Biodiversity and Health Society

Lesson Objectives

1. Define biodiversity and its levels;

2. Determine the interrelatedness of society, environment, and
health;
3. Importance of BIOTECHNOLOGY;
4. Identify GENETICALLY MODIFIED ORGANISMS and its
benefits;
5. Potential Human Health Risks caused by GMOs
 The term “Biodiversity” was first
coined by Walter G. Rosen in 1986.
According to International Union of
Conversation of Nature and Natural
Sciences (IUCN-NR) in 1998,
Genetic Diversity
biodiversity is “the variety and
variability of species of their Species Diversity
population, the variety of species of
their life forms, the diversity of the Ecosystem Diversity
complex association with species
with their ecological process which
influences perform.
 Benefits and Drivers of Biodiversity
 Biodiversity is the source of the essential
goods and ecological services that
constitute the source of life for all and it
has direct consumptive value in food,
agriculture, medicine, and in industry.
(Villaggio Globale, 2009)
 Nutritional Impact of Biodiversity

 Health local diets, with adequate average levels of

nutrients intake, necessitates maintenance of high
biodiversity levels,
 Intensified and enhanced food production through
irrigation, use of fertilizer, plant protection (pesticides),
or the introduction of crop varieties and cropping
patterns affect biodiversity and thus impact global
nutritional status and human health (WHO, 2007).
  The World Wide Fund for nature and
Biodiversity Loss Zoological Society of London reported
an annual decrease in wildlife by 2%. A
major cause is human population which
has doubled in number since 1960 to
7.4 billion.
  Habitat loss and destruction
Threats to Biodiversity  Alterations in ecosystem composition
 Over-exploration
 Pollution and contamination
 Global Climate Change
Biotechnology

 The biodiversity International has released a module titled :Law and Policy of
Relevance to the management of plant genetic resources: (Bragdon et al., 2005)
which aims to help professionals in managing, conserving, and using plant
genetic resources for food and agriculture. The module provides the following
definitions:

1. Biotechnology - uses biological systems, living organisms or derivatives thereof,

to make or modify products or processes for a specific use.
2. Genetic Engineering is a technique that allows genes and DNA to be transferred
from one source to another. It leads to the production of living modified
organisms (LMOs) or genetically modified organisms (GMOs)
 Modern biotechnology - gives scientists molecular tools for obtaining a better
understanding of the structure and function of genes in living organisms.
 Modern Biotechnology paves the way for new developments on food and agriculture.
Particularly,:
 it aims to develop new precision tools and diagnostics;
 speed up breeding gains and efficiency
 develop pest- and disease resistant crops
 combat salinity, drought and problems of agriculture
 enhance the nutritional quality of food
 increase crop varieties and choice
 reduce inputs ad production costs
 and increase profits (Bragdon et al., 2005)
IX.GENETICALLY MODIFIED ORGANISMS

 Genetically modified organism (GMO) is the term used for an organism

created through genetic engineering.
 (WHO, 2014 defines GMO as an organism, either plant, animal , or
microorganism, in which the genetic material (DNA) has been altered (also
called gene splicing, gene modification or transgenic technology). It is the
result of laboratory process where genes from the DNA of one species are
extracted and artificially inserted into the genes of unrelated plant or animal
also known as genetic engineering (GE) or gene modification (GM).
 The development of GMOs was perceived to help in the advancement of
technology for the benefit of humans in different industries like agriculture
and medicine.
 A. GMOs in Food and Agriculture Industries
 The Center for Ecogenetics and Environmental Health (CEEH, 2013) identified the
following roles in the food and agricultural industries:

