Ten years of Bt maize cultivation: Horizontal gene transfer of no significance

(June 6, 2008) Scientists from France and Switzerland have been studying soil bacteria from a field where genetically modified Bt maize has been growing for years. They wanted to find out whether controversial antibiotic-resistance genes can in fact transfer from transgenic plants to bacteria, as is widely feared. They have concluded that transgenic plants play no part in the spread of antibiotic resistances.

The scientists claim that the cultivation of transgenic plants for more than 10 years in one field has had no measurable effect on the occurrence of antibiotic-resistances and their spectrum. They believe that this is largely due to the fact that the genes are already commonly found in the soil. Horizontal gene transfer from transgenic plant DNA to bacteria is so rare that it could not contribute to a further increase in the widespread antibiotic resistance which already occurs naturally in bacteria.

See also on GMO-Compass:

• Why antibiotic resistance?
• Antibiotic resistance genes: a threat?
• Limited use: The position of the European Food Safety Authority
• Alternatives: New marker systems have already been developed

Futher information:

• GMO-Safety