Rat Poison Breakthru: GM Peas

[Tuckerfan]

This outta reignite the ‘Frankenfoods’ debate.

A decade-long project to develop genetically modified peas with built-in pest-resistance has been abandoned after tests showed they caused allergic lung damage in mice.

The researchers – at Australia’s national research organisation, CSIRO – took the gene for a protein capable of killing pea weevil pests from the common bean and transferred it into the pea. When extracted from the bean, this protein does not cause an allergic reaction in mice or people.

But the team found that when the protein is expressed in the pea, its structure is subtly different to the original in the bean. They think this structural change could be to blame for the unexpected immune effects seen in mice.

So much for the idea that the stuff would be harmless.