1. Pest Resistance – genetically modified plants to resist certain pests.

 An example is Bt. Corn. The DNA (genome) of the Bt. Corn has been modified with
the gen e of Bacillus thuringiensis. A soil bacterium that produces protein which is
toxic to corn borers (worms).
 2. Virus Resistance – genetically modified plants resistance to certain viruses
 An example is GM papaya or rainbow papaya. The papaya ringspot virus (PRSV) is
known to be detrimental to papaya plants.
 The protein of PRSV was introduced to the papaya plant through plant tissue
which turned out to be resistant to the virus itself.
 The effect was like the vaccines humans have against measles or influenza virus.
3. Herbicide Tolerance – genetically modified plants to tolerate herbicide
 An example is Roundup Ready soybean. Glyphosate , an herbicide for weeds, was
introduced to soybeans making it tolerant to the herbicide itself. Farmers then can spray
the herbicide killing the weeds but not the soybeans.
4. Fortification – genetically modified plants fortified with certain minerals
 An example is Golden Rice, Beta-carotene, a precursor of vitamin A, was introduced
through biosynthesis genes to the rice, making the rice grains fortified with vitamin A.
5. Cosmetic Preservation – genetically modified plants resist natural discoloration
 An example is Arctic Apple. The apple variety was genetically modified to suppress the
browning of apple due to superficial damage,
6. Increase Growth Rate – a genetically modified that has higher yield in growth than normal
species.
 An example is AquAdvantage salmon, A gene from an ocean pout, an eel-like fish was
introduced to Pacific Chinook salmon, making the salmon grow faster than its normal
rate.
B. GMOs in NON-FOOD CROPS and
MICROORGANISMS
 Genetically modified organisms (GMOs) in non- food and microorganisms
involve the following:
1. Flower Production – GMOs in flower production are seen in modified color
and extended vase life of flowers.
 An example are Blue roses. The so called “blue” roses , which are in
reality, lilac or purple, contained cyaniding 3, 5 diglucoside, together with
large amounts of flavonols.
 The introduction of flavonoid 31, 51 – hydroxylase gene into pelargonidin –
or cyaniding producing rose cultivars diverts the anthocyanin biosynthetic
pathway toward the production of delphinidin glucosides and the flower
color to blue. (Elomaa and Holton, 1994)
2. Paper Production – Modified characteristics of trees for higher yield of paper
production
 Examples are poplar trees. Lignin is a complex polymer in tress that is removed from
wood to make paper through kraft process, through inserting genes that code for
ferulic acid in young poplar trees, the lignin structure is modified, making lignin
easier to breakdown (Veniza, 2014)
3. Pharmaceutical Productions – Modified plants to produce pharmaceutical products.
 Examples are periwinkle plants. Bacterial genes were added to the periwinkle plant
to enhance the production of vinblastine, and vincristine, an alkaloid usually added
to drugs for cancer treatments like Hodgkin’s Lymphoma (Rungupan, 2010)
4. Bioremediation – use of modified plants that can assist in the bioremediation of
polluted sites.
 An example is shrub tobacco. Nicotiana glauca, or shrub tobacco genetically
modified with phytochelatin TAPCSII, is used for bioremediation. It shows high level
accumulation of zinc, lead, cadmium, nickel, and boron and produces high biomass.
5. Enzyme and drug production – use of modified microorganisms that can
produce enzymes for food processing and medicines.
 One example of this is CGTase. Cyclomaldodextrin glycisyltransferase (CGTase
– is an enzyme used for food flavor enhancer, is produced in higher quantity
by bacterium Bacillus which was genetically modified with the genetically
modified with the gene of a thermophillic anaerobe, Thermoanaerobacter,
carrying CGTase (Pedersen and Jorgensen,1995)
 Another Artemesin. Artemesinic acid is a compound used for anti-malarial
drug extracted from sweet wordwood plant. Through genetic engineering, it
can be synthetically produced by yeast and bacteria with sweet wordwood
plant gene (Zimmer,2006)
 GMOs in the Medical Field –genetic engineering is playing a significant role
from diagnosis to treatment of human-dreaded diseases.
 It helps in the production of drugs, gene therapy, and
laboratory researches.
 One classic example is Humulin, then genetically engineered insulin used by
Type I diabetes patients who are insulin-dependent. In the past, insulin is
extracted from the pancreases of pigs and cows that have caused allergic
reactions to some diabetes using it. In 1978, researchers from the City of
Hope National Medical Center and Genetech Biotechnology Company were
able to produce human insulin. In 1996, modified human insulin was
approved, called the Humanlog.
BENEFITS OF GMOs
1. Higher Efficiency in Farming
 With the use of pesticide-resistant/herbicide-tolerant GMO crops, there will
be less use for herbicides/pesticides, and lower cost for labor and cultivation.
2. Increase in Harvest
 GMO crops resistant to pests and diseases means increase in potential
growth and harvest.
3. Control in Fertility
 Controlling the purity of the hybrid seeds (GMO seeds) increase higher yields
4. Increase in Food Processing
 Altered characteristics of GMO crops help ease food processing.
5. Improvement of desirable characteristics

