Biotech Updates

Risk Assessment of GE Fish

July 22, 2011

There are difficulties inherent in incorporating relevant genetic backgrounds and environmental conditions into assessment of relative fitness and gene flow from genetically engineered (GE) fish. Kelly Pennington and Anne Kapuscinski present this observation in Risk assessment of GE fish needs to account for genetic background and environmental variables featured in ISB News Report.

The authors say that GE Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) might be the first GE animal to be approved for food consumption in the U.S. They focused on risk assessment approaches that incorporate genetic backgrounds and environmental conditions that are likely factors in the possible escape of GE fish. Two factors are important for future risk assessment: (1) genetic background of the GE and wide-type populations; and (2) relevance of environmental conditions. Considering these factors will result in more robust predictions about the fate of GE fish in the wild.

Read the report at http://www.isb.vt.edu/news/2011/Jul11.pdf