Comments on: Tune E. coli to churn out biodiesel http://www.futurity.org/top-stories/tune-e-coli-to-churn-out-biodiesel/ Research news from leading universities Sat, 25 May 2013 09:07:11 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.4 By: Jedh Timkang http://www.futurity.org/top-stories/tune-e-coli-to-churn-out-biodiesel/comment-page-1/#comment-63222 Jedh Timkang Tue, 10 Jul 2012 09:21:21 +0000 http://www.futurity.org/?p=43359#comment-63222 I would like to ask if there is a follow-up discovery on this. thanks. I would like to ask if there is a follow-up discovery on this. thanks.

]]> By: Jason Major http://www.futurity.org/top-stories/tune-e-coli-to-churn-out-biodiesel/comment-page-1/#comment-42515 Jason Major Mon, 14 Nov 2011 05:20:56 +0000 http://www.futurity.org/?p=43359#comment-42515 If we are going to worry about GM bacteria escaping should we then scrap drug making by this method? ie about 20-25% of our drugs are made by bacteria genetically modified to churn out loads of the drug (eg insulin and one of the clotting factors to treat haemophilia), or industrial compound. If they escape into the wild, assuming they can even survive, they too could pass on their genes and disrupt ecosystems. This form of drug manufacturing has been happening for decades. These risks are manageable, but whether they can be managed in an acceptable way is subjective. Jason, TechNyou, University of Melbourne. If we are going to worry about GM bacteria escaping should we then scrap drug making by this method? ie about 20-25% of our drugs are made by bacteria genetically modified to churn out loads of the drug (eg insulin and one of the clotting factors to treat haemophilia), or industrial compound. If they escape into the wild, assuming they can even survive, they too could pass on their genes and disrupt ecosystems. This form of drug manufacturing has been happening for decades. These risks are manageable, but whether they can be managed in an acceptable way is subjective. Jason, TechNyou, University of Melbourne.

]]> By: Chris Carter http://www.futurity.org/top-stories/tune-e-coli-to-churn-out-biodiesel/comment-page-1/#comment-42442 Chris Carter Sat, 12 Nov 2011 07:14:28 +0000 http://www.futurity.org/?p=43359#comment-42442 Mother nature is millions of years old and has devised many ways to circumvent our best intentions. Genes that we put in will mutate, bacteria divide at a phenomenal rate, and gene exchange between bacterial species (horizontal gene transfer) is common (via nanotubes) http://www.cell.com/abstract/S0092-8674%2811%2900016-X. Bacteria are infected by bacteriophages and gene transfer up and down the animal kingdom is now a recognised reality.. None of this is can be controlled. Mother nature is millions of years old and has devised many ways to circumvent our best intentions. Genes that we put in will mutate, bacteria divide at a phenomenal rate, and gene exchange between bacterial species (horizontal gene transfer) is common (via nanotubes) http://www.cell.com/abstract/S0092-8674%2811%2900016-X. Bacteria are infected by bacteriophages and gene transfer up and down the animal kingdom is now a recognised reality.. None of this is can be controlled.

]]> By: Ru1138 http://www.futurity.org/top-stories/tune-e-coli-to-churn-out-biodiesel/comment-page-1/#comment-42431 Ru1138 Sat, 12 Nov 2011 03:04:56 +0000 http://www.futurity.org/?p=43359#comment-42431 @Chris Carter There are ways to prevent that from happening. Maybe the E Coli could be made so that it only produces fuel when given a feedstock that doesn't occur in nature. @Chris Carter

There are ways to prevent that from happening. Maybe the E Coli could be made so that it only produces fuel when given a feedstock that doesn’t occur in nature.

]]> By: Chris Carter http://www.futurity.org/top-stories/tune-e-coli-to-churn-out-biodiesel/comment-page-1/#comment-42406 Chris Carter Fri, 11 Nov 2011 18:30:52 +0000 http://www.futurity.org/?p=43359#comment-42406 This is all very well, but has anyone thought of what might happen if (when) the engineered E.Coli break loose and fill up rivers and seas , spewing diesel into the environment ? This is all very well, but has anyone thought of what might happen if (when) the engineered E.Coli break loose and fill up rivers and seas , spewing diesel into the environment ?

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