 GMOs offer longer shelf life, enhanced color and taste, enhanced production
or reduction of enzymes, and other modified characteristics of plants, animals,
and microorganisms.
6. Nutritional and pharmaceutical enhancement

 GMO crops like maize fortified with lysine and Golden Rice fortified with
Vitamin A and Iron. There are now edible vaccines for viral and diarrheal
diseases.
7. Reduce the use of fertilizers and pesticides
Note:
 here are over 400 million acres of GMO farmlands all over the world.
The Top Five Countries that operate GMO Farmlands

a. United States
b. Brazil
c. Argentina
d. India
e. Canada
Approved GMO Agricultural Products for Public Consumption
a. Alfalfa
b. Corn
c. Papaya
d. Soya bean
e. Sugar beets and
f. Squash
Common Food with GMOs
g. Kellogg’s Corn Flakes
h. Quaker Chewy Granola Bars
i. Ultra Slim Fast
j. Quaker Yellow Corn Meal
k. Alpo Dry Pet Food
Potential Risks of GMOs
1) Since genetic engineering is still young branch of science, there are inadequate studies on the
effects of GMOs to humans and the environment.
2) Genetic Engineering promotes mutation in organisms which the long term effect is still
unknown.
3) Human consumption of GMOs might have the following effects:
 More allergic reactions – GMO food may trigger more allergic reactions, more so create
new ones, as side effect of the gene alteration.
 Gene Mutation – GMO food may develop abnormalities and mutation, more than the
desired product of the gene alteration.
 Antibiotic resistance – GMO food contains antibiotic-resistant genes; this may cause
disease-causing bacteria likely to be more antibiotic-resistant too, increasing the possibility
of widespread of the disease.
 Nutritional value – GMO food may have change in their nutritional value.
Potential Environment Risks Caused by GMOs

 Identified Major risks are the following:

1. Risk in gene flow – there is the potential risk of the modified gene to be transferred from the
GMO crop to its wild relative or organism in the soil and human intestine (when ingested). For
example, a decaying GMO plant could possibly transfer the modified genes to the bacteria and
fungi in the soil. Bacteria and fungi are capable of using a genetic material from their
surroundings. There are no studies yet on the effects of the absorbed modified gene to the
other organisms.
2. Emergence of new forms of resistance and secondary pests and weed problems.
3. Recombination of Virus and bacteria to produce New Pathogens
Potential Human Health Risks caused by
GMOs
A major concern in the use and consumption of GMOs is its effect
on human beings, primarily on human health. Some potential
health risks are identified.
1. Consumption of GMOs may have adverse effects since it is not
naturally or organically produced.
2. Consumption of GMOs may alter the balance of existing
microorganisms in the human digestive system.
3. Production of toxins may be detrimental to human health
4. Production of allergens may have adverse effects on humans
 
References:
 
McNamara, Daniel Joseph SJ, Vida Mia Valverde, and Beleno, Ramon III, Science,
Technology, and Society (2018), C& E Publishing, Inc., EDSA, South Triangle,
Quezon City
Serafica, Janice Patria J, Greg T. Pawilen et.al, Science , Technology, and Society,
First Edition (2018), REX Bookstore, Manila, Philippines.