Transgenic fish

2000/02/01 Elhuyar Zientzia Iturria: Elhuyar aldizkaria

• Biologia

Two researchers from Purdue University conclude that a single specimen of transgenic fish can destroy a whole population. For research, Oryzias latipes has introduced to the Japanese fish the human gene hGH, which is in the mind of the hormone that controls the rate of growth and size. Fish with this gene mature earlier and lay many more eggs. This advantage allows the hGH gene to expand rapidly throughout the entire fish population, rapidly disappearing the original genetic material of the population.

But compared to transgenic fish and "normal" fish, only two-thirds of the first fish survive to maturity. Consequently, the spread of the hGH gene leads to a decrease in the population and, in the extreme sense, to the possible disappearance of the population. To verify the hypothesis, the researchers carried out a computer simulation in which 60 transgenic specimens were added to a population of 60,000 fish. The model announced the disappearance of the population in 40 generations. A single transgenic fish can have the same effect if it takes quite a while.

The discovery is important as several British research groups are demonstrating the hGH gene in salmon.