RGrizzzz
Administrator
The wheat gene definitely resists the blight. Seems like there are some questions about the offspring 4-5 generations down from the original GMO parent.
Public Comment is Open for Transgenic Darling 58 American Chestnut
- Thread starter tullybonnie11
- Start date
omicron1792
5 year old buck +
I’ve got my popcorn out for this!
I communicate with head of NY chapter some. Gonna see if he will give me the lowdown. I do agree the national chapter jumped off the bandwagon fairly quickly. I wonder if deep down they don’t want a “cure” because then their jobs all go away.
RGrizzzz
Administrator
Allen seems like a good guy. I have some nuts from him growing hopefully for breeding.
Did you read the letter? Seems like SUNY thinks Purdue might have screwed up. Which is ironic.....
omicron1792
5 year old buck +
Yeah. My guess is truth is in the middle. The gene was on the wrong chromosome, which I’m sure didn’t inspire confidence. Then it had less early growth compared to controls.
However, I agree you then do a deep dive into the issue not release a press release saying we are totally giving up on it.
Knehrke
5 year old buck +
From the perspective of a certified gene jockey (albeit who doesn't work on plants), conventional transgenesis is risky. Gene insertion can occur randomly, and even though most of the genome was historically considered to be "filler", it turns out that there are a wide variety of non-coding RNAs in those empty regions. If you insert a gene in the wrong spot, you can inadvertently disrupt an endogenous gene - to unknown effect. That's why it's so important to map your inserts, particular for a long term project like this. Moreover, conventional gene insertions are often comprised of repeats that contain multiple copies of the promoter::coding region modules. Their repetitive nature makes them increasingly subject to gene silencing over time. In essence, they are treated as foreign invaders, like retroviruses, protecting the integrity of the genome.
Given the advent of CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing technology and our current ability to insert a single copy of a gene at precisely defined positions in the genome, I fully expect that this approach will be replicated with greater success as we move forward. I don't think that it makes sense to introduce a strain with known weaknesses into the wild though.
Given the advent of CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing technology and our current ability to insert a single copy of a gene at precisely defined positions in the genome, I fully expect that this approach will be replicated with greater success as we move forward. I don't think that it makes sense to introduce a strain with known weaknesses into the wild though.
