Genetically modified potato wins EU approval

[Malboury]

A Canadian government department is poised to approve genetically modified pigs for the food supply, the Canwest News Service reported Friday.

The Yorkshire pigs were developed by researchers in Ontario at the University of Guelph, who spliced in genes from mice
to decrease the amount of phosphorus produced in the pigs' dung, the report said.

Report: Canada to approve GM 'enviropigs' - UPI.com

Want some mouse with your sausage?

You're not having mouse with your sausage, you're having some mouse genes in your sausage. Bear in mind that all mammals are very similar, genetically. Mice share about 92% of their genes are the same as a humans, so eating a mouse is the same as eating 92% human, right? Except not really; those 8% genes matter a lot! Hell, even Yeast shares 26% of it's genes or so with you.

Genes are just the building blocks life uses. Similar to lego, you can reuse the bricks, but create really different things. Tacking that extra blue block from a mouse onto a pig doesn't have to change things too much.

[rhonda15]

You're not having mouse with your sausage, you're having some mouse genes in your sausage. Bear in mind that all mammals are very similar, genetically. Mice share about 92% of their genes are the same as a humans, so eating a mouse is the same as eating 92% human, right? Except not really; those 8% genes matter a lot! Hell, even Yeast shares 26% of it's genes or so with you.

Genes are just the building blocks life uses. Similar to lego, you can reuse the bricks, but create really different things. Tacking that extra blue block from a mouse onto a pig doesn't have to change things too much.

wow that's very reassuring - you should do PR for Monsanto

remember - you are what you eat

[goosebump]

All organisms are GMO. It is called evolution.

There is no evidence of transgenic mutation in evolution, where as GMO readily mixes plant and animal DNA.

[Malboury]

wow that's very reassuring - you should do PR for Monsanto

remember - you are what you eat

Rhonda, it's honestly just the facts. I'm a GM supporter, but you can check me on all that really easily.

Also, if you are what you eat, then surely you'd become a sausage ;-)

When you eat things, you absorb the chemicals, nutrients, minerals, etc. You don't absorb their genetic code. If you look at it that way, we shouldn't eat any living thing, right?

[goosebump]

When you eat things, you absorb the chemicals, nutrients, minerals, etc. You don't absorb their genetic code. If you look at it that way, we shouldn't eat any living thing, right?

The nutrients, minerals and chemicals are derived from the genetic code on which the food is based.

[charley]

day of the triffids?

[Malboury]

There is no evidence of transgenic mutation in evolution, where as GMO readily mixes plant and animal DNA.

I think their might be. Doesn't this happen in some bacterium?

edit: Just checked; under lab conditions about 1% of bacteria can pick up 'environmental dna'; dna that's just floating around nearby. In their natural environment it probably happens more. Apparently, it's called Transformation.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transformation_(genetics)

[Gnome Chomsky]

The so-called "terminator gene" is particularly dangerous.

I know what a terminator gene is. Please explain how it's dangerous.

All organisms are GMO. It is called evolution.

Technically yes, but you have to realise how dishonest that statement is in this debate.

Genetic modifications brought about by scientists are different from ones which occur naturally, in the sense that they are very unlikely to happen in nature. That's why they have to engineer the changes.

Now that doesn't mean these changes are bad, but they are different. They're rather more radical changes, and they have to be managed very carefully. It simply won't do to reason that evolution happens therefore any genetic modification is hunky dory.

[Gnome Chomsky]

There is no evidence of transgenic mutation in evolution,

I'm not aware of any evidence, but with what we know about evolution I'd be absolutely amazed if it never happened.

I think their might be. Doesn't this happen in some bacterium?

Plant DNA mixes with animal DNA in some bacterium? What now?


EDIT. You're talking about transformation, taking up dna from the environment. This doesn't really mix animal and plant dna in any way that I can see.

[Malboury]

I'm not aware of any evidence, but with what we know about evolution I'd be absolutely amazed if it never happened.



Plant DNA mixes with animal DNA in some bacterium? What now?

Eh, edited my earlier post. Link's there. DNA is capable of passing through the cell wall of many bacterium.