Team:Tec-Monterrey/teamha/onlinearticles/english

Myth: Transgenic maize can cause harm in humans.
The corn marketed as StarLink™ is one of the reasons this myth has spread, they produce a protein endotoxin as insecticide. This raised concern since it could be allergic or harmful for humans and, since the US Environmental Protection Agency could not find certainty of no harm to humans, the corn wasn’t approved for human consumption.

Fact: Conventional maize is transgenic.
A transgenic organism is an organism that contains a gene or genes transferred from another organism (this could be from the same or from a different species). According to an article by the CANIA (an institute of nutrition of Venezuela), maize crops are the ones with the highest level of domestication in cultivated plants. This means that man, considering the properties like the size or the resistance to heat, selects the crops. The selection of the best species is necessary to improve the quality of the product.

Because of the cultural features, a lot of options are available. Either natural or induced, causing the existence of many varieties and hybrids. We can call all these hybrids “transgenic”, because they contain genes from others plants. Therefore, all the corn that we consume is a transgenic organism with a mixture of genes that our ancestors considered the best options to improve the maize.

The corn marketed as StarLink™ is not only an example of genetically modified organism (GMO) with issues, but also an example of the regulations of the GMO don't allow the release of a product that can be harmful for humans.



Myth: Biotechnological modifications of crops and foods are very different from traditional methods.

Reality: Biotechnology has helped the traditional agricultural methods.
In the last 10,000 years, people have used their knowledge to improve food production. Farmers used to cross their plant to obtain features of interest. But this method was highly unproductive since a lot of effort was placed in obtaining a desired feature.

Genetic modification is a more efficient and accurate tool that has allowed scientists to find the specific gen they need for a particular trait. Later on, this gen could be cloned and introduced to a plant which would get the desirable characteristic.

It´s not that easy for the plant to express the desirable feature, even so, genetic modification has allowed the next advances:

• Plants resistant to insects.
• Resistant stems harsh climates
• Higher yields of production


To get more information, visit actionbioscience.org and read the article: Biotechnology in crops: Issues for the developing world, and Crop Biotechnology: Feeds for livestock from the university of California.



Fact: No genetically modified organism is released if it doesn’t comply with the regulation required.

In the United States, the regulation of genetically engineered (GE) foods is divided among three federal agencies: the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) (oversees GE crop field trials); the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)(for selectable marker genes and proteins in crop development); the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) (conducts voluntary consultations on other aspects of GE foods with the companies that choose to consult it). For more information about these agencies, please consult the review here
For more information about Biotechnology and Biosecurity in Mexico check the review of the Mexican Congress here



Myth: The production of resistant crops to pests and weeds will create immune “super insects”.

Reality: There is no scientific study that suggests this scenario may happen as a result of a genetically engineered crop production. Even so, there are a plenty of systems to prevent this scenario: crop rotation, hybrid rotation, and pest integral manage. Insects and weeds are not the same as they were in the past, but biotechnology could potentially improve their management so they do not gain a resistant.
To get more info see: Crop rotation form Penn State university and the site oisat.org



Myth: The crops produces by biotechnology will have a negative impact on the environment.

The origin of the myth is based in the conviction that the genetically modified (GM) crops promote insects’ resistance and affect the soil.

Fact: Genetically modified organisms (GMO) cause some positive impacts. According to the Journal of Agrobiotechnology Management & Economics, GMO have benefits related to the changes of insecticide and herbicide use and the reduction of greenhouse gases.

(GHG) emission levels. The use of genetically modified organisms has resulted in 224 million kg less pesticide use and a 15.3% reduction in the environmental impact associated with pesticide use. The GM crops also contribute in the reduction of GHG emissions of 9 billion kg in 2005, equivalent to removing 4 million cars from the roads. For more information about this study, click here.

An example of the employment of Biotechnology to substitute the use of pesticides, are the transgenic plants expressing Bacillus thuringiensis toxins. B. thuringiensis is a bacterium that produce a toxin that has been used as insecticide and as a natural regulator of insects. In accordance with an article of Nature Biotechnology journal, these organisms have also the capacity to delay insects’ resistance evolution in the plants.



Myth: The long-term effects produced by biotechnological generated food are unknown.

Reality: A lot of years of research have allowed scientists to know the enormous benefits that biotechnological food provides. The scientific consensus says that the risks associated with foods derived from biotechnology are fundamentally the same as the other food products. Current science shows that foods produced through biotechnology are safe for consumption and there are a plenty of regulatory authorities like the FDA, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and EPA that have determined that these products are safe.

To get more info visit the sites of FDA, EPA and the U.S. Department of Agriculture



Controversy on Stem Cells

Stem cells have been an object of interest for many biotechnology researchers. Stem cells are cells that can divide and differentiate into diverse cells types. They have potential to treat tumors, tissue regeneration, diabetes, Parkinson, neuronal regeneration and hearth attacks.

The controversial discussion around stem cells is because of their origin. In the beginning, they came from embryos which were destroyed after the cells were obtained. The problem is that life begins once the embryo is fertilized.

What most people don’t know is that there are different types of stem cells: Embryonic and Adult. The embryonic stem cells are obtained from a fertilized embryo; meanwhile, adult stem cells are obtained from other sources such as teeth, bone marrow and umbilical cords. These type of cells could be used to avoid controversy and they may also be used in therapeutic treatments.
To get more information, see the article: Las células madre embrionarias totipotenciales by Guzmán and Solís from UNAM Gaceta Biomédica 2006.