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Re: [SANET-MG] Wisconsin release of bacterial pathogens with antibiotic resistance genes



Hi Dale,

Dale Wilson wrote:

Joe,

Since when has field testing GM microbes been recognized as
sustainable agriculture?

New technologies must be tried in the field to see if they have any
value.  Surely you don't disagree.


I will reply to your comments below.In the case of the Wisconsin trials three out of four of the antibiotic resistant strains were not
beneficial to the potato. The other strain needed fuller testing in the
greenhouse befor being released to the sandy soil of central Wisconsin.
Anyhow, GM organisms whether crop, microbe or animal are not rationally
described as sustainable! It seems shady  for  the University of
Wisconsin to palm of the test station as a research facility for
sustainable agriculture and environmental research, when it is just
another biotechnology test center.

The purpose of the field trial seems to be simply experimental with
no potential commercial application of the genetically modified
bacteria. Erwinia carotovora causes a rot disease in potatoes.
The experiment is designed to test the fitness of bacteria that
have had genes known to be associated with pathogenesis that have
been disrupted by inserting in those genes the antibiotic
resistance genes. The antibiotic resistance genes not only
eliminate the function of the pathogenesis gene but they also
serve as selectable markers to identify the modified bacteria. The
antibiotic resistance genes are precisely inserted into the target
pathogenesis gene by adding short DNA tails to the resistance
genes that are homologous to the target pathogenesis gene.

Sounds like a good idea.  Bacterial soft rot is a big problem.  Don't
you think that the use of hypovirulent strains of disease-causing
organisms is a good strategy for reducing dependence on chemical
pesticides?


reply: Non-GM hypovirulent strains are, I believe, available and GM strains should be compared with the non-GM strains  in the greenhose before the GM strains are released in field tests.Hypovirulent strains may be costly to maintain and have to be boosted repeatedly particularly if they fail to compete with virulent strains or do so half-heartedly.

The proposal believes that the antibiotic resistance genes cannot be transferred to bacteria affecting humans; justifying that position by referring to the US Food and Drug Administration’s judgment that antibiotic resistance is already prevalent in
bacteria affecting humans and in soil-borne bacteria.


ans: I provided adequate references in the USDA/APHIS comment to refute the false claim that the resitance genes are not transfered to other enteric bacteria including human pathogens.

Virtually all the antibiotics used in medical practice are produced by
fungi or actinomycetes in the soil.  These are normal weapons of the
soil flora.  Where do you think people find antibiotic resistant
strains of bacteria?  Yeah, in the soil, where they have been selected
for a billion years.


ans: If all the antibiotics were present in all of the soils then dirt would be the best way to treat wounds and diseases. The fact is that antibiotic hunting is like diamond mining, many are called but few are chosen as the Bible says. There is a wealth of literature on the spead of polluting antibiotic resistanc therough manure and soil to the surface and ground water.It seems sort of nutty to be dumping more antibiotic resistant bacteria into the soil or onto the surfaces of produce produced in central Wisconsin.At same time calling the insanity sustainable agriculture!

Do you honestly think that adding a little bit of antibiotic resistant
bacteria to the soil could hurt anything?


ans: I am certain that dumping GM antibiotic resistant bacteria into soil and onto the surfaces of much of the produce (including the organic produce) from central Wisconsin is one of the worst schemes ever concieved  in the minds of mad scientists, worldwide!
Thanks for your peculiar thoughts! sincerely,Joe

Dale


		
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