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A bug acquired the DNA of a toxic plant, and now it’s running rampant
BGR.com ^ | March 26, 2021 | Chris Smith

Posted on 03/27/2021 1:09:54 PM PDT by House Atreides

“...A bug known as a whitefly received a gene from a plant, and that DNA influx... changed it... The bug has been causing massive damage to tomato, potato, and tobacco crops, as the new gene allowed it to evade protections that plants develop against these pests....

...As far as we know, ours is the first example of horizontal transfer of a functional gene from plant to animal,”...

...horizontal gene transfer occurs when a species gets genetic code from another species and... incorporates those genes in its DNA. Genes are typically transmitted vertically, from parents to offspring, and don’t involve inter-species crossover. Horizontal gene change is common between bacteria but very rare between multicellular organisms.

...researchers found that the whitefly (B. tabachi) obtained a gene dubbed BtPMaT1, which gave it protection against toxins found on plants — toxins that should protect them from insects... The researchers fed the whiteflies a diet containing the toxic phenolic glycosides, with a control group receiving a solution without the toxin. That’s how they proved the bug received the gene from a plant and then incorporated it into its DNA.

The whitefly would... ingest those phenolic glycosides when feeding on the tomato plant and that would usually kill it. But the BtPMaT1 gene neutralizes these toxins, so the whitefly can continue to destroy crops undisturbed. Essentially, the whitefly incorporated the plant’s defense mechanism into its own genome to beat the plant....

...researchers have no idea how the bug got the gene from the plant... That’s “an extremely rare event,” according to Turlings. Free to feed on crops, the whiteflies can become quite dangerous. They secrete a sticky substance known as honeydew and transmit other viruses to plants. This can lead to billions of dollars of crop damage, Inverse reports....”

(Excerpt) Read more at bgr.com ...


TOPICS:
KEYWORDS: animal; animalplant; braking; chatforum; crispr; damesnotagressive; dna; gmo; helixmakemineadouble; mutation; pest; plant; plantanimal; pussycatswallowtail; sidebarabuse; whitefly
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We ought to surreptitiously introduce this mutated bug into China in PARTIAL payback for all the invasive species and other crap they’ve sent our way. And I’m serious about that.
1 posted on 03/27/2021 1:09:54 PM PDT by House Atreides
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To: House Atreides

What makes you think they didn’t introduce us to it?


2 posted on 03/27/2021 1:14:12 PM PDT by nevergore (I have a terrible rash on my covfefe....)
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To: House Atreides
researchers have no idea how the bug got the gene from the plant

I have an idea.

3 posted on 03/27/2021 1:14:42 PM PDT by RC one (When a bunch of commies start telling you that you don't need an AR15, you really need an AR15)
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To: House Atreides

Tremors episode 9. “flora or fauna” aghhh!!!!


4 posted on 03/27/2021 1:15:22 PM PDT by Long Jon No Silver
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To: House Atreides
I suspect someone did that with a CRISPR kit.
5 posted on 03/27/2021 1:15:45 PM PDT by \/\/ayne (I regret that I have but one subscription cancellation notice to give to my local newspaper)
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To: nevergore

“What makes you think they didn’t introduce us to it?”
****************************************************
That’s certainly one of the possibilities. It would fit into their strategy of engaging in economic warfare against us on all possible fronts.


6 posted on 03/27/2021 1:20:32 PM PDT by House Atreides
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To: House Atreides

Lovely!


7 posted on 03/27/2021 1:21:11 PM PDT by rdl6989 ( )
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To: House Atreides

Wondering for a friend...how long could killer bees expect to live when packaged for international shipment?


8 posted on 03/27/2021 1:24:32 PM PDT by orlop9
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To: House Atreides

Is Dr Fauci funding this too?


9 posted on 03/27/2021 1:25:26 PM PDT by NWFree (Socialism is legalized plunder)
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To: House Atreides

I hear that someone created it by eating bat soup.


10 posted on 03/27/2021 1:26:45 PM PDT by SIDENET (ISAIAH 5:20)
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To: House Atreides

The flies are a higher form of life than the plants so the flies should be allowed to eat the plants, like we do.


11 posted on 03/27/2021 1:27:21 PM PDT by SaxxonWoods (Any comment might be sarcasm, or not. It depends. Often I'm not sure either.)
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To: NWFree

“Is Dr Fauci funding this too?”
*******************************
LOL - Well, it certainly does involve gain-of-function genetics.


12 posted on 03/27/2021 1:27:45 PM PDT by House Atreides
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To: House Atreides

Wonder if the Heirlooms are immune.


13 posted on 03/27/2021 1:31:22 PM PDT by LastDayz (A blunt and brazen Texan. I will not be assimilated.)
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To: House Atreides

This is like written by a sixth grader.

Also, I’m assuming researchers have found evidence of this “horizontal” gene transfer but this article didn’t describe any of the evidence.


14 posted on 03/27/2021 1:31:56 PM PDT by ifinnegan ( Democrats kill babies and harvest their organs to sell)
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To: House Atreides

It’s worse than we can imagine. Transmitted by EM waves.
Just look at the dumb*sses that got the B*ttwipe gene transferred to them when they tuned in CNN.


15 posted on 03/27/2021 1:32:34 PM PDT by Da Coyote
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To: House Atreides

A man who was bitten by a radioactive spider ...


16 posted on 03/27/2021 1:36:19 PM PDT by cdcdawg (WTF is "Jim Eagle?")
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To: House Atreides

Hey House, here you go.

“Turlings says the gene transfer event occurred between 35 million and 80 million years ago, when the sweet potato whitefly and other whitefly species that lack the gene split from a common ancestor.”

https://www.newscientist.com/article/2272598-plant-gene-has-naturally-crossed-into-insects-and-helps-them-feed/#ixzz6qLYr7qKg


17 posted on 03/27/2021 1:36:31 PM PDT by ifinnegan ( Democrats kill babies and harvest their organs to sell)
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To: nevergore

My thought exactly ...does anyone really think this was “natural”?


18 posted on 03/27/2021 1:38:18 PM PDT by Sonshinegirl
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To: House Atreides
Essentially, the whitefly incorporated the plant’s defense mechanism into its own genome to beat the plant.

Flaunting its whitefly priviledge.

19 posted on 03/27/2021 1:38:31 PM PDT by GreenHornet
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To: ifinnegan

“This is like written by a sixth grader....”
***********************************
That appearance is probably due to the extensive TEXT REMOVAL I had to do to keep the extract within the allowed 300 words maximum. Anywhere you see “...” in the extract, there are words missing. I tried my best to convey the essence of the article into the extract for the benefit of FReepers who prefer not to go to linked sites. Going to the linked source you’ll find it more coherence than my extract provided.


20 posted on 03/27/2021 1:38:47 PM PDT by House Atreides
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