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What happens when a lichenologist and a molecular geneticist get together with their friends?
Scientists from the College of Environmental Sciences and Forestry have cobbled together a new strain of lichens that could make backcountry users very, very happy.
A multidisciplinary team including virologists, bacteriologists and entomologists have been using techniques of gene splicing and cloning to develop a strain of lichens that will attract and kill black flies. Currently, says the department's spokesman, Dr. Fritz Heinz, the control of back flies involves the tedious and expensive seeding of streams with bacteria that interfere with larval development. "They have to repeat the application every year. Our approach is to seed an area once only with a newly engineered chimera, a Xanthoparmelia lichens. Our organism will emit an insect pheromone that attracts black flies and then it will them. The flies will stick to the lichen's surface and a chemical that jams its energy production system will poison it. It's that simple."
It's a technical milestone, says Heinz, because his team has had to splice black fly DNA into the lichen's genome that codes for the fly's pheromone (a powerful chemical attractant) and other DNA for the sticky bio-material as well as the toxin. Then, in order to speed the growth spread of the lichen scientists have developed a mutant strain whose normal growth controlling factors have been suppressed. "We achieved this by eliminating a gene that codes for a protein that turns off a stretch of the organism's DNA. It was brilliant work", crowed Heinz.
Heinz's team will begin a pilot project in the Adirondack Wilderness, specifically, high up in the Dial and Nippletop Mountain watersheds. This is a deserted region that only a few hikers go to. Work crews will begin seeding the watershed in June by spraying billions and billions of spores throughout the area. "By the summer of 2015 we should see a result", says Heinz.
Questioned as to the safety of introducing genetically modified and novel organisms into a delicate ecosystem Heinz waxed confident. "Trust me", he said, "I'm a scientist. This is a safe and harmless procedure that we'll be pioneering. No known problems have been identified by our team of experts".
Dr. Heinz went on to thank the ADK High Peaks Foundation that has provided funding for the project over the years. Finally, thanks to the Foundation, for the first time ever, man will be able to genetically manipulate an entire ecosystem for his recreational benefit.
What happens when a lichenologist and a molecular geneticist get together with their friends?
Scientists from the College of Environmental Sciences and Forestry have cobbled together a new strain of lichens that could make backcountry users very, very happy.
A multidisciplinary team including virologists, bacteriologists and entomologists have been using techniques of gene splicing and cloning to develop a strain of lichens that will attract and kill black flies. Currently, says the department's spokesman, Dr. Fritz Heinz, the control of back flies involves the tedious and expensive seeding of streams with bacteria that interfere with larval development. "They have to repeat the application every year. Our approach is to seed an area once only with a newly engineered chimera, a Xanthoparmelia lichens. Our organism will emit an insect pheromone that attracts black flies and then it will them. The flies will stick to the lichen's surface and a chemical that jams its energy production system will poison it. It's that simple."
It's a technical milestone, says Heinz, because his team has had to splice black fly DNA into the lichen's genome that codes for the fly's pheromone (a powerful chemical attractant) and other DNA for the sticky bio-material as well as the toxin. Then, in order to speed the growth spread of the lichen scientists have developed a mutant strain whose normal growth controlling factors have been suppressed. "We achieved this by eliminating a gene that codes for a protein that turns off a stretch of the organism's DNA. It was brilliant work", crowed Heinz.
Heinz's team will begin a pilot project in the Adirondack Wilderness, specifically, high up in the Dial and Nippletop Mountain watersheds. This is a deserted region that only a few hikers go to. Work crews will begin seeding the watershed in June by spraying billions and billions of spores throughout the area. "By the summer of 2015 we should see a result", says Heinz.
Questioned as to the safety of introducing genetically modified and novel organisms into a delicate ecosystem Heinz waxed confident. "Trust me", he said, "I'm a scientist. This is a safe and harmless procedure that we'll be pioneering. No known problems have been identified by our team of experts".
Dr. Heinz went on to thank the ADK High Peaks Foundation that has provided funding for the project over the years. Finally, thanks to the Foundation, for the first time ever, man will be able to genetically manipulate an entire ecosystem for his recreational benefit.
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