The green genes don't get out much
A field study of oilseed rape suggests that confining transplanted genes to chloroplasts would limit the escape of such genes via wild hybrids.
References:
Chamberlain, D., and C.N. Stewart, Jr. 1999. Transgene escape and transplastomics. Nature Biotechnology 17(April):330.
Scott, S.E., and M.J. Wilkinson. 1999. Low probability of chloroplast movement from oilseed rape (Brassica napus) into wild Brassica rapa. Nature Biotechnology 17(April):390.
Further Readings:
Cummins, J.E. 1998. Chloroplast-transgenic plants are not a gene flow panacea. Nature Biotechnology 16(May):401.
Daniell, H., et al. 1998. Containment of herbicide resistance through genetic engineering of the chloroplast genome. Nature Biotechnology 16(April):345.
Perkins, S. 1997. Transgenic plants provoke petition. Science News 152(Sept. 27):199.
Raloff, J. 1996. Allergies to this soy would be nutty. Science News 149(March 16):164.
Stewart Jr., C.N., and C.S. Prakash. 1998. Chloroplast-transgenic plants are not a gene flow panacea. Nature Biotechnology 16(May):401.
A list of Web sites related to genetically modified foods can be found at http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/special_report/1999/02/99/food_under_the_microscope/newsid_281000/281373.stm.
Sources:
Dean Chamberlain
University of North Carolina
Biology Department
312 Eberhart Building
Greensboro, NC 27402-6174
Joseph E. Cummins
University of Western Ontario
Department of Plant Sciences
London, Ontario N6A 5B8
Canada
Henry Daniell
University of Central Florida
Department of Molecular Biology and Microbiology, BIO 306
Orlando, FL 32816-2360
C. Neal Stewart Jr.
University of North Carolina
Biology Department
312 Eberhart Building
Greensboro, NC 27402-6174
Mike J. Wilkinson
University of Reading
Department of Agricultural Botany
School of Plant Sciences
Whitenights, P.O. Box 221
Reading RG6 6AS
United Kingdom
From Science News, Vol. 155, No. 15, April 10, 1999, p. 230. Copyright © 1999, Science Service.
