NPC Valorisation Voucher - Netherlands Proteomics Centre

During the opening ceremony Charlotte Jarvis ate one of the forbidden fruits.and used to ‘contaminate’ apples from The Hague, which weresent to genomics laboratories around the globe. Researcherswho received the contaminated apples were asked to sequencethe DNA, find the hidden message and send back atranslation.Life sciences join forces with art & designThe project is essentially a performance art piece in which anidea is biologically and literally spread across the world. It isartistically and scientifically unique in that it will create aninternational network of genomics institutes and a meaningfulmessage by spreading a genetically engineered material. “Ourhope is that Blighted by Kenning will contribute to the understandingof how information is encoded and expressed withinDNA. We want to encourage people to think about what kindof information is contained within genetic material and howthis can be manipulated. By creating a network of internationalinstitutions that contribute to the project, a statementwill be made about the importance of genomics research andthe interaction between science, technology and society,”says Ebberink.Getting the licenceWhile working on the project, Charlotte Jarvis and the NPCencountered several obstacles. Ebberink explains: “At first wewanted to use the bacteria itself to contaminate the apples,not just its DNA. After consulting scientists at the NPC, somecompanies and a science museum, it was anticipated that itwas nearly impossible to legally exhibit a Genetically ModifiedOrganism (GMO) in a gallery.” Reinout Raijmakers, ManagingDirector of the Bijvoet Centre of Utrecht University, whoserved as a consultant for the scientific part of the project,came up with the idea to extract the DNA from the bacteria(leaving ‘naked DNA’ which does not carry the environmentalrisks associated with GMOs) and use this inert material tocontaminate the apples. “Using naked DNA allowed us morefreedom that might not otherwise be possible. For instance,we wanted to be able to ask people to eat the apples. Eatingthe apple allows scientists to make a gesture in support ofgenetics research,” Ebberink argues.The decision was made to use the naked DNA, but things tooklonger than expected to get started. The most difficult partof the project was getting the licence to make the bacteria.She explains: “It turns out that we were the first group inthe Netherlands to suggest encoding a fully synthetic proteinsequence in DNA. Consequently, we were required to provideadditional safety measures in order to obtain a license tomake the DNA sequence.” After a couple of months, the NPCfinally received notice that the permit was approved, and theapples were produced and mailed off to different corners ofthe earth.Orchard inside the galleryOn August 4, 2012 the grand opening of the Blighted byKenning exhibit was held in a former dairy warehouse on thecoast of Suffolk (UK) where a small apple orchard of thirteentrees was installed. Ebberink reports: “Hanging on oneof the trees was a sample of our forbidden fruit. There wasalso a billboard set up in the space, displaying images of TheDeclaration of Human Rights expressed as a protein. Films ofthe scientists eating the fruit, documents sent by institutesafter sequencing the apples and a wall of correspondencedetailing the making of the project were included in the exhibit.”During the opening ceremony Charlotte Jarvis ate oneof the forbidden fruits. The next installment of the exhibit atHotel Droog in Amsterdam will be more or less the same, butwill include a documentary of the project.Round table events were organised at both locations to questionthe current state of play with regards to popular perceptionsof genetics. The topics were introduced by a number ofspeakers from science, the press and the arts, with an openfloor discussion to close out the debate.| 25Images of The Declaration of Human Rights expressed as a protein.Join us at Hôtel DroogBlighted By Kenning is on view till December 6th atHôtel Droog, Staalstraat 7B, 1011 JJ Amsterdam.For more information, visitwww.drooglab.com/projects/events/ orwww.netherlandsproteomicscentre.nl