Science: Bacteria hold the key to genetic pollution

Pictures of spreads from New Scientist magazine

Experiments off the coast of Florida have provided the first evidence that marine bacteria take up DNA that is floating freely in seawater. The bacteria also dismantle the DNA they receive, reassembling it in a different order.

The findings may reinforce fears that when biotechnologists release genetically modified organisms (GMOs) into the environment, the 'foreign' DNA they carry will find its way into native species, a process called transformation. But on the other hand, the results suggest that nature can absorb fresh genetic material with ease, and without any harmful consequences, so advocates of gene technology may be reassured by the findings, say the researchers.

Governments around the world have introduced legal and voluntary safeguards to minimise the risks of 'genetic pollution' when GMOs are released. Opponents fear that the safeguards will not be strict enough. They worry, for example, that DNA conferring resistance to pesticides will spread to weeds, ...



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