L1-2: INTRODUCTION

1
 Course Objective

• Covers the principles and key concepts of plant and

food biotechnology and its applications in increasing
global food supply
• Its significance in agriculture and food production
• Its importance in molecular farming
• Production of biopharmaceuticals and other high
value proteins
• Real-life applications of plant and food biotechnology

2
 Learning outcomes
• Acquire key concepts in plant and food biotechnology
• Acquire basic laboratory techniques in plant
biotechnology
• Cooperate and work with other students (lab)
• Improve written and oral communication skills (poster)
• Develop scientific inquiry and critical thinking skills
(lectures, lab & poster)
• Gain insight into real-life applications in plant and
food biotechnology

3
 Course content
• Tools in plant genetic engineering
• Techniques for plant gene transfer
• Genetic engineering of commercially useful
biosynthetic pathways in transgenic plants
• Biotechnology in Plant Pest & Disease Control
• Transgenic Plants as Bioreactors
• Biofuels
• Chloroplast Transformation
• Genetically-modified crops: regulations, testing and
labelling, public perception
4
Description Approx. No. of hours
Introduction 4
Content and assessment
Importance of plants
Introduction to genetic engineering in plants

Tools for plant gene transfer 4

Promoters, reporter genes, selectable markers, vectors
Agrobacterium vectors
Techniques in plant gene transfer

Genetic engineering of biosynthetic pathways in transgenic plants 4

Gene silencing in plants
Discovery
Applications
Reduction of lignin, ethylene, polyphenol oxidase
Improvement of protein composition in transgenic plants
Improvement of vitamin content
Other examples of biofortified food

Development of pest and disease resistant plants ~5

Engineering plants resistant to microbial pathogens (bacteria)
Engineering virus-resistant plants (viral coat protein, RNAi)
Engineering insect-resistant plants
Production of herbicide-tolerant transgenic plants

Plants as bioreactors ~3
Biofuels
Plant made pharmaceuticals, edible vaccines
Chloroplast transformation

Genetically-modified crops: regulations, testing and labelling, public perceptions 2 5

 Lecture Structure

• Lectures supported by
– Moodle
– Videos (to help you better understand the topic)
– Discussion
– Past Exam Questions
(different exam format from Sep 2020 with quiz inclusion)

6
Course materials
• Files in Moodle
• Select your course from “My eLearning” after logging in
HKU Portal at http://hkuportal.hku.hk

• HKU Libraries Electronic reserves

• Textbook: Plants, genes, and agriculture. By Chrispeels, M.J.
and D.E. Sadava. 1994 Jones and Bartlett Publ. 363.8 C55
• Research articles

• Teaching Tools in Plant Biology

• American Society of Plant Biologists
• http://www.plantcell.org/content/teaching-tools-plant-
biology
7
 HKUmoodle
http://hkuportal.hku.hk/ > My eLearning

Date of Lecture

8
HKU Libraries Electronic reserves
Refer to Find@HKUL
https://libguides.lib.hku.hk/FindatHKUL
for Book reference & Electronic reserves
1. Click in BLUE BOX

2. Click in GREEN BOX

MyAccount@HKUL
 Refer to Find@HKUL
https://libguides.lib.hku.hk/FindatHKUL
for Book reference & Electronic reserves

3. HKUL Authentication

4. Click readinglist@hkul
 Refer to Find@HKUL
https://libguides.lib.hku.hk/FindatHKUL
for Book reference & Electronic reserves

5. Course Status Active Faculty All

6. Type Course code BIOL4411

Refer to Find@HKUL
https://libguides.lib.hku.hk/FindatHKUL
for Book reference & Electronic reserves

7. Click Plant and Food Biotechnology

8. See List
8. See List
eBook

14
15
 Course Material
• pdf files in Moodle:
– Select your course from “My eLearning” after logging in
HKU Portal at
http://hkuportal.hku.hk

• HKU Libraries Electronic reserves:

– Book reference
– Electronic reserves

• Teaching Tools in Plant Biology:

– American Society of Plant Biologists
http://www.plantcell.org/content/teaching-tools-plant-
biology

16
 Teaching Tools in Plant Biology
http://www.plantcell.org/content/teaching-tools-plant-biology

17
 Course assessment Weighting
HKU portal 70%
(50% written exam
+ 20% quiz)
--------------
10% lab rep
20% poster

18
Quiz (after first half of course)
• 20%
• Multiple choice Q

Final Exam (to test whole course)

