Gene engineering just got real folks

Fusion_power · June 7, 2014

http://www.scientificamerican.com/ar...-from-scratch/

Think through this carefully. A tomato has 12 chromosomes. They have been sequenced and we have a very good rough draft of what goes where. What would we do with a tomato that has had all the genetic junk cleaned out and maybe drop in a few genes from pepper or potato that would prevent diseases and enhance production? What about building a combination tomato/potato plant that produces potatoes below ground and tomatoes above ground and reproduces from seed?

This will be done, probably within 10 years, possibly within 5 years. A plant will be grown with a completely constructed genome based on the framework of the tomato or potato but with each gene carefully chosen.

The big argument around gmo has been that the genes are randomly inserted into the genome and therefore can have unexpected effects. What about a tomato that is constructed from scratch so the genes are where they belong doing what they are supposed to do?

I'm encouraging thoughtful consideration of this because we will have to deal with it at some point in the near future. I am not a proponent of constructed genomes, but I am very interested in the potential results of this type research.

Anthony_Toronto · June 7, 2014

I'm personally holding out for tomacco.

peppero · June 8, 2014

What is genetic junk? Is it like the appendix thought to be unnecessary butlater found out not to be so?

jon

Fusion_power · June 8, 2014

Some of the dna in organisms has no function. Some are fragments of genes that have been detached from their original location and plugged in elsewhere in the genome. These fragments are not capable of producing anything. Another example, the ph3 gene in tomato is found in a region of resistance genes. In domestic tomato, there are 4 genes with only one of them active. The other three have been disabled because there either is no promoter to turn them on or they do not produce an active protein. In wild tomato that has ph3, the same area has 2 genes and one of them is ph3 which prevents several strains of late blight infecting the plant.

There is plenty of dna that we simply don't understand what it is doing so your analogy of the appendix is also valid.

ContainerTed · June 8, 2014

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fusion_power

Some of the dna in organisms has no function.

Personally, I prefer this statement with this added on, "........that we know of at this point". This technology is still so new that I'm not comfortable with any statement that assigns absolutes to any part of it. But, having said that, it is an interesting subject.

The real question is whether we would become bored if we only had "perfect" tomatoes all the time. I, for one, thrive on the endless diversity that nature provides. It keeps me awake.

epsilon · June 8, 2014

Quote:

Originally Posted by Anthony_Toronto

I'm personally holding out for tomacco.

I second that one. If i could get a good tomato and some nice perique that would make my life so much better.

Chucker · June 8, 2014

Quote:

Originally Posted by ContainerTed

Personally, I prefer this statement with this added on, "........that we know of at this point". This technology is still so new that I'm not comfortable with any statement that assigns absolutes to any part of it. But, having said that, it is an interesting subject.

The real question is whether we would become bored if we only had "perfect" tomatoes all the time. I, for one, thrive on the endless diversity that nature provides. It keeps me awake.

Someday, people will associate all of their fond childhood memories with those "old-timey" rock-hard supermarket tomatoes that taste like cardboard. There will be an entire section of the forum devoted to finding seeds for these rare varieties

**carolyn137** · June 8, 2014

Quote:

Originally Posted by ContainerTed

Personally, I prefer this statement with this added on, "........that we know of at this point". This technology is still so new that I'm not comfortable with any statement that assigns absolutes to any part of it. But, having said that, it is an interesting subject.

The real question is whether we would become bored if we only had "perfect" tomatoes all the time. I, for one, thrive on the endless diversity that nature provides. It keeps me awake.

Ted, I agree with your comment about not knowing at this time whether some DNA is redundant, silent,etc.

And that's b'c of epigenetics where it's been found that there are certain genes that make suppresors that turn certain genes off by sitting (epi) on a gene, and if turned off, then how can a function be determined unless one knows exactly which gene makes that epigentic supressor and can specifically delete or inactivate that gene.

Carolyn

amideutch · June 9, 2014

Quote:

What about building a combination tomato/potato plant that produces potatoes below ground and tomatoes above ground and reproduces from seed?

Saw and advertisement for tomato/potato plants for sale but don't remember if that was over here or in the States.

Ami

Fusion_power · June 9, 2014

Ami, that was a grafted plant with a potato root system and a tomato grafted on top. A genetic combination would be a true potatotomato and would reproduce true from seed. Thompson and Morgan sold them this year. They were first popularized by Luther Burbank.

**carolyn137** · June 9, 2014

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fusion_power

Ami, that was a grafted plant with a potato root system and a tomato grafted on top. A genetic combination would be a true potatotomato and would reproduce true from seed. Thompson and Morgan sold them this year. They were first popularized by Luther Burbank.

