The discovery of scientists revealed new properties of cranberries and hops
The joint efforts of scientists from St. Petersburg State University and the Institute of Molecular Biology of Plants in Strasbourg discovered new naturally transgenic plants.
The reason for the appearance of naturally transgenic plants is agrobacteria, which can cause certain parts of their DNA to penetrate plant cells. Visually, this is manifested by the appearance of tumors on the roots or stems.
It is noteworthy that some plants into which agrobacteria penetrated are capable of transmitting these “neoplasms” from generation to generation.
According to the researchers, representatives of the genera Nicotiana (tobacco), Ipomea (bindweed plants) and Linaria (medicinal plant flax) are among natural transgenic plants. After studying the genomes and the transcript, even 631 species of plants were included here: dicotyledonous species of the genera Eutrema, Arachis, Nissolia, Quillaja, Euphorbia, Parasponia, Trema, Humulus, Psidium, Eugenia, Juglans, Azadirachta, Silene, Dianthus, Vaccinus codium, Camell species - Dioscorea alata (yams) and Musa acuminata (banana pointed).
“These are, for example, the closest relatives of walnuts, peanuts, hops, cranberries, tea, which we drink every day. Some people are afraid of GMOs because they consider getting transgenic plants an unnatural process. However, bacteria use exactly the same mechanisms as humans do when they get commercial GMO lines. Our study showed that this phenomenon is much more widespread, which means that mankind has constantly encountered GMOs throughout its history,” said Tatyana Matveeva, lead author of the article, doctor of biological sciences, professor of St. Petersburg State University.
The research results will help scientists understand the functions of T-DNA sites and understand how the GMO cultures created by people will behave in the future.
The reason for the appearance of naturally transgenic plants is agrobacteria, which can cause certain parts of their DNA to penetrate plant cells. Visually, this is manifested by the appearance of tumors on the roots or stems.
It is noteworthy that some plants into which agrobacteria penetrated are capable of transmitting these “neoplasms” from generation to generation.
According to the researchers, representatives of the genera Nicotiana (tobacco), Ipomea (bindweed plants) and Linaria (medicinal plant flax) are among natural transgenic plants. After studying the genomes and the transcript, even 631 species of plants were included here: dicotyledonous species of the genera Eutrema, Arachis, Nissolia, Quillaja, Euphorbia, Parasponia, Trema, Humulus, Psidium, Eugenia, Juglans, Azadirachta, Silene, Dianthus, Vaccinus codium, Camell species - Dioscorea alata (yams) and Musa acuminata (banana pointed).
“These are, for example, the closest relatives of walnuts, peanuts, hops, cranberries, tea, which we drink every day. Some people are afraid of GMOs because they consider getting transgenic plants an unnatural process. However, bacteria use exactly the same mechanisms as humans do when they get commercial GMO lines. Our study showed that this phenomenon is much more widespread, which means that mankind has constantly encountered GMOs throughout its history,” said Tatyana Matveeva, lead author of the article, doctor of biological sciences, professor of St. Petersburg State University.
The research results will help scientists understand the functions of T-DNA sites and understand how the GMO cultures created by people will behave in the future.
