title: Environmental potential of suicide genes.
abstract: Environmental applications of genetically engineered microorganisms have caused concern among scientists, the authorities and the general public. Despite the many potential benefits offered by gene technology to agriculture, environment protection and the medical sector, only a few cases of released engineered bacteria have been permitted. In this review, the design of safer organisms for release purposes is discussed with specific emphasis on the use of suicide systems to limit the survival of bacteria in the environment.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, Technical University of Denmark, Lyngby.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Molin
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001419:Bacteria / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D001428:Bacterial Vaccines / Q000302:isolation & purification; D001673:Biodegradation, Environmental; D001709:Biotechnology; D004783:Environmental Microbiology; D005804:Genes, Lethal; D005818:Genetic Engineering; D006801:Humans; D010572:Pest Control, Biological; D015262:Xenobiotics / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D001428:Bacterial Vaccines; D015262:Xenobiotics