Fusion, below is what I found for what T and M was selling, newly introduced;

http://blog.thompson-morgan.com/gard...he-same-plant/

And as they say, it's a grafted plant, no different as I see it from the same that have been sold via the Sunday supplements for many years. Probably sold elsewhere as well.

If I missed it could you please put up a link from T and M that shows not grafted plants, which they say is a world exclusive, NOT, rather seeds?

I'm trying to visualize what a plant grown from a combo seed might look like and I'm not there yet.

Carolyn

amideutch · June 9, 2014

Quote:

Ami, that was a grafted plant with a potato root system and a tomato grafted on top

Roger that as I failed to add that to my post.

Ami

Vespertino · June 9, 2014

There's lots of root veggies that I love that would be great if they could doubly duty with edibles growing on the foliage. Carrots + snap pea tops, celeriac + leek tops, radishes with strawberry tops, etc... Even better if I could have a horseradish root that can grow prime rib on top, and beets growing goat cheese, and garlic with lamb chop scapes....

epsilon · June 9, 2014

Personally I think this is a good step. If we can accurately map every gene expression and genes responsible for switching. We could make these http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/news/...r_N.htm?csp=34
without having to import genes from other plants.

And not that I know this kind of stuff, but I didn't think snap dragons were edible. but I imagine there is some potential for certain imported genes to activate others that may or may not be harmful. I doubt it would be I'm always one for erring on the side of caution.

June 7, 2014	#1
Fusion_power Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Alabama Posts: 2,250	Gene engineering just got real folks http://www.scientificamerican.com/ar...-from-scratch/ Think through this carefully. A tomato has 12 chromosomes. They have been sequenced and we have a very good rough draft of what goes where. What would we do with a tomato that has had all the genetic junk cleaned out and maybe drop in a few genes from pepper or potato that would prevent diseases and enhance production? What about building a combination tomato/potato plant that produces potatoes below ground and tomatoes above ground and reproduces from seed? This will be done, probably within 10 years, possibly within 5 years. A plant will be grown with a completely constructed genome based on the framework of the tomato or potato but with each gene carefully chosen. The big argument around gmo has been that the genes are randomly inserted into the genome and therefore can have unexpected effects. What about a tomato that is constructed from scratch so the genes are where they belong doing what they are supposed to do? I'm encouraging thoughtful consideration of this because we will have to deal with it at some point in the near future. I am not a proponent of constructed genomes, but I am very interested in the potential results of this type research.

June 8, 2014	#4
Fusion_power Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Alabama Posts: 2,250	Some of the dna in organisms has no function. Some are fragments of genes that have been detached from their original location and plugged in elsewhere in the genome. These fragments are not capable of producing anything. Another example, the ph3 gene in tomato is found in a region of resistance genes. In domestic tomato, there are 4 genes with only one of them active. The other three have been disabled because there either is no promoter to turn them on or they do not produce an active protein. In wild tomato that has ph3, the same area has 2 genes and one of them is ph3 which prevents several strains of late blight infecting the plant. There is plenty of dna that we simply don't understand what it is doing so your analogy of the appendix is also valid. Last edited by Fusion_power; June 8, 2014 at 08:55 AM.

June 7, 2014	#2
Anthony_Toronto Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Toronto Posts: 413	I'm personally holding out for tomacco.

June 8, 2014	#3
peppero Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: selmer, tn Posts: 2,944	What is genetic junk? Is it like the appendix thought to be unnecessary butlater found out not to be so? jon

June 9, 2014	#10
Fusion_power Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Alabama Posts: 2,250	Ami, that was a grafted plant with a potato root system and a tomato grafted on top. A genetic combination would be a true potatotomato and would reproduce true from seed. Thompson and Morgan sold them this year. They were first popularized by Luther Burbank.

June 9, 2014	#13
Vespertino Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Apr 2013 Location: Southlake, TX Posts: 743	There's lots of root veggies that I love that would be great if they could doubly duty with edibles growing on the foliage. Carrots + snap pea tops, celeriac + leek tops, radishes with strawberry tops, etc... Even better if I could have a horseradish root that can grow prime rib on top, and beets growing goat cheese, and garlic with lamb chop scapes....

June 9, 2014	#14
epsilon Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Aug 2012 Location: Desert CA Posts: 400	Personally I think this is a good step. If we can accurately map every gene expression and genes responsible for switching. We could make these http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/news/...r_N.htm?csp=34 without having to import genes from other plants. And not that I know this kind of stuff, but I didn't think snap dragons were edible. but I imagine there is some potential for certain imported genes to activate others that may or may not be harmful. I doubt it would be I'm always one for erring on the side of caution.