• 50%
• 2-h closed book written exam
• Essay questions only
• Q1 (compulsory 20 marks) and
two out of three other questions (15 marks each)
19
Past papers: Library ExamBase
http://exambase.lib.hku.hk.eproxy.lib.hku.hk/exhibits/show/exam/home

NOTE: Exam with different format from Sep 2020 with quiz inclusion)

Type in BIOL4411
BIOL4411

Select Course number

20
 Past papers
(NOTE: different format from Sep 2020 with quiz inclusion)

21
 Grade descriptors
A Demonstrate thorough and complete mastery of extensive knowledge and skills required
for attaining the learning outcomes in Plant and Food Biotechnology. Show strong analytical
and critical abilities and logical thinking, with evidence of original thought, and ability to
apply knowledge to a wide range of complex, familiar and unfamiliar situations in Plant and
Food Biotechnology. Apply highly effective organizational and presentational skills.
B Demonstrate substantial command of a broad range of knowledge and skills required for
attaining at least most of the course learning outcomes. Show evidence of analytical and
critical abilities and logical thinking, and ability to apply knowledge to familiar and some
unfamiliar situations. Apply effective organizational and presentational skills.
C Demonstrate general but incomplete command of knowledge and skills required for
attaining most of the course learning outcomes. Show evidence of some analytical and
critical abilities and logical thinking, and ability to apply knowledge to most familiar
situations. Show moderately effective organizational and presentational skills.
D Demonstrate partial but limited command of knowledge and skills required for attaining
some of the course learning outcomes. Some evidence of coherent and logical thinking,
accompanied with limited analytical and critical skills. Show limited ability to apply
knowledge in Plant and Food Biotechnology. Show limited or barely effective organizational
40+ and presentational skills.
<40 F Fail to demonstrate command of knowledge and skills required for attaining the course
learning outcomes. Lack of analytical and critical abilities, logical and coherent thinking. No
evidence in ability to apply knowledge in Plant and Food Biotechnology. Ineffective
organizational and presentational skills.
22
 Introduction
to
Genetic Engineering in Plants
and
its Application
in
Food Production

23
 Uses of Plants

Even before plant genetic engineering,

plants are invaluable sources for many uses:

24
 Plants provide staple food

https://i1.wp.com/www.livingcoramdeo.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/Legumes-linked-to-lower-diabetes-risk.jpg?resize=800%2C450&ssl=1
25
https://archivestatic2.chouftv.ma//pictures/2014-09/542b080bbea94fruit.jpg https://static.geo.de/bilder/63/a9/60847/article_image_big/bio-gemuese-lebensmittel-verschwendung-c-4411761.jpg
https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-H-o2kTbF_Yw/UqWqmx-qB7I/AAAAAAAAJao/wB87EkFI81A/s400/seeds.jpg http://steve-odland.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/crops.jpg
 Plants have been used in food to
enhance flavour
Spearmint
Vanilla planifolia
Mentha spicata

http://www.alvita.com/herbal-teas/spearmint.html https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Vanilla_plantation_in_shader_dsc01168.jpg
26
https://images.wisegeek.com/vanilla-bean.jpg https://rbgsocialclub.wordpress.com/2011/12/08/if-you-aint-already-get-hip-to-peppermint-tea/
 Plants have been used in food to
enhance flavour

Cardamom
Ginger family
Elettaria
Cinnamon cardamomum

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/24/Cinnamomum_verum_-_K%C3%B6hler%E2%80%93s_Medizinal-
Pflanzen-182.jpg/220px-Cinnamomum_verum_-_K%C3%B6hler%E2%80%93s_Medizinal-Pflanzen-182.jpg
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/f4/Elettaria_cardamomum_-_K%C3%B6hler%E2%80%93s_Medizinal-
Pflanzen-057.jpg/220px-Elettaria_cardamomum_-_K%C3%B6hler%E2%80%93s_Medizinal-Pflanzen-057.jpg https://www.ladrogheriabio.com/pimages/Cardamomo-Semi-extra-big-2027-483.jpg
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https://lilianausvat.files.wordpress.com/2014/01/cinnamon_024_tree.jpg https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/de/Cinnamomum_verum_spices.jpg
 Plants have been used in medicine
Ajmalicine:
Anti-hypertensive drug
Vincristine, vinblastine:
Taxol: Anticancer drug Anti-cancer drugs
Caranthus rosea
長春花
Yew tree

