It's interesting because transfer is a very complex process, but with these ribosomal genes it occurs more frequently than silent base substitutions. Apparently, almost anything goes. Some people fear that, with so many genomes being sequenced, science is moving too fast. They're concerned that we're getting beyond ourselves. Perhaps that's behind recent skepticism about genetically modified foods and gene patenting.
Genomes have bizarre properties.
Evolution has played with genes so much, what we're doing is tiny. Genomes have bizarre properties. Evolution has played with genes so much, what we're doing is tiny. I think genetic modification of plants can have detrimental effects, but that's already happening when we move species around. I don't think we're going to upset plants in any fundamental way by putting genes into chloroplasts.