Genetically Modified Organisms GMO A Scientific Perspective Presentation

Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO) A Scientific Perspective Presentation to Portfolio Committee on Agriculture and Land Affairs 15 th November, 2005 Professor M. Iqbal Parker University of Cape Town

What is Biotechnology? • Two definitions General Definition “Biotechnology is a body of techniques that uses biological systems, living organisms, or derivatives thereof, to make or modify products or processes for specific use. ”

1 st Generation Biotechnology • Insulin • Growth Hormones • Cheese Production • Beer Production • Many Others

3 rd Generation Biotechnology is a set of technologies including, but not confined to, tissue culture and recombinant DNA techniques, bioinformatics and genomics, proteomics and structural biology, and all other techniques employed for the genetic modification of living organisms, used to exploit and modify living organisms so as to produce new intellectual property, tools, goods, products and services.

3 rd Generation Biotechnology • Hormones • Vaccines • Others Insulin - Tb HIV/AIDS Malaria

• Policy and Legislative Reforms • Ethical Issues • Public Understanding of Biotechnology

The Role of Agriculture in Africa • 40% of the harvest may be lost due to post-harvest damage • Population will double by 2025 to 1. 5 billion • Most African countries depend on agriculture foreign currency earnings

Projected cereal yield in 2025 Region Shortfall (million tons) Sub-Saharan Africa -88. 7 East & Southeast Asia -126. 9 Middle East -132. 7

Particle Gun / Biolistics Chromosome Nucleus Gold particles and DNA Plant Cell

Biolistic Gene Gun

Bombarded cells produce callus tissue

Callus tissue produces shoots and roots and transgenic plants

UNIDO: Biotechnology Priorities in Africa • Virus resistant African crops eg. Maize streak virus • Parasitic weed resistance eg. Striga • Bt maize African varieties • Decrease mycotoxin levels eg. Bt maize • Drought tolerant African crops

Agricultural biotechnology research in Southern Africa • Virus resistance

Maize streak virus is endemic in Africa causing huge economic losses to commercial and small scale farmers

Control and transgenic MSV resistant plants

Healthy Cassava Virus-infected Cassava

MSV and Africa Cassava Mosaic Virus Resistance Strategies • Most plant viruses = RNA coat protein. R • MSV and ACMV = DNA viruses CP infection • Virus Replication associated protein replication initiation as multimers • Mutant, truncated Rep inhibition virus replication

Focus Areas • Human Health – Vaccines – Biopharmaceutical production • • Food security Plant production Animal health Sustainable industrial development