Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs)

Just returned from a conference in Cleveland, Ohio, dealing with the many different aspects and potential effects of sequencing the human genome. I'll write in the next couple of days about items that particularly interested me.

But first, what is genomics?

I hate to admit it, but when I first joined a group at the Utah Department of Health to discuss genomics, I had no idea what it was. Surprising to me was the fact that others gave me quick definitions, but they varied considerably. So, here's some of the ones you might consider:

Wikipedia: Genomics is the study of an organism's entire genome. The field includes intensive efforts to determine the entire DNA sequence of organisms and fine-scale genetic mapping efforts. The field also includes studies of intragenomic phenomena such as heterosis, epistasis, pleiotropy and other interactions between loci and alleles within the genome. In contrast, the investigation of single genes, their functions and roles, something very common in today's medical and biological research, and a primary focus of molecular biology, does not fall into the definition of genomics, unless the aim of this genetic, pathway, and functional information analysis is to elucidate its effect on, place in, and response to the entire genome's networks.

Mitochondria, the powerhouses of the human cell, are passed to offspring only from the mother. Dad's mitochondria are used to propel those sperm toward the egg. Mitochondria have their own DNA, and their own system of replication and translation; they reproduce by simple binary fission. Sort of like a bacterium. That's why Lynn Margulis, in 1970, proposed that they--and chloroplasts--were independent organisms that genetically modified existing cells by taking up permanent residence in their hosts.

Click on Read more to see what they look like.

This photo was so beautiful, I couldn't pass it up. I took if from another source, which has not been updated since 2002. Don't know where it came from before that.

Because our organization is currently operating on no outside fundiing, we've chosen to keep our website simple. One loss, as far as I'm concerned, is the inability to search for specific blog entries using key words. I'm sorry that is the case. A search engine that is not flexible enough to find what you are looking for is worse, we believe, than nothing.

So, here's what you do if you are interested in a particular topic: click on the linkis at the left, by subject. There was only one entry in bioweapons--the blogger quit almost immediately, so that's not on the list. However, the other general topics are. They look really weird, you say. That's true, but for some programming reason I do not understand, such topic lists look weird on a number of sites--including those written by professionals who really know their html, etc.

Yesterday, the blog received a comment from a site that might be of interest to those in

public health genomics and genetically modified organisms:

new website on public health with section on GMOs

Submitted by Martin Donohoe on Mon, 11/19/2007 - 6:09am.

I have recently developed a website covering public health and social justice, which can be found at http://www.phsj.org or at http://www.publichealthandsocialjustice.org. The website covers the social, economic, environmental, human rights, and cultural contributors to health and disease. The site contains articles, slide shows, syllabi, and other documents. References for most of the information contained in the slide shows can be found in the accompanying articles. Presentations will be updated a few times per year.

I forgot to buy my ticket for Craig Venter's lecture in Portland, Oregon November 15. Now, it may be too late.

Venter, of the human genome controversy, has announced that he has created artificial life. He--or someone in his laboratory--created a "chromosome" from 381 genes taken from Mycobacterium genitalum and inserted this material into a bacterium from which 1/3 of the genes necessary for life had been removed. The bacterium multiplied. In germ terms, that means it was alive.

From the country that brought you above-ground nuclear testing comes a new invention: rice with human proteins!

The commercial operation promises that these proteins can be given to the poor starving children in the world to help them recover more rapidly from disease, specifically diarrhea. The company offered the rice to Missouri farmers, but Anheuser-Busch blocked the idea. Now, some farmers in Kansas have agreed to accept the opportunity. The rice--there are three different versions, one for each of three proteins--will be grown on more than 3,000 acres in Kansas. The company plans to harvest the proteins and use them in drinks, desserts, yoghurts and muesli bars.