Scientists from France and Switzerland have been studying soil bacteria from
a field where genetically modified Bt maize has been growing for years. They
wanted to find out whether controversial antibiotic-resistance genes can in
fact transfer from transgenic plants to bacteria, as is widely feared. They
have concluded that transgenic plants play no part in the spread of
antibiotic resistances.

The scientists claim that the cultivation of transgenic plants for more than
10 years in one field has had no measurable effect on the occurrence of
antibiotic-resistances and their spectrum. They believe that this is largely
due to the fact that the genes are already commonly found in the soil.
Horizontal gene transfer from transgenic plant DNA to bacteria is so rare
that it could not contribute to a further increase in the widespread
antibiotic resistance which already occurs naturally in bacteria.

www.checkbiotech.org