[Imc-litbl] Fwd: [dreamtime] Scientists Create GM Corn Which Prevents Human Conception

[Pauline Bartolone]

>From: mIEKAL aND <dtv at mwt.net>
>Reply-To: dreamtime at yahoogroups.com
>To: dreamtime at yahoogroups.com, lensqueen at mwt.net
>Subject: [dreamtime] Scientists Create GM Corn Which Prevents Human 
>Conception
>Date: Wed, 09 Jan 2002 12:22:44 -0600
>
>Scientists Create GM Corn Which Prevents Human Conception
>     By Robin McKie, Science Editor
>     The Observer - London  9-9-1
>
>             Scientists have created the ultimate GM crop: contraceptive
>             corn. Waiving fields of maize may one day save the world
>             from overpopulation.
>
>             The pregnancy prevention plants are the handiwork of the San
>
>             Diego biotechnology company Epicyte, where researchers
>             have discovered a rare class of human antibodies that attack
>
>             sperm.
>
>             By isolating the genes that regulate the manufacture of
>these
>             antibodies, and by putting them in corn plants, the company
>             has created tiny horticultural factories that make
>             contraceptives.
>
>              "We have a hothouse filled with corn plants that make
>             anti-sperm antibodies," said Epicyte president Mitch Hein.
>
>             "We have also created corn plants that make antibodies
>             against the herpes virus, so we should be able to make a
>             plant-based jelly that not only prevents pregnancy but also
>             blocks the spread of sexual disease."
>
>             Contraceptive corn is based on research on the rare
>condition,
>             immune infertility, in which a woman makes antibodies that
>             attack sperm.
>
>             "Essentially, the antibodies are attracted to surface
>receptors
>             on the sperm," said Hein. "They latch on and make each sperm
>
>             so heavy it cannot move forward. It just shakes about as if
>it
>             was doing the lambada."
>
>             Normally, biologists use bacteria to grow human proteins.
>             However, Epicyte decided to use corn because plants have
>             cellular structures that are much more like those of humans,
>
>             making them easier to manipulate.
>
>             The company, which says it will not grow the maize near
>             other crops, says it plans to launch clinical trials of the
>corn
>             in a few months.
>
>             Guardian Unlimited © Guardian Newspapers Limited 2001
>
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>  <crossmedia beliefware>
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