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]>