Terminator Genes for Seed Sterility 
Traitor Technology

by Paul W. Syltie, Ph.D.

A subtle new enemy has stealthily crept in amongst the farmer's most basic inputs. His seeds are being sabotaged. This sabotage is not of the ordinary kind that one can identify on-sight. It hits him at the most basic level: the seeds he grows... and it also hits him hard in his pocketbook.

"Terminator genes" are being inserted into the DNA -- the basic inheritable material of all life -- of seeds which may be marketed by some of the seed giants of the Western world: Monsanto, Novartis, and Astra Zeneca. The planting of "transgenic" crops (those that are genetically altered) has skyrocketed the last four years, increasing from 4.2 million acres in 1996, to 27.2 million acres in 1997, to 68.7 million acres in 1998.  (see photos for visual)

What Are They?

First of all, let us define what these transgenic crops with "terminator genes" really are. Genes are bits of inheritable material comprised of a helical deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) "backbone" having four major "bases" (alkaline-reacting) chemicals attached to it in various sequences. The sequences are critical because the order in which they occur determines the sequence of amino acids that are generated in the proteins they fabricate.

DNA constitutes the primary information storehouse of all cells.

Each cell has two full sets of genes -- one from the male and one from the female -- that code for proteins made in all of the tissues and organs that the plant needs during its life cycle. However, only the genes that are needed to produce proteins for a particular cell are actually "turned on" for that cell. These active genes do the work for the cell, and the other genes are inactive ... though they are active in other cells somewhere else in the plant. 

A typical gene is divided into segments. The first part -- called the promoter -- is a stretch of DNA that interacts with the cell or environment to initiate the actions of the  next segment. The second segment -- called the coding sequence -- contains the actual code for the order of amino acids to be constructed in the proteins. When a gene is active the promoter directs the coding sequence to generate a specific protein needed by the cell.

Enter Terminator Technology

To produce terminator seeds the genes must produce a toxin that will kill the seed late in its development. The way this is done is to take a promoter from a gene normally activated late in seed development -- in cotton, for example -- and fuse this promoter to the coding sequence for a toxic protein that will kill the embryo late in seed development.

The means to do this, however, must be linked to some system that will allow an abundance of seed to be grown for farm sale. Using the above scenario alone would mean that the fruit seeds would die, and no large-scale production could occur. The job is accomplished through an ingenious series of genetic and chemical manipulations. Three engineered components are inserted into the cotton's DNA:

(2) A repressor protein coding sequence with a promoter that is active all of the time.

(3) A recombinase coding sequence, controlled by a promoter that is active at all times except when repressed by a special repressor protein... which protein can be overridden by the antibiotic tetracycline.  (see photos for visual)

The transfer of genes into the plant is not a very precise operation, but can be accomplished by injecting genetically engineered DNA into the nucleus of a cell using a tiny needle, by soaking the seeds in altered DNA and then electrically shocking them, attaching the DNA to small metal fragments and shooting them into the nucleus, or adding the DNA to viruses or bacteria and infecting the cells with them. Only a few of the infected cells will have the correct incorporation of genetically-altered DNA. Whole plants must be generated from these cells, and then they are tested for the function of the new genes. A cotton line is developed from these properly functioning terminator plants, and the seed is multiplied for farmer use.

Why the Terminator?

The Terminator gene offers absolutely no agro nomic advantage to the farmer. Its benefit is for the multinational seed companies who can use the technology to require farmers to repurchase seed from them every growing season. The Terminator is just one example of how a company can load genetic modifications of a number of commercial characteristics into a plant or animal, and then activate or deactivate them at the point of sale ... like buying a tractor with "value-added" accessories. Together, these genes can be called Tractor Genes. "Gene Giant" companies want to tie these genetic modifications to their proprietary chemicals so that one is useless without the other. However, there are a number of potentially serious consequences that may emanate from this Terminator technology.

The Serious Downside of Terminator: Junkie Genes?

Many patents have been applied for related to genetic plant alteration, not just for the Terminator but for herbicide tolerance as well. Some patents propose that the Terminator gene sequence in seeds can be triggered by herbicides or even fertilizers, but the individual promoter strategy would weaken the plant's natural resistance to diseases and pests. These seed giants, of course, manufacture the chemicals to combat these weaknesses it manufactures into crops. Thus, farmers would be sold "addict seeds" with "junkie genes", as it were, that will not perform well without these chemicals!

For Western farmers, the cost of seeds will increase with Terminator and other GMO technologies. The share of farm inputs increased by 86% in the United States the past ten years, and will rise much faster with genetically modified seeds. Also, farmers using genetically modified seeds will find themselves locked into expensive chemical purchases just to keep their weaker crops healthy.

For Third World and subsistence farmers, it is possible that governments will legislate the use of Terminator and Traitor technologies as a requirement for credit or marketing ... as has been the case with planting certain rice varieties in Southeast Asia. Further, destitute farmers might accept well-intentioned food aid and try to plant them for their next crop ... only to realize zero germination and famine staring them in the face.

In the Third World, traditional seed saving and the germ plasm pool for the affected crops will collapse if Terminator technology takes hold. Community plant breeding would cease to exist when farmers cannot save their seeds. In India, 100 million farmers would be at risk to join the burgeoning populations of giant cities.

More Trouble

Terminator genes will also lower the nutritional quality of the seeds. After all, the seeds are dead. Dead seeds will degenerate more quickly, and the oils and vitamins will degenerate more quickly. The toxins may also induce allergic reactions in people who eat the oils, cereals, or bread products containing them.

Moreover, the Terminator gene can spread to other fields of the same variety and affect quality and germination of the crop. Tetracycline applied to the seeds will reach the soil and cause unknown interactions with organisms, and the antibiotic will likely reach water sources.

Terminator seed technology is another step in the loss of economic independence for farmers worldwide. Farmers would be wise to avoid using these seeds, and instead follow natural laws that dictate the use of open-pollinated varieties.

References

• Crouch, M.L. 1998. How the terminator terminates. The Edmonds Institute, Edmonds, Washington.
• The RAFI Institute. 1999. Traitor technology; the Terminator's wider implications. RAFI Communique, Jan.-Feb.

The Vital Earth News / Agricultural Edition / Winter 1999/2000