Are cisgenic plants genetically modified or not?
30 August 2006
In the August 25, 2006 edition of Bionieuws, Dutch experts give their opinion on cisgenesis. They were asked whether they regarded cisgenesis (using genetic transformation to transfer genes from one plant to another plant that can interbreed with the first plant) a from of genetic modification or a method within the toolbox of classical breeding. Cisgenesis kan be used when the crossing and backcrossing proces is too complex (for instance with polyploid crops like, for intance, tetraploid potato crops) or when the desired trait is genetically closely linked to an undesirable trait.
Yet another advantage could be that with transgenesis the end product does not contain foreign DNA (possibly with the exception of bacterial border sequences that can end up in plant cells after natural infections as well). People that have objections against plants containing foreign genes (for instance since this doesn't comply with their personal religious and/or ethical opinions regarding nature and/or creation) might accept cisgenic plants.
The question remains whether such plants:
- áre genetically modified, since by using a bacterium (Agrobacterium tumefaciens), genetic material was transferred, albeit within the plant's own 'gene pool', that the bacterium normally would not transfer
- are nót genetically modified, since the resulting plant could have been obtained by conventional crossing of plants and the cisgenic plants doens't contain genetic material that couldn't be present naturally.
The opinions of the following experts are presented:
- Prof. Bastiaan Zoeteman
(chair of the advisory committee on genetic modification, Cogem) - Prof. Arjan van Tunen
(besides many other positions he is director of KeyGene) - Prof. Evert Jacobsen
(supporter of cisgenesis and former Cogem member) - Prof. Huub Schellekens
(besides many other positions, director of the Central Animal Laboratory in Utrecht and former chairman of Cogem)
Because the issue was raised by Cogem as a 'societal signalling', one of the tasks Cogem, by law, has to perform, the Cogem does not present its own opinion. The other experts regard cisgenesis as one of a great many conventional breeding tools. Huub Schellekens was offended by the signalling itself. On behalf of the Cogem, chairman Zoeteman agreed that until now, societal signalling presented the "fundamental-ethical arguments" at great length, whilst advantages and economic considerations were only presented in a few lines. The Cogem intends to present societal signalling in a shorter and more balanced way in future.
source: Dutch periodicle for biologists, Bionieuws August 25, 2006