Frankenfish: Human's Latest Creation

Biotechnology has captured the curiosity of many by wondering what genes we could place inside certain organisms. Altering animals to our preferences may take some time because of the possible ethical and moral issues. The food we eat on the other hand may have certain genes inserted, in order to increase agricultural production, sooner than we think. Emily Anthes, author of Frankenstein’s Cat, talks about how scientists have currently come up with a way of creating a genetically modified fish, Atlantic salmon, able to have its growth hormone triggered no matter what season it is. Atlantic salmon usually grow and develop in the summer but scientists have figured out a way of obtaining more production at a faster rate no matter what the temperature. They connected an antifreeze gene, which is attached to a “promoter,” a DNA regulator, to a growth hormone gene. They then inserted this structure into salmon, which allowed it to trigger its growth hormone in a cold environment (Anthes 24). By altering the DNA of Atlantic salmon, agricultural production could significantly increase and be sold in the market.

Anthes mentions that AquaBounty, a Massachusetts firm, is trying to place this transgenic Atlantic salmon in the United States market by obtaining FDA approval. An increased rate at which salmon grow could help manufacture a greater production of salmon to feed the growing populations of the world. Bryan Walsh talks about the future of this issue in his article from TIME Magazine called “Frankenfish: Is GM Salmon a Vital Part of Our Future” by saying “...if scientists can engineer species to use feed more efficiently and emit less waste, they could help fish farming become more environmentally friendly, not less.”

Walsh also raises important issues of creating and selling the modified fish. The dooming possibility of having the transgenic salmon escape into the environment and mating could alter the way nature runs. He says that, “Not only can escaped farmed fish spread disease…they can actually degrade the gene pool through interbreeding.” AquaBounty claims to take extra precaution in raising the fish in tanks and maintaining them there. If a farm fish were to escape, the modified fish would supposedly not be able to acquire a mate and possibly not even survive. Producing numerous amounts of salmon could be great, but humans must remain cautious and think of all the consequences. Scientists and businessmen must not become too focused on the money aspect, but instead, remember to work for the benefit of humanity while still preserving nature as much as possible.

Inserting useful genes into salmon is just one example of how we could change the way we manufacture our food. Even though Anthes briefly mentions the salmon case in her book, she reminds us that, “If the animal will be a source of food, companies must also demonstrate that it is safe for human consumption” (Anthes 23). The concept of genetically altering an organism’s DNA to enhance its purpose seems useful in today’s world, especially when everything is supposedly better if it’s bigger, faster, and of greater supply. We must take into account the consequences of our curiosity when we come up with new scientific procedures and technology for improving our world.

Sources: 

Anthes, Emily. Frankenstein's Cat: Cuddling up to Biotech's Brave New Beasts. 1st. Edition. New York: Scientific American, 2013. Print.

Walsh, Bryan. "Science & Space." TIME.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 10 Oct. 2013
<http://content.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,2082630,00.html>.