THEORETICAL MECHANISMS FOR SYNTHESIS OF CARCINOGEN-INDUCED EMBRYONIC PROTEINS .16. THE CONTROL OF EMBRYONIC PLANT GENES AND ITS SIGNIFICANCE

Abstract

As a direct consequence of theoretical considerations of carcinogen-induced embryonic gene activity, it now appears possible that, in principle, economically important embryonic plant genes can be activated artificially and thereby induce major increases in yields of products such as starch in grain endosperm. Furthermore it should be noted that this theory of genetic manipulation of genes has no counterpart in present genetic engineering. The technique of gene splicing, etc, introduces new genetic elements or rearrangements, whereas the method proposed here does not require changing the genome - only its expression. This idea should have great implications for agro-industry and world food production in general.