Yew tree
紅豆杉
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https://www.visitcumbria.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/the-lorton-yew.jpg https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e8/Yew_bark_Taxol_PD.jpg
https://www.polska.pl/media/public/97/e4/db80f1345fc823fd3901f72a1cf.jpg__768x600_q85_crop-smart_subsampling-2_upscale.jpg http://www.plantmaster.com/PlantMaster/FullSize/1125i.jpg
 Plants have been used in medicine
Pharmaceuticals
Chinchona

Digitalis (Foxglove)

Ephedra
Ma Huang

Quinine: treat malaria Digitonin: for

determination of
plasma cholesterol
and steroids Ephedrine: prevents
low blood pressure,
asthma, obesity etc.
http://www.nadidem.net/flora/flora/famgenustur/ephedraceae/ephedra/emajor/images/Ephedra%20major%20HOST_jpg.jpg
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http://bioweb.uwlax.edu/bio203/2011/neitzel_kayl/homepage%20tree.jpg https://www.ethnoplants.com/1791-thickbox_default/ephedra-sinica-ma-huang-seeds.jpg
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/8d/Digitalis-stora_hultrum.sweden-24.jpg/220px-Digitalis-stora_hultrum.sweden-24.jpg
 More uses of plants

Mahonia aquifolium
(Oregon-grape)
Family Berberidaceae
Produces berberine (yellow colour)
Dye for wool, leather and wood
Histological fluorescent dye

As a drug for treating diabetes, cancer,

lowering cholesterol (Low Density Lipoprotein),
enhances cardiovascular health etc.

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/8e/Mahonia_aquifolium.jpg/220px-Mahonia_aquifolium.jpg
30
Metabolites derived from cell cultures

berberine - lowers cholesterol

rosmarinic acid - antimicrobial
Berberine
Coptis japonica
(huanglian)

Rosmarinic acid
Coleus blumei

Plant Cell Cultures …from wild-type

31
 Commonly asked questions
related to plant & food
biotechnology
• Why do we need transgenic plants?

• Is genetic modification of plants new to

us?

32
The world population grows and grows …

The world population is

expected to triple between
1950 (2.5 billion) and 2020
(7.5 billion) and keep on
increasing

World population from 10,000 BC

33
The world population grows and grows …

A major objective of plant

science is to increase food
production; current
estimates indicate that we
need to increase production
by 70% in the next 40 years.

34
 Now we face our biggest challenges
Global Atmospheric
population CO2

0 500 1000 1500 2000 1800 1850 1900 1950 2000

How do we feed more

people without further
damaging our planet?
Photo courtesy Earth Observatory NASA

35
 Video
• How to feed the world in 2050: actions in a changing climate
6 min
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gjtIl5B1zXI

CGIAR Research Program on Climate Change, Agriculture and Food Security

(CCAFS)
• World Scientists Urge Key Actions for Achieving Food Security in a Changing Climate
http://ccafs.cgiar.org/commission/rep...
• To achieve food security in a changing climate, the global community must operate within
three limits: the quantity of food that can be produced under a given climate; the quantity
needed by a growing and changing population; and the effect of food production on the
climate.
• At present the planet operates outside that safe space, as witnessed by the enormous
number of people who are undernourished.
• If current trends in population growth, diets, crop yields and climate change continue, the
world will still be outside this 'safe operating space' in 2050. Humanity must urgently work
to enlarge the safe space and also move the planet into the safe space.
• The Commission on Sustainable Agriculture and Climate Change has a produced a set of
concrete policy actions to transform the food system.
36
 Inside the Looming Food Crisis
• Extreme weather, booming populations make
building the food supply a challenge

• UN estimate that world's population would

reach 9.6 billion by 2050, up from nearly 7.2
billion now
– > 800 million people worldwide who don't have
enough to eat
– > 47 million in the U.S. need food assistance

• Major grain crops—rice, wheat, and corn

(maize)

• Rising appetite for meat…

– Grains such as corn, wheat, and soy fed to animals
– Several pounds of grain are needed to
grow each pound of meat

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2014/05/140522-food-crisis-vulnerable-weather-climate-future/
37
 38
https://docs.wfp.org/api/documents/WFP-0000071530/download/?_ga=2.64801644.2142221359.1551420540-1236937127.1551420540
 More than one billion people are chronically hungry, and
more than two billion people do not get adequate
vitamins or minerals in their diet

39
https://docs.wfp.org/api/documents/WFP-0000071530/download/?_ga=2.64801644.2142221359.1551420540-1236937127.1551420540
 Video
• Bill Gates on world hunger and GMO.
3 min

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tdu7d74WbBo

Bill Gates believes that in the next 15 years, Africa can

increase its agricultural productivity by 1.5x.
As our February guest editor, he narrates this episode of the
Big Future to explain the combination of better seeds,
education, and critical infrastructure needed to drive down
poverty and improve life across the continent.

