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Lookup NU author(s): Dr Trudy Netherwood, Professor Anthony O'Donnell, Professor John Mathers, Emeritus Professor Harry Gilbert
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The inclusion of genetically modified (GM) plants in the human diet has raised concerns about the possible transfer of transgenes from GM plants to intestinal microflora and enterocytes. The persistence in the human gut of DNA from dietary GM plants is unknown. Here we study the survival of the transgene epsps from GM soya in the small intestine of human ileostomists (i.e., individuals in which the terminal ileum is resected and digesta are diverted from the body via a stoma to a colostomy bag). The amount of transgene that survived passage through the small bowel varied among individuals, with a maximum of 3.7% recovered at the stoma of one individual. The transgene did not survive passage through the intact gastrointestinal tract of human subjects fed GM soya. Three of seven ileostomists showed evidence of low-frequency gene transfer from GM soya to the microflora of the small bowel before their involvement in these experiments. As this low level of epsps in the intestinal microflora did not increase after consumption of the meal containing GM soya, we conclude that gene transfer did not occur during the feeding experiment.
Author(s): Netherwood T, Martin-Orue SM, O'Donnell AG, Gockling S, Graham J, Mathers JC, Gilbert HJ
Publication type: Article
Publication status: Published
Journal: Nature Biotechnology
Year: 2004
Volume: 22
Issue: 2
Pages: 204-209
ISSN (print): 1087-0156
ISSN (electronic): 1546-1696
Publisher: Nature Publishing Group
URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/nbt934
DOI: 10.1038/nbt934
PubMed id: 14730317
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