Wheat

[Guest guest]

I thought the powers that be said there was no difference in

nutritional value between gm wheat and others. Incidentally, to get

the best nutrition the original crops - spelt and kamut, should be

used.

 

Jo

 

Wheat's lost gene helps nutrition

 

" Wild wheat contains a more functional variety of the key gene

Turning on a gene found in wheat could boost levels of protein, iron

and zinc, scientists have discovered.

 

The gene occurs naturally in wheat, but has largely been silenced

during the evolution of domestic varieties.

 

Researchers found evidence that turning it back on could raise levels

of the nutrients in wheat grains.

 

Writing in the journal Science, they suggest that new varieties with

a fully functioning gene can be created through cross-breeding with

wild wheat.

 

" Wheat is one of the world's major crops, providing approximately one-

fifth of all calories consumed by humans, " said project leader

Professor Jorge Dubcovsky from the University of California at Davis.

 

" Therefore, even small increases in wheat's nutritional value may

help decrease deficiencies in protein and key micronutrients. "

 

'Spectacular' results

 

The researchers identified a gene called GPC-B1, GPC standing for

Grain Protein Content.

 

It is found in both wild and domesticated varieties of wheat, but in

subtly different forms, indicating that it has been changed by the

long history of domestication.

 

The results were spectacular, confirming that this single gene was

responsible for all these changes

 

Jorge Dubcovsky

Working with a variety of wheat called Bobwhite, a staple crop whose

grains are commonly used in bread, scientists " turned down " GPC-B1

activity even further using RNA interference.

 

RNA interference is a recently-discovered technique which blocks the

expression of genes.

 

" The results were spectacular, " said Professor Dubcovsky.

 

" The grains from the genetically modified plants matured several

weeks later than the control plants and showed 30% less grain

protein, zinc and iron, without differences in grain size.

 

" This experiment confirmed that this single gene was responsible for

all these changes. "

 

The researchers deduced that the reverse process - enhancing GPC-B1

activity - ought to produce plants which have higher levels of these

nutrients in their grains and mature faster.

 

The UC Davis team is already making such varieties, not by genetic

engineering but through crossing domesticated wheat plants with wild

relatives.

 

The key is a technology called Marker Assisted Selection (MAS). This

allows scientists to select which plants to cross using genetic

information, rather than simply choosing them by their attributes, as

farmers have done throughout the history of agriculture.