<<Disclaimer: Verify this information before applying it to your situation.>>

In a previous posting it was stated that the genes being introduced to rice
to improve pest or drought resistance have nothing to do with gluten
containing proteins.  But, improving the characteristics of other cereals
such as that of rice and corn in baking was not mentioned.  Alcohol-soluble
proteins,  prolamines,   hold special interest to agricultural researchers
since it is these wheat proteins that impart the elasticity to bread
doughs.

I am hoping that Margaret, the plant molecular biologist, whose note
appeared in a previous posting,  could relate to us the status of research
into genetic manipulation of foods in relation to these seed storage
proteins.

I feel that this is an issue that is important to us.  As a united group,
we need to strive to ensure that researchers, agricultural companies, and
governments are aware of the implications and risks to health  as it
applies to celiac disease and other conditions affected by a
gluten-intolerance.

Marilyn McCool

Margaret wrote to Debra:

> >I read your note on the celiac newgroup and thought I should reply to you.
> >I am a plant molecular biologist working on genetically engineered plants,
> >and I can assure you that pest resistance genes or drought resistance genes
> >have nothing to do with gluten containing proteins and their associated
> >genes.  The reason it is nessesary to use barley to collect genes is
> >because it is a monocot species, as is rice (long skinny leaves on a plant
> >mean its usually a monocot).  It is much easier to put monocot genes into
> >another monocot, because the RNA gets processed correctly.  Therefore
> >disease resistance or drought resistance genes that have been identified in
> >barley can be transferred easily to rice.  And I repeat, these genes of
> >interest have nothing to do with gluten containing proteins and their
> >associated genes.