Transgenic Species + Genetic Diversity (1 Viewer)

[will-pj-doyle]

Transgenic species either increase or decrease genetic diversity, right? If that's the case, then what does the following example do for genetic diversity?

The tomato plant. This plant is subject to the tobacco mosaic virus and the resistant gene found on the tobacco mosaic plant can be inserted into the tomato plant, providing the tomato plant with resistance.

It looks to me as if it neither increases nor decreases diversity...are they more susceptible to any diseases the tobacco mosaic is vulnerable to?

 

[Neha Sharma]

Trangenic species, decrease genetic diversity. In the example you have given, the new strain of tomatoes (the ones inserted with the new gene) would be resistant to that particular disease, however in the case a new disease should arise, to which these new tomatoes don't have resistance to, the entire population may die off. but then again, this would happen if all the tomatoes were the trangenic species, as that would mean they are all genetically identical.

 

[hellopian]

The insertion of the tobacco mosaic resistant gene into the tomato could be seen as increasing diversity. By inserting the gene, you are basically creating a 'new species' of tomato. At the current time they may not seem like a new species but when natural selection (through artificial technology) occurs, the tomato plants without the gene will die out (or become weaker), leaving behind a new species of tomato. I guess you could also see it as decreasing diversity because it's eradicating the tomato plants that are not resistant to the tobacco mosaic virus, that is the tomato plants that are resistant to the gene are producing plants that are similar, which will slowly lead to the extinction of the older species of tomato. I don't think they inherit any characteristics that make them more susceptible to disease because they only specifically insert the gene responsible for the resistance to TMV, so they wouldn't inherit other characteristics (such as susceptibility), but I'm not sure. Hope this makes sense! :rofl:

 

[smurfus]

Doesn't the change in diversity come down to the usage.

For example if farmers make tomato plants resistant they may only want those ones and therefore only grow from the GM seeds etc. This then would reduce the diversity of tomatos.

However if they still grow a fair proportion of unmodified tomato plants then I guess you could argue that the diversity is increased.
You would have to wonder though why they would do that if they have spent millions on R and D to produce GM tomatos

 

[will-pj-doyle]

yeh, cheers, that helps/makes sense.

it was just something i was confused on, because like you've said, it kind of does both...i thought maybe it did neither.

but they'll probably ask a question (if they ask any) to "outline the implications for the genetic diversity of a trangenic species" or something like that...

i'm going to say it increases diversity, because you are creating a new species with the gene and thus creating a more diverse variety of tomatos (as aforementioned.)

if the question says "discuss" then i can say it both increases and decreases diversity, or whatevs.

hope you chaps go well. get your hypothalamus fired up and avoid pathogens.

 

[mzduxx2006]

Transgenic species either increase or decrease genetic diversity, right? If that's the case, then what does the following example do for genetic diversity?

The tomato plant. This plant is subject to the tobacco mosaic virus and the resistant gene found on the tobacco mosaic plant can be inserted into the tomato plant, providing the tomato plant with resistance.

It looks to me as if it neither increases nor decreases diversity...are they more susceptible to any diseases the tobacco mosaic is vulnerable to?

well transgenic species are organisms which are artificially created to contain and posess a specific characteristic to ensure better produce etc. THE problem is that the tomato plant in this case will be resistant to the mosaic virus BUT should ANOTHER different virus sweep the population then there would be little genetic diversity and most of the tomato plants will die whilst some still survive, those that survive will have a resistant gene and pass this on to their future offspring. SO IN A WAY transgenic species can increase and decrease a population.