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Human mediated genetic modification of crops has been going on since the first agriculturist crossed two different species of plant. It's only the techniques that have become more powerful. Many people feel that transplantation of genes from one species to another is too dangerous to be permitted. After all, simple crossbreeding of species has caused disaster. Crossing the European honeybee with it's African cousin was expected to produce a species combining the increased honey production of the African bee with the more docile temperament of its European cousin. What arose was the exact opposite, a bee with low honey production and a super-aggressive temper ("Killer Bees"). What worse horrors could arise from direct interspecies transplantation of genes-cancer causing E.coli?

While it's true that moving genes between organisms has disaster potential, it also has potential to alleviate much suffering. Like all techniques, any damage it produces will be likely due to human ignorance. Unless it is completely banned (which is unlikely), people who fear it should be concerned with instituting some sensible regulations and just who controls the process. Monsanto has used interspecies transfer to create soybeans well adapted to spraying with one of Monsanto's own pesticides ("Roundup Ready Soybeans"), as well as attempting to patent transgenic species. Is this what the promise of transgenic crops has come to?
I find this usage much more frightening than the idea of transferring fish "antifreeze" proteins into strawberries to create frost resistant berries.

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