Hi everyone,

Hope you will forgive introducing myself in this part of the forum. I just wanted you all to be aware of this:

The Biotechnology of Cannabis Sativa

It's a free discourse on the ways biotechnology (genetic engineering) may be applied to increase cannabis potency and to possibly create a whole mess of novel structural phenotypes.

Most (if not all) of the genes in the THC production pathways have been sequenced and can be obtained for free on sites like NCBI's entrez.

Sam Zwenger, the author of the pdf I linked even goes on to document actual transgenic GFP (green fluorescent protein) cannabis. Doesn't look like much, but this is a milestone in DIY genetic engineering. Next year, I hope to duplicate his results and possibly start my own transgenic cannabis projects.

......good luck.....

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"Time to live,time to lie,time to laugh,and time to die.take it easy baby take it as it comes...

Yeah I suppose that's the appropriate response...

Thanks though. It's going to take a lot of patience and trial and error but in the meantime I'll still be growing dank bud of the non-transgenic variety.

What I am searching for is an investor to help me set up a lab and work more discretely. In the meantime, if you have questions about modifying the plant you can send me an email, sam.zwenger@gmail.com

There are some technicalities to watch for and most likely only plant biotechnologists will be cautious/aware of. I'd like to present some data at the next Cannabis Cup, if they would have me. Thanks for the interest.

Sam

This is a killer read man, thanks! Do you have an account with this website so you could send me the .PDF?

thanks very much northernlights, been doing my own reading on the subject and others....if u have any other info on the subject and whould be willing post it whould be very kool..meangreen

hey NL do u know if the GFP colors of the modified pot plant...can be seen when looking at the genes ( if the THC is "blue" is the gene/s for THC also blue)?

I'm not entirely sure what you're referring to here. I think you may be confusing chromosome staining (like karyotyping) with gene sequencing.



It would be hard predict the amount of expression of the green fluorescent protein in GFP cannabis as gene expression depends on many different factors.



For example, researchers have obtained very high levels of GFP expression in GFP tobacco that seem to be consistent throughout the entire plant (see below).



(note: this is most likely a long exposure shot of the plant glowing after a period of being bombarded by blue light)



However, an initial transfer of a GFP plasmid to C. sativa may not yield such stunning results until more solid expression vectors are found.


P.S. Sam Zwenger, I'm super stoked you replied to this thread! I just sent you an email

WOW!! thats bad ass...thanks for clearing is up 4 me..the only info i can get is off the net 4 now..makes more sense after reading that link...been reading alot on Isolation of protoplasts and the fusion of them as a way to cut back on breeding time....meangreen

As a person who majors in biochemistry and has done genetic engineering on bacteria in the lab, I feel that it should NEVER be applied to any thing that we consume. Not only is there not enough information on how modifying the genes of an organism that is introduced into the wild could have harmful effects on the environment. There is all ready signs of how genetic engineering of certain types of plants such as corn have actually contributed to the reduction of different varieties of corn. I rather the THC content of weed be determined by breeders NOT by scientist. You plant a seed that has been genetically engineered into the wild, some of the seeds will produce pollen that will travel around a certain region. Pollen can latch onto certain animals and travel hundreds if not thousands of miles. The pollen with the untested genes are then introduced to another line of genetics and could destroy them. Genetically modified plants are usually more resistant and can take over other genetic lines. It happens with corn all of the time. You might have a high THC content, but you will lose the other things such as taste and would have less variation in highs. We also do not know how genetically engineered weed will affect our body when consumed. DNA is extremely complicated, we do not know what will happen when one gene is modified. It might produce a certain affect such as bigger yields, but it also might contribute the plant making differnent compounds that could be high carcinogenic. Changing one thing in DNA can contribute to multiple changes things in the plant, you might not even end up with pot at the end of the day. You might just create tobacco with THC, have fun smoking that. Have you had genetically engineered food, it taste like crap. Nature has done a wonderful job creating life, lets let it do its thing.

Many people also do not understand how genetic engineering is done. Basically you take a certain gene put it into a virus, since viruses are able to modify DNA, take that gene/virus insert it into the foreign DNA, not all the DNA will contain the new gene will contain it. So you kill all of the DNA that does not have the new gene with drugs. I know this is not very detailed but I do not feel like really explaining the process. In short genetic engineering can lead to certain viruses becoming resistant to drugs. Genetic engineering needs at least 50 more years before it should have used on the ridiculous industrial level it is now. Every one should go on Hulu and watch 'The Future of Food', it will blow your mind.

Instead we could use the tools to look at what genes contribute to certain aspects, taste, THC %, etc... so we can no what plants would be best to breed to get the results that we want. Without the guessing game of what male should be breed with what female. You could pick males and females to breeding because their DNA contained the code of blueberry taste, high yield, etc... I would love to work in such a industry, good thing I already have the skills