![reaktorplayer:
“Horizontal gene transfer is one of the most serious, if not the most serious hazard of transgenic technology. I have been drawing our regulators’ attention to it at least since 1996 [1], when there was already sufficient evidence to suggest that transgenic DNA in GM crops and products can spread by being taken up directly by viruses and bacteria as well as plant and animals cells”.“The oft-repeated refrain that “transgenic DNA is just like ordinary DNA” is false. Transgenic DNA is in many respects optimised for horizontal gene transfer. It is designed to cross species barriers and to jump into genomes, and it has homologies to the DNA of many species and their genetic parasites (plasmids, transposons and viruses), thereby enhancing recombination with all of them [2]. Transgenic constructs contain new combinations of genes that have never existed, and they also amplify gene products that have never been part of our food chain [3].”“The health risks of horizontal gene transfer include:Antibiotic resistance genes spreading to pathogenic bacteria.Disease-associated genes spreading and recombining to create new viruses and bacteria that cause diseases.Transgenic DNA inserting into human cells, triggering cancer.”](http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lyks9jPDM31qztb3ao1_400.jpg)
reaktorplayer:
“Horizontal gene transfer is one of the most serious, if not the most serious hazard of transgenic technology. I have been drawing our regulators’ attention to it at least since 1996 [1], when there was already sufficient evidence to suggest that transgenic DNA in GM crops and products can spread by being taken up directly by viruses and bacteria as well as plant and animals cells”.
“The oft-repeated refrain that “transgenic DNA is just like ordinary DNA” is false. Transgenic DNA is in many respects optimised for horizontal gene transfer. It is designed to cross species barriers and to jump into genomes, and it has homologies to the DNA of many species and their genetic parasites (plasmids, transposons and viruses), thereby enhancing recombination with all of them [2]. Transgenic constructs contain new combinations of genes that have never existed, and they also amplify gene products that have never been part of our food chain [3].”
“The health risks of horizontal gene transfer include:
Antibiotic resistance genes spreading to pathogenic bacteria.
Disease-associated genes spreading and recombining to create new viruses and bacteria that cause diseases.
Transgenic DNA inserting into human cells, triggering cancer.”
Posted on Monday, January 30 2012.
![reaktorplayer:
“Horizontal gene transfer is one of the most serious, if not the most serious hazard of transgenic technology. I have been drawing our regulators’ attention to it at least since 1996 [1], when there was already sufficient evidence to suggest that transgenic DNA in GM crops and products can spread by being taken up directly by viruses and bacteria as well as plant and animals cells”.“The oft-repeated refrain that “transgenic DNA is just like ordinary DNA” is false. Transgenic DNA is in many respects optimised for horizontal gene transfer. It is designed to cross species barriers and to jump into genomes, and it has homologies to the DNA of many species and their genetic parasites (plasmids, transposons and viruses), thereby enhancing recombination with all of them [2]. Transgenic constructs contain new combinations of genes that have never existed, and they also amplify gene products that have never been part of our food chain [3].”“The health risks of horizontal gene transfer include:Antibiotic resistance genes spreading to pathogenic bacteria.Disease-associated genes spreading and recombining to create new viruses and bacteria that cause diseases.Transgenic DNA inserting into human cells, triggering cancer.”](http://a4.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/40550_138569169513476_138345986202461_161019_5228727_n.jpg)
