GM bacteria, most rennet in cheese is too. most rennet in cheese is too.

– Essentially all insulin is GE (and Essentially all insulin is GE (and many pharmaceuticals) many pharmaceuticals)

Public relations campaigns Public relations campaigns against the technology…against the technology…

Industry campaigns for the Industry campaigns for the technology…technology…

Half-truths, Half-truths, distortions, distortions,

make it make it hard to tell hard to tell

what is what is going on going on

and who is and who is deceiving deceiving

whowho

How many European How many European consumers feel about food consumers feel about food

biotechnologybiotechnology

Is Zambia right to refuse GM Is Zambia right to refuse GM food? BBC Poll Resultsfood? BBC Poll Resultshttp://newsvote.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/2412603.stm?dynamic_vote=ON1 February 2003, n = 5108

49.2 49.4 49.6 49.8 50 50.2 50.4

Yes

No

There's no justification for feeding people

'poison'Levy Mwanawasa,

President of Zambia

Crossing of existing approved plant varieties*

*includes all methods of breeding

Conventional pollen based crossing of closely related species

Selection from a heterogenous population

rDNA via Agrobacterium, transfer of genes from closely related species

Mutation breeding, chemical mutagenesis, ionizing radiation

Somatic hybridization

Somaclonal variation (SCV)

rDNA biolistic, transfer of genes from closely related species

rDNA biolistic, transfer of genes from distantly related species

Conventional pollen based crossing of distantly related species or embryo rescue

Selection from a homogenous population

rDNA via Agrobacterium, transfer of genes from distantly related species

Likelihood of unintended effects (arbitrary scale)Less likely More likely

Risks of unintended effects on food :NRC/IOM 2004Risks of unintended effects on food :NRC/IOM 2004

Biotechnology and SocietyBiotechnology and Society

Any new technology takes time for Any new technology takes time for acceptance. acceptance.

(e.g. pasteurization & microwaves)(e.g. pasteurization & microwaves) Food is an emotional and personal area.Food is an emotional and personal area.

(more controversial than medicines)(more controversial than medicines) Limited public understanding of science Limited public understanding of science

and agriculture.and agriculture. Sensationalized media coverage raises Sensationalized media coverage raises

fears and sets public agendas.fears and sets public agendas. Biotechnology raises complex ethical Biotechnology raises complex ethical

and social issues which need attention.and social issues which need attention.

Scientific Questions About GE Scientific Questions About GE CropsCrops

Is eating food from transgenic crops a health hazard?

Does pollen from transgenic crops contaminate non-transgenic crop varieties?

Will herbicide-resistant GE crops create “superweeds”?

Do transgenic crops reduce biodiversity?

Will insect pests become resistant to Bt toxin?

Non-Scientific Questions Non-Scientific Questions About GE Crops About GE Crops

• Why do we need GMOs?

• Who will benefit?

• Who decided to develop them and how?

• Why weren’t we better informed?

• Why aren’t we given a choice?

• Do regulatory agencies have sufficient power?

• Who will be accountable in cases of unforeseen harm?

Course GoalsCourse Goals All of this is too much, too big, for any All of this is too much, too big, for any

one teacher or scientist. one teacher or scientist. Intelligent perspectives are too diverse Intelligent perspectives are too diverse

for one human to present all fairly. for one human to present all fairly. Thus interdisciplinary approach to Thus interdisciplinary approach to

class. class. The main goal of this class is to make The main goal of this class is to make

sure you havesure you have accurate information accurate information and understand the diverse and understand the diverse perspectives that are out thereperspectives that are out there

You may reach different conclusions You may reach different conclusions about the desirability of all, or specific, about the desirability of all, or specific, GE crops based on the material you GE crops based on the material you hear, and accept, depending on your hear, and accept, depending on your perspectiveperspective

Hopefully, your Hopefully, your sciencescience based views are based views are not based on an “all GE is good or all GE not based on an “all GE is good or all GE is bad” level of analysis.is bad” level of analysis.

Course GoalsCourse Goals

Class Websitehttp://wwwdata.forestry.oregonstate.edu/orb/BiotechClass/class.htm

•Great stuff out there as well as lots of non-sense. •General knowledge of required readings tested comprehensively on final exam. •Also via three essays and midterm exam. •Background readings give added facts, views, opinions, recent/local news. •Text (Mendel) with give a historical perspective of GE (fast read). •Other readings focus on science. •All reading materials minus text are available via web site. •Readings for first two lectures

Readings a critical part of class

http://wwwdata.forestry.oregonstate.edu/orb/