What is a GMO and Why Do We Care?

Welcome back to the blog! We’re talking all things GMO. I’m not trying to convince anyone to think one way or another, but I am here to inform everyone of the facts in science. This subject is talked about a lot in the media and is debated a lot, so let’s get a few things straight.

“A GMO (genetically modified organism) is the result of a laboratory process where genes from the DNA of one species are extracted and artificially forced into the genes of an unrelated plant or animal. The foreign genes may come from bacteria, viruses, insects, animals or even humans. Because this involves the transfer of genes, GMOs are also known as “transgenic” organisms. This process may be called either Genetic Engineering (GE) or Genetic Modification (GM); they are one and the same.” (Institute for Responsible Technology).

“For centuries, farmers have used breeding to modify the genetics of plants, searching for ways to improve traits that include yield, disease resistance and flavor. Some of those breeding techniques, including wide cross breeding and mutagenizing seeds using radiation or chemicals, involved years of laboratory tinkering, but are not considered GMOs as it’s commonly used. Advancements in biotechnology over recent decades have given breeders the ability to exert greater—and more precise—control over the breeding process. Today, the seeds genetically engineered by companies represent the majority of what’s planted in U.S. farmlands, particularly in grain crops. The foods that result from them are popularly referred to as GMOs. Scientifically speaking, there is no such thing as a “genetically modified organism” or GMO; genetic modification is a process rather than a final product. GMO has become widely embraced as shorthand to refer to a plant or animal with new traits that has been created through modern genetic manipulation, often through transgenesis, in which genetic material from unrelated species are combined or synthetic or heavily modified DNA has been inserted into an organism’s genetic code. But developing an all-encompassing, scientifically accurate definition for this highly-politicized term is difficult, if not impossible, posing challenges for regulators.” (Genetic Literacy Project).

So, these two definitions/excerpts from a quick search on the internet are very opposite. The first is from a non-GMO project, highlighting that foreign genes are forced into an organism, while the second is a pro-GMO website that argues that there are no true “genetically modified organisms,” and that farmers have been choosing genes as long as we’ve been doing agriculture. This is different than actually changing the DNA sequences. However, by altering DNA, we have created medicine and vaccines that have shown to be very helpful (ever known a diabetic that needs insulin? Yep – insulin came from GM technology).

How exactly does this work?

Yes, a small amount of DNA from another organism or species is removed and reinserted into the target organism (corn is a common one, so let’s run with that). In the long run, the amount of DNA being modified is extremely small, as the amount of DNA within cells is ridiculously large. “To give some idea of just how much DNA is packed into that small space, if you were to take all the DNA of one single corn cell out of the nucleus and line it up end-to-end, it would be about six feet long!” (Purdue University) Once a small amount of DNA is inserted, the plant is treated with natural plant hormones to help stimulate growth and reproduction of the cell that has been altered.

So, is this bad?

Well, so far no. We have no specific data that shows that GMOs are bad for us. They are relatively new, so we don’t know any long-term effects, but they are heavily studied; “GMOs have undergone more detailed evaluation than any other group of plants that we consume” (Purdue University). So far there also aren’t any health benefits, but the only reason we’ve been doing it is to grow better food. GMOs are often designed with the intent of replacing pesticides – meaning the harmful chemicals put on plants to keep bugs away isn’t need, or is needed much less. This also often means that GM products are more abundant and therefore cheaper.

The end story?

We have no reason to think GMOs are bad at the moment. We know they are helpful to keep costs low, pesticide use down, and in making medicine like insulin. We don’t know the long term effect since they are relatively new, but so far there are no downsides that have been found.

Sources:

• https://responsibletechnology.org/gmo-education/
• https://gmo.geneticliteracyproject.org/FAQ/what-are-gmos/
• https://ag.purdue.edu/GMOs/Pages/WhatareGMOs.aspx