Lentils and maize that can survive in salt-laden soil and barren conditions are gradually becoming real-life possibilities.
UCLA researchers, motivated by problems such as global starvation and oil dependence, are delving into the vast frontiers of genetic engineering.
These scientists are contributing to the field with research on drought-resistant crops and beneficial bacteria.
Genetic engineering, a topic filled with controversy and rapid technological advances, has emerged as a greater player in today’s world. The vast majority of corn, soybeans and cotton grown in the United States has been genetically altered to resist viruses and pests.
“This is a global economy now, a global society,” said Ann Hirsch, a professor in the molecular, cell and developmental biology department.
“If we lose essential nutrients for plant growth because we don’t put enough money and research in them, we’re going to impact grandchildren and great-grandchildren and the people who follow us.”
Hirsch researches nutrients such as nitrogen fertilizer and phosphorus, which are necessary for plant development, especially in crops such as corn. She is currently studying how bacteria interact with certain plants.
In order to create nitrogen fertilizer, natural gases are required to break down the triple bonds in nitrogen.
The mounting cost of gas forces the price of fertilizer higher, so Hirsch instead wants to use bacteria to naturally execute this process.
“Someday, it’s going to be harder and harder to produce nitrogen fertilizer if our energy requirements are not dealt with,” Hirsch said.
While Hirsch’s work does not directly pertain to genetic engineering, others at UCLA are working on improving food production in economically disadvantaged countries.
Aisha Waheed Qurashi, a doctoral student in Hirsch’s lab, is researching soil and salt-tolerant bacteria from her native Pakistan. Some of the main food staples in Pakistan are chickpeas and lentils. If the crops can survive in high salt conditions, barren soil can be used as an alternative for agriculture production, thus providing more food.
“If these crops are grown on an area where there is not a lot of soil, … I think that will not only be a good use of that land but the economy will be good,” Qurashi said.
Qurashi has isolated the desired genes from salt-resistant bacteria and is using Agrobacterium as a vector to transfer the genes to plant cells. Qurashi said she expects to finish her project in May, and she will determine if the transformation of cells in crops such as maize and lentils was successful.
“If the production of these genes is increased, then their growth production is increased,” she said.
While Qurashi expressed general confidence about genetic engineering, she also acknowledged potential ramifications.
“Before releasing these genetically modified plants into the environment, there should be an environmental impact assessment, and that requires a lot of knowledge and labor work,” Qurashi said.
However, some researchers noted the lack of known detrimental effects from genetically engineered food.
“When you look at the research so far, there’s no evidence this could have a negative impact on people,” Hirsch said.
Students in Honors 70A: Genetic Engineering in Medicine, Agriculture, and Law addressed some of the murkier aspects of genetic modification. Some are concerned about effectively changing nature, a potentially hazardous proposition.
“There are a lot of ethical concerns, like the consequences to what we do,” said Jun Dizon, a third-year philosophy student enrolled in the class. “We’re taking things out of the natural world … and altering things that are essentially unnatural. But I think the positives definitely outweigh the negatives.”
Still, there is much public concern about the environmental impact of genetic engineering, as well as the repercussions of further developments in human genetic engineering.
Dizon was concerned about the invasion of privacy if the government or insurance companies obtained information about individuals’ DNA.
“I think the key to the sciences is to stay informed,” Dizon said. “There are a lot of things that you need to weigh in. We can’t just be ignorant of the facts.”
Rather than focusing on the controversy, researchers such as Hirsch concentrate on the motivations behind this field of science and its necessity: the ecological damage the world currently faces, and what humans can do to alleviate global problems.
“It’s up to us to decide if we really want to make the decision ““ do some people live or some people die?” Hirsch said.
“We have to do the best thing for every person so they don’t go to bed starving.”