Genetically engineered microbes (GE microbes) are set to change the world, helping to enhance food security, combat diseases, and address environmental issues. Yet, with great power comes great responsibility, and introducing them into our society and ecosystems is not without controversy. Supporters call for less strict policies so that GE microbes can be more available to tackle urgent global challenges. However, critics argue for more regulation since using GE microbes could have unintended consequences on our health and environment. As the debate over GE microbes unfolds, we’ll need to find a balance between recognizing their potential and their risks through more regulation and research.
How are GE microbes made?
GE microbes are microorganisms like fungi, yeast, and bacteria that are modified at a genetic level, giving them new traits and functions they did not previously have. This is done by isolating a desirable gene from a donor organism, such as another microbe, plant, or animal, and then inserting the gene into the microbe’s DNA. New advancements in gene editing techniques, like CRISPR-Cas9, allow scientists to create more efficient and accurate GE microbes that can be used in a wide range of applications.
What are the benefits of GE microbes?
Medicine
Since the early 1980s, GE microbes have been applied in medical practices. They are often used to create pharmaceutical compounds like enzymes, therapeutic proteins, and hormones, notably insulin. While insulin used to be derived from animal sources, it’s now made using genetically engineered bacteria that can carry the human insulin gene.
GE microbes are also used to make vaccines, like the hepatitis B vaccine, from genetically engineered yeast cells.
Genetically engineered viruses are currently being explored for their potential as a cancer treatment because of to their ability to target and kill cancer cells.
Agriculture
GE microbes are widely used in the agriculture industry, with numerous benefits as a pesticide, fertilizer, and biocontrol agent. These microbes can enhance nutrient uptake, promote plant growth, and improve soil structure. Their ability to improve crop health and resilience leads to higher crop yields and reduced reliance on chemical fertilizers, helping to create a more environmentally friendly and productive agricultural system that addresses food security.
Environmental remediation
Beyond reducing the need for chemical treatments in agriculture, GE microbes benefit the environment through their ability to remediate various contaminants. Genetically engineered bacteria have shown a remarkable ability to remove heavy metals, toxins, and other pollutants from soil and water (1).
These microbes have also been engineered to break down plastics, offering a promising solution to remediating these otherwise hard-to-degrade substances.
Ethical and environmental concerns
Yet despite all of the benefits that GE microbes offer, many are concerned about widely implementing them into the environment due to the risks of unforeseen consequences and long-term effects that are not fully understood.
Microorganisms can be difficult, if not impossible, to control once released and could lead to several potential issues if not properly managed. These microbes could outcompete native species, mutate in unpredictable ways, and even potentially transfer to other organisms, leading to new pathogens or antibiotic-resistant strains.
We are already seeing the impact of antibiotic resistance in agriculture and medicine, causing new treatment-resistant bacterial and fungal infections that greatly threaten human health. GE microbes could worsen this issue if resistant genes spread and lead to difficult-to-control superbugs.
Plus, the creation of GE microbes raises ethical concerns, considering corporations can patent them, giving them even more power and control over agricultural resources and our overall food system. Many argue that patenting genetically modified organisms gives these corporations ownership over life forms and allows them to commodify living things.
Current regulations and future implications
Many GE microbes are allowed for use in the United States; however, current regulations are argued to be outdated and incohesive. Multiple agencies have specific roles in the regulation of GE microbes, including the USDA, EPA, and FDA, depending on the sector they’re being used in.
GE microbes have great potential to revolutionize several industries and practices, but before implementing them on a wider scale, more research and updated regulatory frameworks are necessary to ensure their use is safe and responsible.
We must examine and consider the long-term ecological and health impacts of GE microbes to fully understand their risks and benefits. Risk assessment should also be considered to reduce the possibility of negative effects like ecological disruptions or gene transfer to other organisms. These microbes must be monitored and contained to keep them confined to specific areas and prevent their spread. Furthermore, the various government agencies responsible for GE microbes should develop a cohesive policy to ensure thorough safety evaluations and address their ethical implications.
Although genetically engineered organisms are a controversial topic, it’s crucial that we weigh in all the pros and cons to determine what’s best for our environment and society. This technology will only become more popular as scientific advancements continue, so our approach must balance innovation with precaution, ensuring that GE microbes contribute positively to societal and environmental goals without unforeseen negative consequences.
References
- Rafeeq, Hamza, Nadia Afsheen, Sadia Rafique, Arooj Arshad, Maham Intisar, Asim Hussain, Muhammad Bilal, and Hafiz M.N. Iqbal. 2023. “Genetically Engineered Microorganisms for Environmental Remediation.” Chemosphere 310 (January): 136751. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chemosphere.2022.136751.
