Transgene Escape Monitoring, Population Genetics, and the Law

• Published in: Bioscience Vol. 58; no. 1; pp. 71 - 77
• Main Authors: SCHOEN, DANIEL J, REICHMAN, JAY R, ELLSTRAND, NORMAN C
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Circulation, AIBS, 1313 Dolley Madison Blvd., Suite 402, McLean, VA 22101. USA American Institute of Biological Sciences 01.01.2008; Oxford University Press
• Subjects: Access to information; Alleles; backcrossing; Coding; Commercial regulation; DEPARTMENTS; environmental monitoring; European Union; Evaluation; Fertility; FORUM; Gene flow; Genetic engineering; Genetic loci; Genetic markers; Genetically modified plants; Genetics; Hybridity; Hybridization; Hybrids; Jurisdiction; laws and regulations; Literary Devices; literature reviews; Methods; Migration; molecular markers; Monitoring methods; Plant population genetics; Plants; Population estimates; Population genetics; Population migration; Properties; Property rights; R&D; Research & development; Risk assessment; selection; selection methods; Studies; Transgenes; Transgenic plants; United States; gene flow; transgenic plants; access to information; selection; molecular markers
• ISSN: 0006-3568; 1525-3244
• DOI: 10.1641/B580112

There has been little discussion about how to apply population genetics methods to monitor the spread of transgenes that are detected outside the agricultural populations where they are deployed. Population geneticists have developed tools for analyzing the genetic makeup of individuals in hybrid zones, estimating migration and selection of genes, studying the influence of migration and selection on the shape of clines, and assaying the fitness of hybrids and backcrossed individuals. These tools may prove useful for monitoring the dynamics of escaped transgenes, but their effective application is likely to require access to information on the genetic makeup of transgenic organisms—information that is often proprietary. At present, depending on the jurisdiction involved, developers and regulators of transgenic organisms may be under no obligation to provide such information, thereby impeding independent public research of transgene escape and the refinement of methods used to study it.