Bill writes:
I am only suggesting that those other avenues are better for a
general discussion, and not this list. Keep it to bees.

The honey bee genome project *is about bees*. If transgenic bees are
produced and they are released, they will affect *you*.


Jame writes:
Everyone wore themselves out refuting the claims that "GM bees" were
being developed.

James, would you care to comment on this:

Candidate bee enhancers, chimeric bee/fly enhancers, and other
modified enhancers will then be tested in transgenic constructs
introduced into Drosophila . Comparing transcriptional regulation in
Drosophila and honey bee promises to reveal both conserved and
diverged functional elements, with insights of broad general interest.

Genomic manipulations are possible; Consortium member Smith has
preliminary success making transgenic bees by inseminating a queen
with semen mixed with a DNA construct *, the Menzel lab has
manipulated gene expression in a specific region of the brain via
antisense, and the Smith lab has preliminary results with RNAi.

* Robinson KO, Ferguson HJ, Cobey S, Vaessin H, Smith BH (2000)
Sperm-mediated transformation of the honey bee, Apis mellifera .
Insect Mol Biol 9:625-34



Lloyd writes:
So I'd say, if you can't take the heat keep out of the kitchen.
Perhaps there is another reason for the lack of continued discussion
and that is boredom?

Lloyd, of all people I should not be accused of not being able to
take the heat. If the worst I am accused of is being a Luddite and a
bore, I guess I can live with that. Anyway, I got the message. This
stuff bores you. Don't read any messages with the subject "Re: Honey
bee genome project"

--

Peter Borst <[log in to unmask]>