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GENETIC ENGINEERING Science Fiction to Reality island off South Australia to test if the mutant blowflies can control their wild counterparts, who infest the skin and fleece of living sheep at a cost of about $150 million a year. The aim of the experiment is to breed mutant blowflies with the female blowflies on the island and their offspring, genetically altered, would die. The experiment was a success, with 80 to 90% of the offspring “failing to survive" and 95% of the remaining blowflies inheriting the mutant genes. At Colorado State University microbiologists are using genetic engineering to insert new genes in the mosquito, redesigning the insect to make it unable to carry diseases such as yellow fever, malaria and encephalitis. Blocking transmission of the malaria parasite by a} Se ot __fide island off South Australia to test if the mutant blowflies can control their wild counterparts, who infest the skin and fleece of living sheep at a cost of about $150 million a year. The aim of the experiment is to breed mutant blowflies with the female blowflies on the island and their offspring, genetically altered, would die. The experiment was a success, with 80 to 90% of the offspring “failing to survive" and 95% of the remaining blowflies inheriting the mutant genes. At Colorado State University microbiologists are using genetic engineering to insert new genes in the mosquito, redesigning the insect to make it unable to carry diseases such as yellow fever, malaria and encephalitis. Blocking transmission of the malaria parasite by changing the genetics of the mosquito, the idea is to see if the cycle of disease transmission from person to person can be interrupted. If the genetic engineering experiments work and mosquitoes susceptible to the malaria parasite become less fit to carry the virus, the ramifications forworld health would be enormous. At the moment about 200 million people suffer from malaria; other mosquito-borne diseases kill, weaken or disable incalculable numbers of people and animals. As we advance to the year 2000 it seems that humankind has an insatiable desire to control nature. Experimenting and exploring tothe very core of existence, we are developing the ability to wipe outwhole species with biological extermination or to create new lifeformsin the laboratories of high technology. No part of nature has been left untouched; plants, insects, animals or people. For instance, the European Wasp - Vespula The “genetic supermarket” is not something out of Germanica ~- the biological weapon scientists have the future, but becoming reality. We are witnessing the come up with is the imported parasitic wasp - dawn of genetic engineering. Sphecophaga Vesparum - already used in New Zealand. It Already we can clone genes, grow human embryos lays its eggs on the European wasp's larvae and can outside the womb for at least 14 days (some say much destroy 70% of the young in a nest, feeding on the larvae longer), inject foreign genes into mammal eggs and trace and reproducing quickly. them in the next generation and we can clone and gene- As with all imported biological exterminators, it is splice mammals; the latest results are essential for strict tests to be made to ascertain what effect giant mice and a they will have on native fauna and flora to avoid such new cross-species of goat/sheep. We are close to botanical disasters as Prickly Pear, rabbits, Paterson's identifying the genes and enzymes responsible for such Curse etc. A quarantine building at the Keith Turnbull diseases as Huntington's Chorea, Down's syndrome Research Institute at Currum Downs has been built at (mongolism) and Alzeheimer's disease (senility). But are acost of $2.5 million to avoid similar disasters and we also creating some Hitlerian nightmare? We could facilitate research into control of weeds and insect pests. have the power of mixing species to produce a race that, Farmers in northern NSW have spread an _ illegally for example, are slaves combining the passive imported fungus to try and control wild blackberries. subservience of domesti-cated animals with some First released secretly on a property near a town in human intellectual skills. Gippsland, it has spread naturally up the NSW coast. It ., The real issue is whether we are experimenting with was also deliberately introduced into Western Australia “positive engineering" or “negative engineering”. The and is now widespread in Tasmania through wind-carried boundary between the two is slightly blurred. Screening spores. The fungus seems to be extremely host-specific for spina bifida, Down's syndrome and other diseases and so far does not appear to be attacking the native leaves one the choice to terminate foetuses diagnosed flora. But blackberries are closely related to apples and with these severe genetic abnormalities, but many roses, a fact not overlooked by the CSIRO who are people may disapprove of correcting these defects by studying potential problems. Tests in France show the genetic engineering. rust fungus can defoliate 90% of a blackberry bush Weare only at the tip of the iceberg in this field. and reduces flowering and fruiting. It won't erradicate The advances being made in all areas of genetic blackberries altogether, but may be able to bring them engineering are enormous. Some aspects of the potential under contro] within 5 years. to create "monstrous" species are frightening, with the The CSIRO have also been experimenting with power being left to a select few - but the ability to create mutant blowflies. Hundreds of thousands of blowfly life saving techniques and advances in the eco/human maggots are affected by gamma rays and flown to an structure are enormous. 18 Nexus New Times bryan Wises Germanica -