40
…why we need transgenic plants
• To improve yield
• To enhance nutritional content
• To reduce environmental impact
• To reduce cost

41
 Commonly asked questions
related to plant & food
biotechnology
• Why do we need transgenic plants?

• Is genetic modification of plants new to

us?

42
GENETIC IMPROVEMENTS IN
AGRICULTURE
The Distant Past
Crop plant domestication and beyond

The Recent Past

Hybrid seed
The (First) Green Revolution
Advances in breeding technologies
Now and Into The Future
Breeding for improved human health
Breeding for drought tolerance
Agricultural innovation in Africa
The Second Green Revolution

43
 The Distant Past
(>10,000 years ago to 1900)
• Homo sapiens originated
400,000 – 250,000 years ago
• Major crops were domesticated
~ 10,000 – 5000 years ago
• The development of human
civilizations is correlated with
the development of agriculture

First farmer of the Linear Pottery Culture in Neolithic Central

Europe. Illustration: Karol Schauer, State Museum of Prehistory in
Halle (Saale), Saxony-Anhalt, Germany.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pbio.1000535.g001

44
 Plants were domesticated in parallel
in several regions
Wheat, barley, pea, lentil
~ 13,000 years ago

Rice, soybean
~ 9000 years ago

Rice, bean
~ 8500 years ago

Corn, squash, bean,

potato
~ 10,000 years ago

Reprinted by permission from Macmillan Publishers Ltd.: [Nature] Diamond, J. (2002). Evolution, consequences and future of plant and animal domestication. Nature 418: 700-707, copyright 2002.

45
 Video
• Crop Domestication
5 min
https://www.cornell.edu/video/plant-breeding-then-and-now-1-crop-domestication

• Plant Breeding: Then and Now provides an overview of plant

breeding techniques, from early crop domestication to the latest
developments in biotechnology methods.
• Plant breeding is one of the oldest scientific disciplines that has
developed over thousands of years.
• Discover how recent developments in biotechnology are changing
the science and methods of plant breeding.
• This video is part 1 of 6 in the Plant Breeding: Then and Now
series. 46
 Genetic modification arose as a
consequence of cultivation

Planting seeds from

“good” plants increased
their representation in
subsequent generations

Natural variation
within population

Image courtesy of University of California Museum of Paleontology, Understanding Evolution - www.evolution.berkeley.edu

47
 During maize domestication
cob size increased

Cobs from
archaeological sites
in the Valley of
Tehuacán, Mexico

7000 500
years ago years ago
Photo © Robert S. Peabody Museum of Archaeology, Phillips Academy, Andover, Massachusetts. All Rights Reserved.

48
Corn domestication https://www-nature-com.eproxy.lib.hku.hk/articles/nplants20149.pdf
G Larson Nature Plants 1: 14009 (2015)
doi:10.1038/nplants.2014.9

Sequencing ancient DNA from archaeological

samples reveals both how maize /corn was
transported through North America, and the shifting
genomic patterns in response to selection for
drought tolerance and sugar content.

Civilization exists on a foundation of domestic plants

and animals. From the emergence of our species
approximately 200,000 years ago, hunting and
gathering strategies allowed humans to spread
across six continents.

Our global population size never climbed beyond a

few million, however, until the development of
settled agricultural economies based upon the
production of crop staples and the management of
captive animals (beginning about 10,000 years ago)
allowed the human population to climb past seven
billion1.

Maize is arguably the most important staple crop

domesticated in North America. 49
Decrease in branching and increase
in seed size were also selected

Image credit Nicolle Rager Fuller, National Science Foundation

50
 The hard casings around many grains
were eliminated

Teosinte, the
wild relative of
maize, has hard
coverings over
each grain.
Humans
selected against
these during
maize
domestication.

Photo by Hugh Iltis; Reprinted from Doebley, J.F., Gaut, B.S., and Smith, B.D. (2006). The Molecular Genetics of Crop Domestication. Cell
127: 1309-1321, with permission from Elsevier.

