Altered bacteria released.Altered bacteria released Last week, scientists sprayed bacteriadesigned to protect plants from frost on a strawberry field in northern California. It was the first authorized outdoor release of genetically altered bacteria in the United States. The experiment, conducted by Oakland-based Advanced Genetic Sciences, Inc. (AGS AGS American Geriatrics Society. ), took place after a California Superior Court judge refused to issue a preliminary injunction A temporary order made by a court at the request of one party that prevents the other party from pursuing a particular course of conduct until the conclusion of a trial on the merits. A preliminary injunction is regarded as extraordinary relief. blocking the test at the request of environmental groups. By splicing splicing /splic·ing/ (spli´sing) 1. the attachment of individual DNA molecules to each other, as in the production of chimeric genes. 2. RNA s. the genes in the bacteriumPseudomonas syringae, scientists at AGS and elsewhere had developed bacteria that retard ice crystal formation on plants. Plans to test the bacteria in field trials several years ago started a continuing controversy over the safety of such a release and where it should occur (SN: 1/25/86, p.56). The Environmental Protection Agency Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), independent agency of the U.S. government, with headquarters in Washington, D.C. It was established in 1970 to reduce and control air and water pollution, noise pollution, and radiation and to ensure the safe handling and had fined AGS for injecting the bacteria into trees growing on a laboratory roof in 1985, but AGS's field-testing permit recently was reissued. Similar tests planned by the University of California at Berkeley (body, education) University of California at Berkeley - (UCB) See also Berzerkley, BSD. http://berkeley.edu/. Note to British and Commonwealth readers: that's /berk'lee/, not /bark'lee/ as in British Received Pronunciation. have hit an equally rocky road to approval (SN: 6/7/86, p.366). In Brentwood, where the test tookplace, the frost season is long gone, but scientists will study how the new bacterium survives "in the wild'--also a primary concern of a coalition of groups, led by the Foundation on Economic Trends in Washington, D.C., which has filed repeated suits and petitions to stop the test. |
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