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This is GMO. They added a human gene to rice and potatoes to get the improved yields. People that dislike GMO aren't going to be any happier about adding _huma

This is GMO. They added a human gene to rice and potatoes to get the improved yields. People that dislike GMO aren't going to be any happier about adding _human_ genes to plants.

tingletech 5y ago
As long as it’s not round up ready or otherwise encourage more pesticid use I’m cool with it
- ncmncm 5y ago
  Or making the plant produce pesticide of its own, causing bugs to develop resistance to measures needed by organic farmers, and also dosing humans with what would otherwise be easily rinsed off.
shmageggy 5y ago
I'm looking forward to the day when we can collectively disentangle GMO from all of the other negative practices of big ag. I don't see a reason why responsible genetic modification can't be a part of a sustainable and equitable future agricultural system.
- londons_explore 5y ago
  "Genetically modifying food to increase yield is good for the environment" is a true statement, but you're going to need an awfully good PR firm to persuade the public it's true...
  - shmageggy 5y ago
    Yeah exactly. And not only yield, but natural pest resistance, etc. I'm also imagining how genetic modifications might eventually be environmentally beneficial in the context of whole-ecosystem engineering if/when we ever move beyond a monocrop model, such as modifying native organisms to counter invasive species, etc. Admittedly a bit sci-fi currently but in principle possible!
trasz 5y ago
Can you explain the link between the methylation and adding that gene?
- mnw21cam 5y ago
  The gene that was added is translated into a protein that floats around the cell doing the RNA demethylation. The plants already have other genes that produce proteins that did that, but adding another one has an effect. Edit: correction - thanks Scaevolus, my mistake.
  - trasz 5y ago
    Now it makes sense, thanks!
  - londons_explore 5y ago
    I'm surprised the plant lives at all in that state... One would imagine RNA methylation is used for all kinds of logic and mechanisms in plant cells, so arbitrarily removing them all would break stuff. It would be like a programmer saying "let's just comment out every line of code starting with "if" in the windows source code, and then see if it boots faster!
  - Scaevolus 5y ago
    Plants already have proteins that do this [1], but modifying them or adding new ones can affect phenotype as shown by this study. [1] https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpls.2019.00500/full#:~:text=Among%20protein%20factors%20involved%20in%20RNA%20methylation%20in%20plants%2C%20erasers%20are%20so%20far%20the%20least%20studied https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpls.2019.00500...
Shorel 5y ago
As long as this technology is not used to prevent country farmers to store their own seed whenever they want, and make it only legal to purchase 'Monsanto approved' seeds, I am completely fine with this.

This is GMO. They added a human gene to rice and potatoes to get the improved yields. People that dislike GMO aren't going to be any happier about adding _human_ genes to plants.

tingletech 5y ago

As long as it’s not round up ready or otherwise encourage more pesticid use I’m cool with it

ncmncm 5y ago
Or making the plant produce pesticide of its own, causing bugs to develop resistance to measures needed by organic farmers, and also dosing humans with what would otherwise be easily rinsed off.

shmageggy 5y ago

I'm looking forward to the day when we can collectively disentangle GMO from all of the other negative practices of big ag. I don't see a reason why responsible genetic modification can't be a part of a sustainable and equitable future agricultural system.

londons_explore 5y ago
"Genetically modifying food to increase yield is good for the environment" is a true statement, but you're going to need an awfully good PR firm to persuade the public it's true...
- shmageggy 5y ago
  Yeah exactly. And not only yield, but natural pest resistance, etc. I'm also imagining how genetic modifications might eventually be environmentally beneficial in the context of whole-ecosystem engineering if/when we ever move beyond a monocrop model, such as modifying native organisms to counter invasive species, etc. Admittedly a bit sci-fi currently but in principle possible!

trasz 5y ago

Can you explain the link between the methylation and adding that gene?

mnw21cam 5y ago
The gene that was added is translated into a protein that floats around the cell doing the RNA demethylation. The plants already have other genes that produce proteins that did that, but adding another one has an effect. Edit: correction - thanks Scaevolus, my mistake.
- trasz 5y ago
  Now it makes sense, thanks!
- londons_explore 5y ago
  I'm surprised the plant lives at all in that state... One would imagine RNA methylation is used for all kinds of logic and mechanisms in plant cells, so arbitrarily removing them all would break stuff. It would be like a programmer saying "let's just comment out every line of code starting with "if" in the windows source code, and then see if it boots faster!
- Scaevolus 5y ago
  Plants already have proteins that do this [1], but modifying them or adding new ones can affect phenotype as shown by this study. [1] https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpls.2019.00500/full#:~:text=Among%20protein%20factors%20involved%20in%20RNA%20methylation%20in%20plants%2C%20erasers%20are%20so%20far%20the%20least%20studied https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpls.2019.00500...

Shorel 5y ago

As long as this technology is not used to prevent country farmers to store their own seed whenever they want, and make it only legal to purchase 'Monsanto approved' seeds, I am completely fine with this.