51
Seeds that don’t break off were selected

Wild Domesticated
Shattering grain Non-shattering grain
“Brittle rachis” “Tough rachis”
Advantage – Advantage – facilitates
maximizes seed harvesting
dispersal

From Konishi, S., Izawa, T., Lin, S.Y., Ebana, K., Fukuta, Y., Sasaki, T., and Yano, M. (2006). An SNP caused loss of seed shattering during rice domestication. Science 312: 1392-1396.
Reprinted with permission from AAAS.

52
 Video
• Domesticating Plants leads to Loss in Genetic
Diversity:
4 min
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xNNRYbUC7UY

53
 Example of plant domestication
Brassica oleracea
Genetic Wild mustard plant Genetic
changes changes
affecting affecting
terminal flower
Cauliflower
Cabbage leaf buds buds

Are they the same?

lateral flower
leaf buds They are just different cultivars! buds/
stems
Brussels sprouts Broccoli

leaves
stems

Kohlrabi Kale

http://www.georgeperry.co.uk/images/P/kale.jpg https://thumbs.dreamstime.com/b/repolho-selvagem-53446481.jpg 54
https://thumbs.dreamstime.com/b/repolho-selvagem-53446481.jpg https://cdn.pixabay.com/photo/2017/09/01/19/20/white-cabbage-2705228_960_720.jpg http://www.specialtyproduce.com/sppics/996.png
http://homesteaderdepot.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/kohlrabi.jpg https://i0.wp.com/freshproducegroup.us/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/BROCCOLI-FRESH-PRODUCE-GROUP-LLC1.png?fit=600%2C600&ssl=1
 Many of our crops are products of
extensive genomic rearrangements
Common wheat is the
Polyploid (multi-genome) result of interspecific
plants are often bigger and hybridization between
so selected for propagation three ancestors

The brassicas share three genomes

recombined in various ways

From Dubcovsky, J. and Dvorak, J. (2007). Genome Plasticity a Key Factor in the Success of Polyploid Wheat Under Domestication. Science. 316: 1862-1866. Reprinted with permission from AAAS.
Brassica figure from Adenosine

55
 PA CHIAM
SERAUP
FORTUNA BESAR 15 M ARONG UNKNOWN
PAROC

original rice genome

B PI 76 REX ORO
BLUE ROSE
SUPREM E
KITCHILI SAM BA

Mutations

SINAWPAGH

UNKNOWN

One of the most CINA

PETA
LATISAIL

Recombinations
TEXAS
PA TNA
RSBR GEB 24

Translocation B LUE BONNET

widely grown crops, s

DGWG CP231 SLO 17 BENONG

IR86 CP SLO 17 SIGA DIS

Indica rice IR64 is IR95

Inversions
NAHNG M ON S4
IR127

the product of a
NM S 4
IR8 CHOW SUNG IR262

IR1103 TADUKAN V ELLAIKAR

complex breeding
IR400 TSAI Y UAN CHUNG
IR1006 M UDGO CO 18
TETEP
IR1163 IR238 TN1

program that has IR1402

IR1416 IR1641

 Deletions
IR22 TKM 6 IR746A

caused extensive
IR1704
O. nivara
IR1870 IR1614

genomic IR2006

IR773 A BPI 121 GAM PAI

IR579 IR747 IR24/ IR661 IR1721

modification, IR1915 B IR1833 GA M PAI 15 IR1561 IR1737

mutation, deletion
IR1916 IR833 IR2040

IR2146 IR 2055
IR2061

and rearrangement IR5236 IR5338 Ultimate Landraces

GAM PAI TSAI YUAN CHUNG
IR5657 DEE GEO WOO GEN BENONG
CINA Unknow n
IR18348 LATISAIL CHOW SUNG
TADUKAN MUDGO
IR64 KITCHILI SAMBA TETEP
PA CHIAM SINAWPAGH

IR64 SERAUPBESAR 15
NAHNG MON S 4
VELLAIKAR
UNKNOWN (JAPANESE)
O. nivara (IRGC 101508)
MARONG PAROC

Slide courtesy of Ingo Potrykus

56
 Tools used for plant improvement
Timeline
12000 BC – 4000 BC- Beginning of agriculture (plant selection)
100 BC- First use of grafting
1694- Sexual reproduction discovered in plants
1876- First intergeneric cross
cross (wheat x rye) → Triticale
1900- Hybrid maize production begins in the US
1909- First protoplast fusion
protoplast fusion
1927- X-ray mutation
mutation breeding
1967- Plant regeneration from isolated cells
1973- First recombinant
recombinant DNA
DNA molecule
1983- First genetically modified (GM) plant
1994- First GM food approval

Batista (2009) Trends in Biotech 27:277 57

 Important Historical Milestones in Plant Transformation since 1977

58
Fredy Altpeter et al. Plant Cell 2016;28:1510-1520 ©2016 by American Society of Plant Biologists
Is genetic modification of plants
new to us?

