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back to article Genetically modified mutants 'safe for release' into the wild

Remorseless German boffins say that the time may now be ripe for scientists to begin release of "transgenic individuals into populations". Concerns that this might result in those populations being completely replaced by the superior lab-developed individuals can be addressed, they say, by the use of cunningly selected mutants …

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  1. Blofeld's Cat
    Thumb Up

    Mosquitos?

    How about ur-gerbils next?

    http://www.webcomicsnation.com/shaenongarrity/narbonic/series.php?view=archive&chapter=9938

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  2. EddieD

    Hang on

    Didn't they say similar things about rabbits, cane toads and many other wonderfully successful introductions of alien species?

    Personally I don't give a damn whether they release them or not, but scientists have cried wolf a few times too often about such things.

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    1. TeeCee Gold badge
      Reply Icon
      Joke

      Re: rabbits, cane toads etc.

      Yup, those were also released as a test on a remote island of little importance. The results obtained are why it hasn't been done everywhere else.

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    2. Ru
      Reply Icon
      Meh

      Most problematic alien species were not introduced by scientists, and no scientist was involved in the planning of such events.

      This project isn't about introducing an alien species, its about altering an existing one in a beneficial fashion.

      Lastly, no-one cried wolf when it came to introducing species... you're talking about the complete opposite sitation whereby a terrible thing was declared safe, rather than the opposite. Fable fail.

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  3. jake Silver badge

    Whatever ...

    I have 7 tomato mutations that happened in my personal veggie garden. The oldest is about 16 years old. All are tasty.

    Try to remember, kiddies, there is no such thing as "wild corn" .... Every single grain that you (attempt) to cook with is technically "genetically modified".

    Think about it.

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    1. Graham Marsden
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      Boffin

      Selective breeding...

      ... != Genetic Modification.

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      1. jake Silver badge
        Reply Icon

        Eh?

        What colo(u)r is the sky on your planet, Graham?

        Oh. I see. If "it was god what done it" it's OK, but if us humans did it it's not?

        Do grow up and drink your genetically modified beer.

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        1. Graham Marsden
          Reply Icon
          FAIL

          @jake

          Please can you try to comprehend the difference between the selective breeding of plants and animals to reinforce (or remove) traits that are already present in that species and using recombinant DNA techniques to splice in gene sequences from entirely unrelated species.

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          1. jake Silver badge
            Reply Icon

            @Graham Marsden

            I have Merlot grapes here that have Eucalyptus genes. I didn't do it (not on purpose, anyway, because I don't like the flavo(ur) of Vac-O-Rub). I continue to grow them, press them, and ferment them, as a favo(u)r for UC Davis.

            I selectively breed, both plants & animals. I grock DNA. I have healthy horse & dog lines, and my veggies and grasses seem stable. The cows, hogs, sheep & goats are cows, hogs, sheep & goats. Our steak, bacon & cheese is tasty.

            But every now & then, TheUniverse throws us a wobbler ... Who are you to tell me (or anyone else) that "gawd/ess" doesn't want Vac-O-Rub flavo(u)red Merlot?

            More to the point, why do you have a problem with Humans trying to understand the underlying process? It's probably been happening since before DNA has existed. It's also probably the reason we're here, as humans. Surely understanding the process is a better option than burying ones head in the sand?

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      2. I_am_Chris
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        "Selective breeding != Genetic Modification"

        Sure it does. What on earth do you think controls the trait that you want in your crop? That's right, genetics. So, by selectively breeding for juicier tomatoes you're mutating the genome.

        There's no such thing as 'natural' beef, corn, etc!

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    2. Ru
      Reply Icon

      Transgenics is not the same as selective breeding

      It is extremely disingenous to equate the two.

      That said, I'm wholly in favour of anything that can eliminate malaria without necessarily eradicating the mosquito population... I expect they form a valuable part of the diet of many other species, and their loss would have knock-on effects.

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  4. Simbu
    Trollface

    I'll stick with the malaria thanks...

    Its contribution in the control of world population is invaluable!

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  5. RP84
    Devil

    Attack of the Killer Shrews?

    http://www.archive.org/details/The_Killer_Shrews

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  6. thomas k.

    Rumor has it ...

    Dr. Morreau's estate has an island available for lease, cheap. Comes with starter kit.

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  7. The Fuzzy Wotnot

    Oh dear, here we go. Shall we put this next to the other rman-made cockups that went awry?

    Myxomatosis

    Giant Hogweed

    Anthrax

    Giles Brandreth

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  8. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    @Simbu

    Whilst I'd not wish anyone harm and I hope that your wish doesn't come true; you truely are a cock.

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    1. Simbu
      Reply Icon
      Facepalm

      Ignoring my personal thoughts on population growth...

      You seem have missed the troll icon.

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  9. brainwrong

    idiots

    "Concerns that this might result in those populations being completely replaced by the superior lab-developed individuals can be addressed, they say, by the use of cunningly selected mutants"

    Haven't these idiots heard of evolution? People like this are certainly arrogant enough to think that they can do better than evolution, and they are foolish. Evolution will likely do something totally unexpected with the modified genes. We still know so very little about how it all works.

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  10. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    safe? yeah right!

    It looks like they have forgotten history here. How about Africanized bees(aka killer bees), Argentine ant, rats and rabbits just to name few. In some cases it affects native populations so much that they tend to resort to shagging the wrong species(or should I say said species head)..

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9T1vfsHYiKY

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  11. Mips
    Childcatcher

    Transgenic..

    ...as opposed to transgender which they have been releasing into the world for years.

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  12. Hand1e
    WTF?

    Bear of little brain here

    If the modified mozzie is strong enough to compete with and establish itself amongst the natural population, how can it then be removed, other than with a yet stronger (modified) mozzie?

    And yes I did RTFA (several times) and the Wikipedia page on underdominance wasn't a shining beacon of clarity either...

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  13. Grathuln
    Happy

    Of course the real trick is to create a genetic variant of the maleria virus which gives immunity to the natural one; we act as its host and it kills mosquitoes. Neutralise the disease and ultimately ensure it's genetically advantageous for mosquitoes to not bite humans. We're not that clever yet though.

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  14. alwarming
    Thumb Up

    X-Men : Revenge of the Arials.

    Starring: Pimply Zucks who is obviously a mal-aria resistant mutant.

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