Bruce Ames and his colleagues have pointed out that although detailed toxicological analysis has been conducted on synthetic chemicals, almost no information is available about the mutagenic or carcinogenic effects of the toxins produced by plants as a natural defense against fungi, insects, and animal predators. Tens of thousands of such compounds have been discovered, and he estimates that in the United States adults eat about 1.5 g of these compounds each day—levels that are approximately 10,000 times higher than those of the synthetic pesticides present in the diet. For example, cabbage contains 49 natural pesticides and metabolites, and only a few of these have been tested for their carcinogenic and mutagenic effects.
- a. With the introduction of new foods into the U.S. diet over the last 200 years (mangoes, kiwi fruit, tomatoes, and so forth), has there been enough time for humans to develop resistance to the mutagenic effects of the toxins present in those foods?
- b. The natural pesticides present in plants constitute more than 99% of the toxins we eat. Should diet planning, especially for vegetarians, take into account the doses of toxins present in the diet?
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Chapter 11 Solutions
Human Heredity: Principles and Issues (MindTap Course List)
- Genetically modifying seeds to produce herbicide-resistant plants that increase crop yields has revolutionized modern agriculture. However, genetically modified organisms (GMOs) have come under fire in recent years, with consumer groups calling for mandatory GMO labeling on all food packages that contain GMO ingredients. GMO labeling laws have been in force in the European Union and other countries for several years, but the threat to the U.S. food industry is only now surfacing. Although bills requiring GMO labeling have been introduced in many state legislatures, Vermont is the only state where such a law has so far withstood the first round of legal battles from the industry. Leading chemical companies, including Monsanto, BASF, and DuPont, are the world’s largest suppliers of seeds that grow the food that feeds the world. To counter the GMO labeling threat, they now are turning to mutagenesis as an alternative technique to create herbicide-resistant crops. Mutagenesis mimics the…arrow_forwardWhat are the potential interactions between a specific medication used to treat a cardiovascular condition and a newly discovered compound derived from a rare plant species, and how might these interactions impact the pharmacokinetics and therapeutic efficacy of the medication?arrow_forwardwhy is LDHA an attractive target for a cancer therapeutic? https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-019-40617-3#Tab1arrow_forward
- GMOs can be used to create an increased crop rate at a lower price and therefore can be used to solve the problem of world hunger. Introducing GMOs to third world countries can conserve labor, resources, and land. Nutritional value and vaccines added to the crops can improve life in the countries. These proven benefits outweigh the fact that allergies and effects on wild plants are only potential. Explain pleasearrow_forwardA unique aquatic plant was discovered from a lagoon in El Nido, Palawan. To determine the protein content of the plant, an adequate amount of the plant extract was acquired, and Bradford assay was performed. Determine the total protein concentration, in µg/mL, of the acquired plant extract. A bovine serum albumin (BSA) stock solution with a concentration of 250 µg/mL was used and mixtures with the following compositions and absorbance readings were prepared: Volume of BSA (mL) Volume of water (mL) Absorbance Tube # at 595 nm 1 0.00 2.00 0.000 2 0.20 1.80 0.112 3 0.40 1.60 0.225 4 0.60 1.40 0.318 5 0.80 1.20 0.432 6 1.00 1.00 0.551 The absorbance reading of the plant extract is 0.275.arrow_forwardAquAdvantage salmon is a genetically modified (GM) Atlantic salmon developed by AquaBounty Technologies. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved the company's application to allow the entry of this GM salmon into the United States food supply late last year. The FDA announced that: "AquAdvantage salmon is as safe to eat as any non- genetically engineered (GE) Atlantic salmon, and also as nutritious." However, opponents of genetically modified food are claiming that the AquAdvantage salmons could pose a serious environmental risk to the marine ecosystem if the engineered fishes escape from the farms. These transgenic salmons would be a big threat to the wild salmons. Justify this statement.arrow_forward
- Genetically modified organisms (GMOs) are used to create human growth hormone, insulin and clotting factor proteins that are used to treat dwarfism, diabetes and hemophilia respectively. Several crops such as corn and soybean have also been genetically modified in order to facilitate either the management or growth of these crops. Why do you think there is push back or opposition against the use of GM food crops but not in the use of products such as insulin, which is also created using GMOs?arrow_forwardBriefly discuss the following concerns of Biotechnology;(i) Monoclonal antibodies technology versus gene technology for cancer treatment.(ii) Traditional plant breeding versus Gene technology: Which is the more efficient way for pesticide resistant crop production?(iii) Chemical technology versus Enzyme technology in industrial application.(iv) Are genetically modified organisms (GMOs) a threat to the environment?arrow_forward99 A 27-year-old woman who was abused as a child fears abusing her children, instead, she is overly protective of her own children. Which of the following is the most likely coping mechanism? A) Compensation B) Displacement C) Identification D) Rationalization E) Reaction formation F) Regression G) Repression OOarrow_forward
- Discuss either (a) how allelopathy contributes to the invasiveness of spotted knapweed or (b) the difference between choice and non-choice experiments and how it relates to experiments on hyperaccumulating plants.arrow_forwardAgrobacterium tumefaciens is ... Question 61 options: a family of transposable elements found in maize (corn) that has been introduced into soybeans to improve yields. a naturally occurring bacterium that transfers DNA into plant cells, which researchers have modified into a tool for creating transgenic plants. a genetically modified tomato that has an increased shelf life. a bacteriophage (virus that infects bacteria) that can be used to silence the expression of specific target genes.arrow_forwarda) The use of artificial inorganic compounds (like arsenic) to kill agricultural pests took place: A. during stage 1 of pesticide practice in the United States (from the 1800s to the early 1900s) B. during stage 2 of pesticide practice in the United States (beginning in the 1930s) C. during stage 3 of pesticide practice in the United States (beginning in the 1940s) D. during stage 4 of pesticide practice in the United States (beginnin in the 1960s) E. all four of the above stages made equal use of artificial inorganic compounds b) Which of the following successional species would be able to grow the closest to a point source of heavy metal pollution (like the Sudbury smelters in Ontario, Canada)? A. long-lived species (like sugar maples) B. mature species (like oak trees) C. pioneer species (like grasses) D. intermediate species (like pine trees) E. all of the above will be equally able to grow close to a point source of heavy metal pollutantsarrow_forward
- Human Heredity: Principles and Issues (MindTap Co...BiologyISBN:9781305251052Author:Michael CummingsPublisher:Cengage Learning