We have been modifying plants

for thousands of years!

59
Plant Biotechnology : a precise process to
improve plants

Traditional plant breeding

Traditional donor Commercial variety New variety
DNA is a strand of genes, (many genes are transferred)
much like a strand of
pearls. Traditional plant
breeding combines many =
X
genes at once.
Desired Gene (crosses)
Desired gene

Plant biotechnology
Desired gene Commercial variety New variety
Using plant biotechnology, (only desired gene is transferred)
a single gene may be
added to the strand. =
(transfers)
Desired gene

Advantages of plant biotechnology over traditional breeding:

1. Faster
2. Precise 60
 Genetic engineering is another
breeding method
Recombinant DNA (or
GM) allows a single
gene to be introduced
into a genome. This
method can be faster
than conventional
breeding

Elite tomato Poor tomato but

disease resistant

Elite, disease resistant tomato

61
In the next 50 years, we will
have to produce as much
food as we have yet
produced in human history
Photo credit: © UNICEF/NYHQ1998-0891/Giacomo Pirozzi

62
 Countries growing GM Crops
(mainly cotton, soybean, corn/maize)

Ever since the first GM product approved and released in the 1990s, GM plants have been
Adopted by 28 countries and planted on 11% of the world’s arable land.
63
H. Breithaupt. 2004. EMBO reports 5, 11, 1031–1034
Distribution of GM Crops Worldwide

64
> 21 countries plant transgenic crops valued ~ US$6 billion Science 320:466 (2008)
8 countries
grow 99%
world’s
GM crops

In the US,
half of the
cropland is
planted with
GM crops

65
Science 320:466 (2008)
Public perception: educate the public re
GM crops
Is GM food safe to eat?
YES
All GM plants are subject to
extensive testing and
regulatory oversight and no
detrimental health effects
have been identified
GM biofortification can
ensure that all children
get adequate levels of
protein, vitamins and
mineral nutrients.
GM is a safe and
beneficial tool in the
quest to sustainably feed
the growing population
Photo credit: Neil Palmer/ CIAT
66
A naturally transgenic crop
J. Jones Nature Plants 1:15077 (2015) doi:10.1038/nplants.2015.77

https://www-nature-com.eproxy.lib.hku.hk/articles/nplants201577

Sweet potato, an important global staple crop

•genetically-modified thousands of years ago by soil bacterium Agrobacterium
rhizogenes
•From RNA sequence analysis, Agrobacterium-derived T-DNA became
incorporated into the genome
•discovery may influence public view of GM crops
•Horizontal gene transfer provides a source of genetic diversity. Rarely, but
results widespread, eg analysis of multiple genomes showed bacterial genes
transferred into humans and other animals.
•“Man has been eating this GM sweet potato for millenia” demonstrates no
longer any rationale for intense safety scrutiny for every GM crop

67
 Public perception: educate the public re GM crops

Scientists worldwide endorse GM as an important tool for

breeding
“Both genetic improvement
and better crop management
are vital and both should be
resourced in parallel.” - 2009

“The ASPB believes strongly that, with

continued responsible regulation and
oversight, GE will bring many significant
health and environmental benefits to the
world and its people.” - 2006

68
 GM organisms
&
their products
include
GM foods …
and others…

Flavr Savr tomato

1st GM food
FDA approved & sold 1994

Since then 26 GM species have been approved!

69
 Video
• Are GMOs Good or Bad?
9 min
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7TmcXYp8xu4

Are GMOs bad for your health?

Or is this fear unfounded?

70
 Discussion
• What happened to genetic diversity as the result of
domestication? Is that good or bad?

• How are plant breeding and genetic engineering

different? What are the advantages of genetic
engineering over plant breeding?

• Are GM products acceptable to you and why?

• What can we do in order to meet the food demand

in 2050?
71