The Trojan gene hypothesis was developed in a 1999 study by William M. Muir and Richard D. Howard, two scientists from Purdue University. They mathematically determined how an introduced transgene would affect natural populations. Their speculations showed that if a small number of transgenic fish escaped they would spread at an extremely rapid rate, but reduce viability of the offspring and therefore cause extinction of both populations. They believe that the engineered fish would spread because of increased fitness and size, and therefore mating success (Muir, W.M., Howard, R.D., 1999). (Read the article for more information.)

“Fish of several species transgenic for growth hormone genes are much larger than non-transgenic fish …”

“Because larger males have increased mating success (Howard et al. 1998), these transgenes, once introduced by gene flow, may invade (increase in frequency) in a natural population because of this selective mating advantage.” (Hedrick, P.W., 2001)