Klebsiella planticola - a Good Example of Why
GMO is a real bad idea
In the early 1990's, an European genetic
engineering company was preparing to field test a genetically
engineered soil bacteria called Klebsiella planticola. The plan was
to then commercialize use of it on a major scale. The new mutant
bacteria had not been tested properly. In fact, the minimal safety
tests done were careless, very unscientific and done by scientists
working for the biotech industry. The mutant bacteria was certified
safe for the environment. (1)
K. planticola is of the genus Klebsiella, which is a non-motile
rod-shaped gram-negative enterobacterium. This is one of the
exceptions to the enterobacteria family, which are mainly mammalian,
gut-inhabiting bacteria. This however resides on the root systems of
plants. K. planticola of strain SDF 15 is the environmentally-safe,
natural bacterial strain. K. planticola (SDF 15) is the parent cell
line for another strain, which is called K. planticola (SDF 20). K.
planticola (SDF 20) is a genetically engineered version from Germany
which was designed to increase the production of lactose
fermentation of agricultural wastes. (2)
Careless testing of this mutant strain of
Klebsiella planticola allowed it to almost enter the public domain,
before research by independent scientists (Dr. Elaine Ingham, et
al.; Oregon State University) showed that this GM-strain actually
killed any wheat planted into the soil where the GM-strain was
dispersed. Plant matter was to be collected along with Genetically
Modified K. planticola in large containers for ethanol
production. After the plant matter was decomposed, there would be a
deposit left over that would be rich in nitrogen, calcium,
phosphorus, magnesium, and sulfur-basically a good fertilizer. It
was after this residue was redistributed on to fields that it would
do its damaging deed. The K. planticola actually sticks to the root
system of plants by creating a slime-like layer. The GM- K.
planticola would then be connected to the plants root system and
while it is there it would produce ethanol in levels of 17 ppm (~1-2
ppm ethanol is deadly for plants). K. planticola can attach to
any plants, not just wheat, so essentially all global plant life
could have been put into jeopardy because of a genetically altered
bacteria. (2)
Fortunately a team of independent scientists, headed by Dr.
Ingham decided to run their own tests on
the gene-altered Klebsiella planticola. What they discovered was not
only startling, but terrifying--the biotech industry had created a
biological monster--a genetically engineered microorganism that
would kill all terrestrial plants. After Ingham's expose, the
gene-altered Klebsiella planticola was never commercialized. But as
Ingham points out, the lack of pre-market safety testing of other
genetically altered organisms virtually guarantees that future
biological monsters will be released into the environment. (1)
Addison Raine made this comment, "This microbe was
interesting to me because as a future biochemical engineer, I was
interested at how little testing is required before allowing a GM
product into production. I hope that I am able to ensure a high
level of environmental protection when I am employed later in life.
K. planticola is a great example of how seemingly non-dangerous
alterations can actually create devastating consequences on the
genetic level."
Dr. Elaine Ingham's Testimony
before the (New Zealand) Royal Commission on Genetic
Modification
February 2001
Executive Summary of Dr. Ingham's Testimony:
-
Genetically engineered organisms have not been adequately
assessed for their environmental or human health effects. It is
inadequate to subject ORGANISMS to the tested [sic] required for
non-living chemical pesticides, and conclude that there will be
no adverse or risky effects from release of those organisms
based on that testing.
- A graduate student of mine, no longer
working in the field of engineered organisms, and I did some
research on a particular engineered bacterium that had been approved
by the USEPA for field testing. No environmental effects were
detected during pesticide or toxicity testing with this organism.
However, Michael Holmes discovered that the engineered bacterium,
Klebsiella planticola with a additional alcohol gene, killed all the
wheat plants in microcosms into which the engineered organisms was
added
-
None of the wheat plants
were killed in microcosms into which the not-engineered parent
organism or just water were added.
This bacterium was engineered to produce alcohol from plant
debris, so alcohol could be produced after raking up grass straw
residues instead of burning fields. This organism would have
been released to the real world by placing the residue left at
the bottom of the fermentation container following grass straw
alcohol production on fields as fertilizer. With a single
release, we know that bacteria can spread over large distances,
probably world-wide.