BTW, don't argue with me, tell Monsanto. They know about the rogue genes!
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TITLE: A) Monsanto GM seeds contain 'rogue' DNA
B) Information on rogue DNA in RR soybeans given by Monsanto
SOURCE: A) Scotland on Sunday, UK
B) Monsanto, by Roy Fuchs
DATE: A) May 30, 2000
B) June 1, 2000
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A) Monsanto GM seeds contain 'rogue' DNA
When the world's leading biotechnology company, Monsanto, bid for permission to market the first genetically modified agricultural crop, Roundup Ready soybean, it was sure it knew what it had created. The bean, the company told US regulators in 1993, contained a single new strand of DNA designed to make it resistant to Monsanto's brand of weed killer, Roundup.
Seven years on, however, Monsanto has realised it was wrong. New research by the company, due to be published in the next few weeks, will reveal the discovery of two rogue fragments of DNA in the soybean, the world's most widespread GM crop. The disclosure has already prompted concern among genetic scientists and alarm from environmentalists.
They point out that such surprise pieces of genetic material could have unknown effects on human health and the environment. There could also be similar unexpected bits of DNA in the related genetically modified contaminated oilseed rape inadvertently planted by hundreds of Scottish farmers this spring.
"These results demonstrate that genetic modification is a clumsy process, not precise as is often claimed," said Dr Sue Mayer, director of Genewatch, an independent research group." There is no control over how many genes, in what order, or where they are inserted.
"It has taken Monsanto almost a decade to provide what they now say is an accurate analysis of the DNA in Roundup Ready soybean. Additional copies or fragments of genes may affect the operation of the other inserted genes, which could have consequences for the performance and composition of the plant. This may have implications for human and environmental safety."
Last Friday, Monsanto's international headquarters in St Louis, Missouri, told the Sunday Herald it was about to submit the first full analysis of the genetic sequences in Roundup Ready soybean for publication in a scientific journal. "We've identified two inactive pieces of the Roundup Ready gene in addition to the complete Roundup Ready gene within Roundup Ready soybeans," said Dan Verakis, a spokesman for the company.
Monsanto has been informing regulatory agencies around the world of the discovery. "Those two pieces were present within the soybeans used in all original safety tests and hence do not change the conclusion by global regulatory authorities that Roundup Ready soybeans are as safe and nutritious as conventional soybeans," claimed Verakis.
"What we've achieved is the ability to see the genes and DNA within Roundup Ready soybeans more clearly, just like putting a telescope in orbit makes it easier for astronomers to see the stars."
But Charlie Kronick, head of Greenpeace's anti-GM campaign in the UK, argued that the company's findings heightened worries about safety. "Imports of contaminated seeds have left the UK and the rest of Europe reeling from further revelations of the biotechnology industry's failure to control their products," he said. "Now Monsanto announces a new discovery concerning the genetic make-up of their first GM product. After years on the market, Monsanto reveals that neither the industry or the regulators actually know what genes are in it. What else don't we know?
"The complacency of government and industry must have surely reached a limit. These crops are unpredictable, uncontrollable and unnecessary. It is time to ban their use and stop their continued genetic pollution."
Although Monsanto's GM soybean is not involved in the contamination of oilseed rape planted by 600 farmers over 11,600 acres of Britain, one of the company's related products, Roundup Ready oilseed rape, is implicated. Advanta, the company which distributed the contaminated seed in Europe, says its problem was originally caused by Roundup Ready rape growing nearby in Canada.
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B) Information on rogue DNA in RR soybeans given by Monsanto
As you are aware, there have been some news reports in Europe that describe new scientific information developed by Monsanto Company on Roundup Ready soybeans. Below is a short summary of the information being discussed. This information resulted from work conducted to develop facile methods for the detection of RR soybeans in seed quality, breeding and other detection programs (such as for labeling). Monsanto plans to publish the detailed sequence information describing the plant genomic DNA sequences flanking the insertion sites of Roundup Ready soybeans.
In 1999, Monsanto published detailed methods for the detection of Roundup Ready soybeans in processed samples using immuno-detection (ELISA and western blotting) of CP4 EPSPS, the protein conferring the Roundup Ready trait. While this work was being completed, and in response to emerging needs for detection methods on a global basis, Monsanto also developed DNA-based line identification methods, first using high sensitivity Southern blotting, and now using DNA sequence tags based on insert/genomic DNA junctions.
Monsanto previously reported to regulatory agencies (in 1994) and published in the scientific literature (in 1995) the molecular map of the functional insert of the CP4 EPSPS cassette as required by regulatory agencies at that time. Using more sensitive Southern blotting methods, a second 72 bp DNA insert (from CP4 EPSPS) was found. This non-functional second insert co-segregates with the functional insert. As a result of DNA sequencing of the insert/
genomic DNA, an additional 250 bp segment of CP4 EPSPS DNA was also identified immediately 3' to the transcriptional termination signal of the primary CP4 EPSPS gene cassette. Sequence analysis, western and northern blotting confirmed that these two segments are non-
functional.
Pedigree analyses confirmed that these segments of CP4 EPSPS were present in RR soybeans evaluated during all safety assessment studies and are present in commercial varieties. DNA sequence determination of these inserts more precisely describes the molecular details of the inserted DNA in RR soybeans. This information does not impact the completed food and environmental safety assessments. This information has been submitted to regulatory agencies in the ordinary course of an ongoing process to provide information supporting Roundup Ready soybeans. The FDA and USDA have already seen these data and have agreed that there are no safety concerns. Other regulatory agencies around the world are currently reviewing the information. These data are also being submitted to a refereed scientific journal for publication. I hope this message helps clarify why this information was generated and why there are no safety concerns associated with this information.
Roy Fuchs
Phone: +1-636-737-6438
Fax: +1-636-737-6189
Email: roy.l.fuchs@monsanto.com
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