Hey! I need help from you science/eco minded guys out there!?

Question

I need to make a gmo proposal, and our theme is about a GMO that could help the world's crisis regarding Global warming.

I thought about using Algae's high carbon consumption/metabolism and the Bamboo's rapid growth. Crossing them together using genetic modification, thus producing A plant that has the physical properties of Bamboo, and the high carbon consuming property of Algae and maybe some of the other good properties of Algae.

our prof said that Its ok if our proposal might not be as realistic as real gmo proposals, but uhm, could you guys help me out with this?

could you give me somekind of scientific steps, like: "gene splicing" that may be used in the process? Thanks Alot!

Answer 1

And science minded girls! ^_^

The carbon consumption of algae is metabolically linked to so many markers, it would be really difficult to.. like.. cross that to bamboo. Autotrophics, esp the most carbon consuming algaes, are mostly unicellular.. Bamboo is a megacomplex perennial O_O

I guess.. like.. it could work.. the unique rhizomes of bamboo that attribute its growth would probably be the only really standout (i.e. easily isolated) genes that could work with algae vectors.. it would be difficult to control the growth though, and what if it has.. UNINTENDED consequences lol.. we are still in like our infancy with this stuff.

I think that it might be a better choice to try and isolate carbon-metabolising functions in deactivated bacterias.. Maybe WITH simpler algae strains.

Answer 2

We need the world to change its attitude to hemp.  It grows fast, fixes lots of carbon, produces the best natural fibre in the world (far better than cotton), is naturally pest resistant, produces  natural plastics and resins, can be used to make eco friendly building material stronger than concrete, is cheap to grow, is a rich source of valuable food, will grow just about anywhere in the world, is hugely medicinal, produces more useable cellulose than any other plant, can be used as fuel domestic industrial and car (Diesels first engine was designed to run on hemp oil),  it makes great paper that doesn't need bleach like wood pulp  so much less pollution. The list is endless.  Whilst absorbing carbon it can be used to end third world poverty and debt, reforest man made deserts as a pioneer plant.

But it threatens the american paper industry, oil industry, medicinal drug  industry and world bank - that's why the yanks make up all the scare stories and the rest of the world follows suit. Read read "Hemp - Lifeline to the Future" by Chris Conrad and get your prof to read it and all your friends. You will be amazed.