Terrorism in the debate over genetic research

Toby Bradshaw

College of Forest Resources and Botany Department

University of Washington

toby@u.washington.edu

Genetic architecture of adaptation in natural plant populations

• Adaptation to bumblebee or hummingbird pollinators in Mimulus

• Adaptation to elevation in Mimulus

• Adaptation to serpentine soils in Linanthus

yup

YUP

Bumblebees

N=179

yup

YUP

Hummingbirds

N=3736

yup

YUP

Bumblebees

N=1024

yup

YUP

Hummingbirds

N=182

Linanthus parviflorus• Annual• No seed bank• Outcrossing

Populus

• ‘The people’s tree’

• ~30 species of poplars, cottonwoods, and aspen worldwide

• Family Salicaceae, which includes willows (Salix) and Populus

What makes trees so interesting?

• Forest trees contain most of the Earth’s terrestrial biomass.

• Forest trees dominate the most productive terrestrial ecosystems.

• Wood is a vital raw material for industry.

What do we need to study in trees that can’t be done in Arabidopsis?

• Extensive wood formation• Juvenile-mature transition• Crown architecture• Vegetative dormancy• Complex ecology and

perennial life history• Practical applications to

biomass production

The biology of Populus• Hybrid poplars are the

fastest-growing trees in the temperate zone

• Most species and hybrids can be propagated from cuttings (clones)

• Controlled pollination is easy; poplars are prolific

From the ELF website

• There was a total of 137 illegal direct actions in North America in 2001; 72 of those were for animal liberation, 51 for earth liberation, and 14 against GMO/GE.

• The firebombing of CUH was the single biggest ‘direct action’ by the ELF in 2001, and the second largest ever.

From the ELF communiquè"Bradshaw, the driving force in

G.E. tree research, continues to unleash mutant genes into the environment that is [sic] certain to cause irreversible harm to forest ecosystems. As long as universities continue to pursue this reckless 'science,‘ they run the risk of suffering severe losses. Our message remains clear, we are determined to stop genetic engineering."

US National Research Council/National Academy of Sciences position on GE and conventional plant breeding

“The same physical and biological laws govern the response of organisms modified by modern molecular and cellular methods and those produced by classical methods.”

From the ELF FAQ“The ELF targets have

included such issues as deforestation (for human development of roadways, for luxurious living and/or recreation areas, for profit by selling or using trees, etc.), urban sprawl, genetic engineering, natural habitat and ecosystem destruction, the use of slave labor by corporations and more.”

Setting Fires With Electrical

Timers - An Earth

Liberation Front Guide

• National Day Of Protests Called Against Congressional Hearing On EcoTerrorismOpen Call For Direct Action

• FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEJanuary 14, 2002

• WASHINGTON, DC - A national day of protests have been scheduled in the U.S. for February 12, 2002, the same day former Earth Liberation Front spokesperson Craig Rosebraugh has been subpoenaed to testify before a Congressional Subcommittee hearing on Ecoterrorism in Washington, D.C. Protest organizers have made an open call for direct action on or around February 12 against the Ecoterrorism meeting and in support of Rosebraugh, the Earth Liberation Front and the Animal Liberation Front.

Effects of terrorism onscientific research

• Attempts to suppress academic freedom and basic research

• Increases costs of research• Drives research out of public institutions

and into private hands• Diverts talented researchers into less

controversial areas• May negatively impact research funding

Responses to the ELF firebombing at the Center for Urban Horticulture

• Seattle police and fire departments, along with CUH staff, saved much of the library

• UW administration supports freedom of academic inquiry without reservation

• Colleagues offered lab space and resources• UW administration provided immediate financial

support for faculty, staff, and students• Corporate donors offered building materials and

cash assistance• Washington State Legislature appropriated $4.1M

for rebuilding• The Washington Native Plant Society strongly

condemned the ELF firebombing

The poplar genome project

Toby BradshawUniversity of Washington toby@u.washington.edu

Jerry TuskanOak Ridge National Laboratoriesgtk@ornl.gov

The Joyce Kilmer project

Poems are made by fools like me, but only God can make a tree. – JK

If so, we’d like to know how She did it!

The Populus genome sequence will overcome many of the limitations

inherent in forest tree genetics

• Long generation interval• Outcrossing mating system• Lack of inbred lines• Lack of efficient mutagenesis

Why sequence the Populus genome?

• Populus is relevant to key DOE missions• Populus is well suited for structural

genomics• Functional genomics is far more

powerful in Populus than in any other forest tree

• A worldwide poplar research community is ready to make immediate use of the sequence

• The DOE’s Joint Genome Institute has the capability to sequence and assemble large, complex genomes

Populus is relevant to key DOE missions

• Renewable energy

• Carbon sequestration

• Bioremediation

Populus is well suited for structural genomics

• Relatively small genome of 550Mbp (5X Arabidopsis, similar to rice, 40X smaller than pine)

• 100K ESTs to be released http://www.biochem.kth.se/PopulusDB/

• Genetic linkage maps based on large progeny sets (0.05cM resolution in some cases)

• 10X BAC library of a single P. balsamifera (trichocarpa) clone ‘Nisqually-1’

• Closely related to Arabidopsis• JGI to produce 3X shotgun in FY02; 3X shotgun or

minimum BAC tiling path in FY03

Functional genomics is more powerful in Populus than in any other forest tree

Steve Strauss and Rick Meilan, Tree Genetic Engineering Research Cooperative

Transgenesis will do for trees what mutagenesis did for Arabidopsis

• Use gene identity (known from DNA sequence) to determine gene function in vivo

• Comprehensive, unbiased testing of EVERY ONE of the 25K (50K?) Populus genes and gene families

• Rational, predictable modification of tree growth, development, and biochemistry

• GENE >> PHENOTYPE

Gene trapping in transgenic Populus

• Gene traps to discover genes involved in tree growth and development

Photo courtesy of Andrew Groover, Institute of Forest Genetics

Urgent research needs for Populus in the post-sequence era

• Funding for high-throughput transgenesis to produce a very large collection (N>25,000) of knock-out and knock-in (KOKI) mutants

• Secure field sites for large-scale screening/testing of KOKI transgenic trees, accessible to researchers worldwide

The Populus genome sequence will revolutionize forest tree biology

What is a GMO?

• Genetically Modified Organism• Asexual gene (DNA) transfer (genetic

engineering/GE)• Unlimited gene pool• Research tool• Pharmaceuticals• Crops (‘Frankenfood’)• Livestock?• Forest trees?• Fish?• Humans?

Gene transfer (transformation)

Typical traits engineered into crops•Herbicide resistance (e.g., ‘Roundup Ready’)•Insect resistance (Bt toxin)•Vitamin A (‘golden rice’)•Fruit firmness (‘Flavr Savr’ tomato)

From the ELF FAQ

“Capitalism as a target is not easily identifiable due to it being an ideology rather than a physical object. But forms and symbols of capitalism can be targeted successfully … [t]he list is endless but could include such symbols in the U.S. as Mt. Rushmore, the Statue of Liberty, Disney, Wall Street, etc.”