Norwegian people. Despite the fact the cyclosporine A saves numerous lives, many consider the means by
which the soil samples were obtained to be an act of “biopiracy,” essentially a form of theft. Do the ends justify
the means in a case like this?
Nature is full of as-yet-undiscovered bacteria and other microorganisms that could one day be used to develop
new life-saving drugs or treatments.[21]Pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies stand to reap huge
profits from such discoveries, but ethical questions remain. To whom do biological resources belong? Should
companies who invest (and risk) millions of dollars in research and development be required to share revenue
or royalties for the right to access biological resources?
Compensation is not the only issue when it comes to bioprospecting. Some communities and cultures are
philosophically opposed to bioprospecting, fearing unforeseen consequences of collecting genetic or biological
material. Native Hawaiians, for example, are very protective of their unique biological resources.
For many years, it was unclear what rights government agencies, private corporations, and citizens had when
it came to collecting samples of microorganisms from public land. Then, in 1993, the Convention on Biological
Diversity granted each nation the rights to any genetic and biological material found on their own land.
Scientists can no longer collect samples without a prior arrangement with the land owner for compensation.
This convention now ensures that companies act ethically in obtaining the samples they use to create their
products.4.5 Deeply Branching Bacteria
Learning Objectives
- Describe the unique features of deeply branching bacteria
- Give examples of significant deeply branching bacteria
On a phylogenetic tree (seeA Systematic Approach), the trunk or root of the tree represents a common ancient
evolutionary ancestor, often called the last universal common ancestor (LUCA), and the branches are its evolutionary
descendants. Scientists consider thedeeply branching bacteria, such as the genusAcetothermus, to be the first of
these non-LUCA forms of life produced by evolution some 3.5 billion years ago. When placed on the phylogenetic
tree, they stem from the common root of life, deep and close to the LUCA root—hence the name “deeply branching”
(Figure 4.24).
- J. Andre.Bioethics as Practice. Chapel Hill, NC: University of North Carolina Press, 2002.
172 Chapter 4 | Prokaryotic Diversity
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