- Scientists have begun mixing human genes with rice in
an attempt to take genetically modified crops to the next level.
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- Researchers have inserted into rice a gene from the human
liver that produces an enzyme which is good at breaking down harmful chemicals
in the human body.
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- They hope the enzyme, CYP2B6, will do the same to herbicides
and pollutants when combined with rice.
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- But anti-GM campaigners say using human genes will scare
off consumers worried about cannibalism and the idea of scientists playing
God.
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- Sue Mayer of GeneWatch UK said: 'I don't think anyone
will want to buy this rice.
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- "People have already expressed disgust about using
human genes and already feel that their concerns are being ignored by the
bio-tech industry. This will just undermine their confidence even more."
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- Standard GM crops are modified with genes from bacteria.
They are resistant to only one herbicide which means farmers can spray
their fields as often as they like to beat back weeds, but only with one
type of chemical.
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- The aim of mixing rice with human genes is to produce
a crop which is resistant to several herbicides, reducing the chances of
weeds building up resistance.
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- Researchers at the National Institute of Agro-biological
Sciences in Tsukuba, Japan, have found the new crop could be resistant
to 13 different herbicides.
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- Prof Richard Meilan, who has conducted similar research
at Purdue University in Indiana, said the rice could also be used to clean
land contaminated with industrial pollutants. He used a gene from rabbits
for his research but said there was no reason why human genes should not
be used instead.
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- He said talk of "Frankenstein foods" was rubbish
and added: "I do not have any ethical issue with using human genes
to engineer plants."
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- The resistance to GM crops in Europe has been far greater
than elsewhere in the world.
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- Rice yields have been falling worldwide and the race
has been on to find ways of increasing yields as well as providing varieties
that are virus resistant, low allergen or low protein.
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- But the anti-GM Institute of Science in Society said
the CYP2B6 enzyme could cross back into humans to create new viruses or
cancers.
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- It added: "Pro-GM scientists in the major rice growing
countries have been researching and promoting GM rice with scant regard
for safety or sustainability."
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- © Copyright of Telegraph Group Limited 2005.
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- http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jht
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