POSITION ANNOUNCE
Letters t
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MENT
Environmental Fluids Engineer ing Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering University of Vermont
Transgenes in native Mexican maize—Still no need for concern Dear Editor: This is in reference to the news story by Janet Pelley concerning engineered genes in corn in Mexico (Environ. Sci. Technol. 2001, 35 (23), 472A–473A). Maize is so dependent on human intervention that it cannot survive in the wild. Its seeds are attached to a cob and cannot free themselves. Therefore, to be cultivated, it absolutely requires our help. In fact, since maize was first domesticated more than 6000 years ago, only genes and alleles (the various forms of a gene) that are important to humans have been selected and preserved. It now appears, as Pelley reports, that genetic flow between transgenic and native maize has occurred in Mexico (1). If indeed this has happened, some native maizes have one (very likely the Bt transgene, which confers insect resistance) or more introduced genes. However, although the Bt transgene may have been introduced accidentally, Mexican peasant farmers will consciously prefer it. This is because besides having all of the traits that have been selected and preserved for thousands of years (making them perfectly adapted to specific geographic regions), the “transgenic” native maizes now possess the desirable characteristic of insect resistance. Moreover, diversity will not be affected. On the contrary, we predict that this useful transgene will be found in increasing numbers and types of native maizes. This, however, is not genetic contamination. Contamination means unexpected, undesirable, and uncontrollable spread, and this is not what is happening. To the contrary, the spread will be induced because of the advantage of having a native corn with added resistance to insects. Still, if someone wants to remove the transgene from those plants, the procedure would be simple: Select and multiply those insect-susceptible
maizes and do not harvest and multiply the insect-resistant ones. That, however, is something no Mexican farmer will do. Note also that teosintes are not at risk. These ancestors and close relatives of corn do not seem to be affected by genetic flow from (any) maize. Teosintes growing naturally in cornfields yield a very poor hybrid progeny. They do not release their seeds, and the probability is very low for natural genetic introgression (incorporation of a gene or allele in a population) into teosintes. We also have found that teosintes are highly susceptible to insects and pathogens when grown under more intensive experimental field conditions but appear to be insect-resistant in the wild. Thus, we conclude that even if the Bt transgene could be introgressed into teosintes, it will provide no biological advantage and thus would be lost by neutral evolution. We reiterate, therefore, that there should be no need for concern (2). JUAN PABLO RICARDO MARTÍNEZSORIANO ANA MARÍA BAILEY Unidad de Biotecnología e Ingeniería Genética de Plantas, Centro de Investigación y Estudios Avanzados del Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Apartado Postal 629, 36500 Irapuato, Gto, México E-mail:
[email protected] JOEL LARA-REYNA Instituto de Fitosanidad Colegio de Postgraduados Montecillo, Edo de México, México DIANA SARA LEAL-KLEVEZAS Secretaría de Salud de Guanajuato Tamazuca 4 Centro Guanajuato, Gto., México
References (1) Dalton, R. Nature 2001, 413, 337. (2) Martínez-Soriano, J. P.; Leal-Klevezas, D. S. Science 2000, 287, 1399.
8 A n ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY / JANUARY 1, 2002
The University of Vermont presently has po an opening for a tenure track faculty sition, starting August 2002, in - the En - Engi vironmental Fluids and Hydraulic neering area within the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering. We are seeking applicants with academic training and research interests in at least - envi two of the following specialties: ronmental fluid mechanics; hydraulic en gineering; environmental design; - air pol lution; and surface water hydrology. The candidate will be expected to - de velop a strong externally funded research program and become involved in under graduate and graduate instruction. Teaching responsibilities will include core undergraduate courses in hydraulics and development and teaching of graduate courses in related specialty areas, and may include teaching support one inof the traditional areas of statics, of strength materials, or engineering economics. The Civil and Environmental Engineering fac ultyis currently comprised of eight members with interests in the areas of hydraulics and surface water hydrology, ecological engineering, soil remediation, groundwater and surface water model ing, geotechnical engineering, trans portation engineering, optimization, wa ter and wastewater engineering, air pollution and industrial hygiene, and structural analysis and design. Qualifications: an earned Ph.D. in Civil or Environmental Engineering and progress toward or eligibility for regis tration as a Professional Engineer are re quired. An earned B.S. in Civil -Engineer ing is preferred. Application Deadline: Application review will begin February 8, 2002 and -contin ue until the position is filled. Applicants must submit the following: u A letter of interest, u A detailed resume, u A statement of teaching and
research interests, and u Names and addresses of five
references to: James P. Olson, P.E., Ph.D., Chairman Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering 33 Colchester Avenue 213 Votey Hall University of Vermont Burlington, Vermont 05405—0156
The University of Vermont is an equal opportunity/affirmative action- employ er and encourages women and minorities to apply. Information about the Department of
