Team:Hawaii/Human Practices
ETHICAL CONSIDERATIONS
Transgenesis, the transfer of genetic material from one organism to another, has the potential to offer new beneficial traits to an organism. Providing advantageous genes to crops could aid in feeding our growing population and increasing the quality of produce. However, transgenic crops pose health and environmental concerns.
Centromeric retrotransposable (CR) elements utilize a natural transportation system to package and carry genes to functional centromeres. Centromeres are interesting transgene targets as the location offers genes a sort of “protection” with its lack of recombination activity. This could store beneficial genes to accumulate useful traits. However, with some mechanisms of reinsertion unknown, using CR elements to transport genes to a crucial area of cell division poses various risks. We must thoroughly understand the implications of both transgenic modification and the use of this retrotransposition system. A few concerns would be as follows:
HEALTH
Although CR elements identify centromeric regions for integration, will there ever be a chance of CR elements integrating into areas of high gene expression in the genome? How will we know? Will other traits be affected by reintegration of CR elements into the centromere in the present and future? How will these new traits affect other organisms? These questions must be answered by further research.
ENVIRONMENT
Can and will modified transgenic crops form reactive or harmful substances with other molecules on Earth? Will downstream effects of transgenic crop production (abundance, resistance to pests...etc.) lead to changes in the food chain? Such questions may be tested through short-term and long-term experiments that introduce transgenic crops to closed artificial environmental systems.
REGULATION
To what extent will transgenic modifications be regulated? Who will make the decision on what genes are deemed “useful”? Will those who object to consuming transgenic products have an equal and alternative option? Who will have a say in determining how transgenic modifications are regulated? These issues must be considered prior to public release.
Weighing the risks and benefits of genetic modifications will be important in determining when and how transgenic crops may be used in the future.