While transgenic bees are not yet on the market, there are people
working on the techniques involved:

>Insects which account for over five sixths of all animals on Earth,
>have so far proved to be resistant to the overtures of the genetic
>engineer. Scientists are still looking for stable gene constructs
>for transformation, and it was only recently that some success has
>been achieved regarding screenable markers.
>
>The honeybee stands exemplary for the difficulties to genetically
>engineer arthropods. The problems stem from the complex social
>behaviour and biology of bees. Larvae are reliant on worker-bees,
>and the latter are very discerning and will destroy larvae if they
>appear atypical in any way. This leads to problems in rearing
>transgenic larvae, because workers might detect compounds used to
>protect larvae from desiccation during microinjection and destroy
>them. A second problem is that the eggs are extremely delicate and
>do not survive well after microinjection. Thus, transgenic bees are
>far from becoming reality (Marshall, 1998).
>
>Research in agriculture is focused on two different approaches. One
>is to create "better" beneficial species, the other uses several
>methods to fight pests. According to scientists, improvements could
>be obtained through genetic engineering, and insecticide resistance
>is only one aimed phenotype. Other desirable qualities to be
>engineered into insects include pathogen resistance, general
>environmental hardiness, increased fecundity and improved
>host-seeking ability (O’Brochta & Atkinson, 1998).
>
>Another method for pest control considered by scientists is to
>genetically engineer pathogens of pests. Insects that carry
>engineered microbes are called paratransgenic, as the insect genome
>itself is untouched (O’Brochta & Atkinson, 1998). To reduce chances
>for pest insects to overwinter, gut-colonising microorganisms have
>been genetically altered. The modified bacteria received an ice
>nucleation gene which decreases the cold tolerance of many insects.

Excerpts from Genetic Engineering Newsletter - Special Issue 4:
Transgenic arthropodes
July 2000


--

Peter Borst <[log in to unmask]>