title: Stability of recombinant DNA and its effects on fitness.
abstract: The stability of recombinant DNA is influenced by the fidelity of its genetic transmission and by its effects on fitness of the engineered organism. According to the 'excess baggage' hypothesis, environmental applications of engineered organisms are inherently safe because these organisms will disappear in the absence of selection for their intended functions, owing to the costs of carriage and expression of the recombinant DNA. There are many examples that support this hypothesis, but there are also some interesting and important exceptions.
authors.affiliation: Richard Lenski and Toai Nguyen are at the Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Irvine, CA 927 17, USA.
authors.forename: R E
authors.initials: RE
authors.lastname: Lenski
authors.forename: T T
authors.initials: TT
authors.lastname: Nguyen