-Bt is a spore forming bacteria that produces crystal proteins. These proteins have shown to be toxic to many species of insects.
-Sometimes known as insecticidal crystal protiens (ICP)
-These crystal proteins are toxic to insects but harmless to humans and other mammals.
-The crystal proteins attach to receptors in the insect's intestine, but not all insects have the same receptors. Humans and other mammals dont have these receptors so the toxin doesn't affect us.
-Bt is used in agriculture: organic farming, spraying programs, and transgenic crops.
Monday, December 3, 2007
Source
Bacillus Thuringiensis. 3 December 2007.<http://www.bt.ucsd.edu/what_is_bt.html>.
This website explains all aspects of the bacteria Bacillus thuringiensis which is used as a toxin to kill insects in GM seeds. This website was created by the University of California San Diego.
This website explains all aspects of the bacteria Bacillus thuringiensis which is used as a toxin to kill insects in GM seeds. This website was created by the University of California San Diego.
Sunday, December 2, 2007
New Source
1. Celik, Fuat and Laura Tangeman. "GM Foods." 2 December 2007<http://www.princeton.edu/~chm333/2002/spring/GMFoods/index.html>.
This source discusses the pros and cons of GM foods and the affects of them on the environment and also the future of GM foods. It was created by two seniors at Princeton University who are both chemical engineers.
This source discusses the pros and cons of GM foods and the affects of them on the environment and also the future of GM foods. It was created by two seniors at Princeton University who are both chemical engineers.
The pros and cons of GM foods
Pros:
1. GM foods could be healthier and more nutritiuos by adding vitamins and minerals to food. For example 80% of the world's diet is rice which has hardly any nutritional value to it, but by adding vitamin add to the crop we can help malnourished children in develping countries. Adding Vitamin A can also decrease the amount of children that go blind from a deficiency of Vitamin A.
2. GM foods and also help feed the world's growing population by modifying plants so they can be resistant against insects and disease, grow in harsher climates and conditions, and with more efficiency.
3. The production of GM foods have created "Edible Vaccines". Scientists have genetically modified a sweet potatoe to contain a vaccine for hepatitis B.
4. Land consumption for farming will be reduced which is better for our environment and saves trees.
5. The modifaction of plant genes to repel threats such as insects and disease will reduce the amount of pestacides used. Insecticides and herbicides are chemicals that stay on the plant and in the soil and contaminate groundwater and other wildlife that is no threat to farming.
Cons:
1. Some consumers fear that the possibility of allergies will be greater with GM foods than with traditonal crops. Modifying the genes of plants also introduces protiens from different species which could create allergies. If the GM foods do not list the protiens that have been added a consumer with an allergy to that specific protien could eat that product unknowingly and get sick.
2. It is feared that the natural bacteria of the human digestive system will acquire the antiobiotic-resistant genes that are in GM foods. If this does occure it will make the problem of antibiotic resistant bacteria larger. These antibiotic-resistant genes are used to track foreign genes.
3. Scientists are uncertain of the effects of GM plants on our environment. There is fear that GM plants could pass their traits onto other plants and be harmful to the environment.
-Studies have found that the insect toxin put into plants is toxic to Monarch butterflies.
-Cross polination could affect surrounding GM relative plants and give it an advantage over its competitors. This plant could become a "superweed" and be harder to eliminate.
1. GM foods could be healthier and more nutritiuos by adding vitamins and minerals to food. For example 80% of the world's diet is rice which has hardly any nutritional value to it, but by adding vitamin add to the crop we can help malnourished children in develping countries. Adding Vitamin A can also decrease the amount of children that go blind from a deficiency of Vitamin A.
2. GM foods and also help feed the world's growing population by modifying plants so they can be resistant against insects and disease, grow in harsher climates and conditions, and with more efficiency.
3. The production of GM foods have created "Edible Vaccines". Scientists have genetically modified a sweet potatoe to contain a vaccine for hepatitis B.
4. Land consumption for farming will be reduced which is better for our environment and saves trees.
5. The modifaction of plant genes to repel threats such as insects and disease will reduce the amount of pestacides used. Insecticides and herbicides are chemicals that stay on the plant and in the soil and contaminate groundwater and other wildlife that is no threat to farming.
Cons:
1. Some consumers fear that the possibility of allergies will be greater with GM foods than with traditonal crops. Modifying the genes of plants also introduces protiens from different species which could create allergies. If the GM foods do not list the protiens that have been added a consumer with an allergy to that specific protien could eat that product unknowingly and get sick.
2. It is feared that the natural bacteria of the human digestive system will acquire the antiobiotic-resistant genes that are in GM foods. If this does occure it will make the problem of antibiotic resistant bacteria larger. These antibiotic-resistant genes are used to track foreign genes.
3. Scientists are uncertain of the effects of GM plants on our environment. There is fear that GM plants could pass their traits onto other plants and be harmful to the environment.
-Studies have found that the insect toxin put into plants is toxic to Monarch butterflies.
-Cross polination could affect surrounding GM relative plants and give it an advantage over its competitors. This plant could become a "superweed" and be harder to eliminate.
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