Why do GE plants have antibiotic resistance genes? Doesn this pose a risk for developing resistant strains of bacteria?
Antibiotic resistance genes are frequently used at several stages in the creation of genetically engineered plants as convenient “selectable markers”. Bacteria or plant cells without a gene for resistance to the antibiotics used can be killed when the antibiotic is applied to them. So when scientists link the gene for the desired trait being introduced into a plant with an antibiotic resistance gene, they can separate cells carrying the desired gene from those that don’t by exposing them to the antibiotic. The antibiotic resistance genes end up in the genetically engineered plants as excess baggage whose function is no longer required after the process of making them is complete.
