Genetic engineering oral
Transcript of Genetic engineering oral
Genetic engineering………...
Genetic engineering is the process that uses the techniques of molecular cloning and
transformation to alter the structure and
Characteristics of genes
Genetic engineering is about scientists altering the 'recipes' for making
life
WHAT?!
1960s-1970 Isolation of restriction enzymes and their use to analyse DNA structure1972-1973 DNA cloning techniques involving recombinant DNA developed. First gene
cloned(bacteria)1974 First expression in a bacterium of a gene from a different species.1977 First complete genetic code of an organsism (base sequence of a complete genome).
The organism was the phage ɸX 174 and its genetic code is 5375 bases long.1978 Bacteria produce human somatostatin from a synthetic gene. Later the same year
bacteria also produce human insulin from a synthetic gene.1981-1982 First transgenic animals (mice) produced.1982 Insulin (Eli Lilly’s Humulin) is the first product made by genetically engineered
bacteria to be approved for use in Britain and the USA1983-1985 First transgenic plants produced.1986 First controlled release of genetically engineered organisms into the environment.1989-1990 First patented transgenic animal, the oncomouse & the human genome project started1990-1992 First transgenic cereal plants (maize and wheat)1992-1993 Regulations for deliberate release of genetically engineered organisms established in
the USA and EU. First complete base sequence of a chromosome (yeast chromosome III) & trial of the first human gene therapy in UK
1994 Genetically engineered tomato marketed in the USA.1996 Genetically engineered tomato marketed in Britain.1997 First cloned mammal produced from a single cell. The sheep, Dolly, was developed
from a single udder cell.
A brief summary of the history and development of genetic engineering. (based on table G7,p. 418, The encyclopaedia of molecular biology, ed. Sir John Kendrew (1994) Blackwell Science.)
What is Genetic Engineering used for?
Scientists uses it to knock out certain genes from an organism to observe the
effects caused by those genes.
Manipulate the genes of other organisms in order
to produce beneficial products for
humans.
Improves the lifestyles of humans• Better yield and quality of crops
• Microorganisms as pollution cleaners
Production of super-crops
Bioremediation of the polluted environment
Production of crops of better yield & quality
Genetic engineering has helped to increase crop productivity by introducing qualities such as disease resistance and increased drought
tolerance to the crops
Genes from naturally
drought-resistant plants are used
to increase drought
tolerance in crop varieties
Genetic Engineered papaya, SunUp! That is resistant to the Papaya ringspot virus (PRSV)
Homegrown papaya that is affected by the Papaya ringspot virus (PRSV)
Farmers have been producing foods that have been genetically altered to be more nutritious, delicious, resistant to harmful pesticides and have the ability to repel pests.
Plant life is changed to be more resilient to insect and disease as well as have the help
of the microorganisms helping support it and bringing it protein.
Wieczorek, A. (2003) Department of Tropical Plant and Soil Sciences, transgenic
organisms can offer a range of benefits above and beyond those that emerged from
innovations in traditional agricultural biotechnology.
Production of crops of better yield & quality
Improved nutritional value
Soybeans with higher
protein content
Fresher produceTransgenic tomatoes with delayed softening can be vine-ripened and still be
shipped without bruising.
At UC Berkeley, Athanasios Theologisand colleagues have identified and blocked a gene responsible for ripening.
Rice with the ability produce vitamin A, that
helps prevent blindness in people
who have nutritionally inadequate
diets
Production of crops of better yield & quality
Dale, P.J., Clarke, B. EMG Fontes; Potential for the environmental impact of transgenic crops. Nature Biotechnology, 20. 2002, 567-574
Microorganisms as pollution cleaners
Microorganisms in the environment can be artificially changed to benefit their
surroundings to help maintain the area.
Microorganisms can be used for microbial
bioremediation. Usage of microorganisms to break
down harmful environmental contaminants, to
restore the environment to a healthier state.
Microorganisms that are able to
degrade the pollutant is
added to the contaminated
soil or water so that it could be
treated.
Genetically engineered oil-consuming bacteria have been released into the wild to clean up
disastrous oil spills at sea and on land
Microorganisms as pollution cleaners
• Bioremediation is useful for the complete destruction of a wide variety of contaminant
• Carried out on site, often without causing a major disruption of normal activities
• Less expensive than other technologies that are used for clean-up of hazardous
wasteIncineration -- Crude oil spill cleanup -- Expensive -- Extremely harmful to the environment.
Microorganisms as pollution cleaners
There are possible risks associated with using transgenic crops in agriculture.
• Inadequate effort has been made to understand the dangers in the use of transgenic crops
• Genetic engineering technology has the risk of introducing allergens and toxins into safe foods.
• Transgenic crops might cross-pollinate with related weeds, possibly resulting in “super
weeds” that become more difficult to control.
• It goes against religious values & ethics
‘Playing God’
Creations to be ‘slaves’
Inadequate effort has been made to understand the dangers in the use of transgenic crops
Transgenic crops and their product in the United States are extensively researched and reviewed
U.S. Department of Agriculture : Has primary responsibility for
determining if a new product is safe to grow.
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency : Reviews the product for
potential impact on the environment
U.S. Food and Drug Administration : Is
concerned with protecting the
consumer and has final authority to
declare if a product is safe to eat.
Genetic engineering has the risk of introducing allergens & toxins into safe foods.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) checks to ensure that the levels of
naturally occurring allergens in foods made from
transgenic organisms have not significantly increased above the natural range
found in conventional foods.
Transgenic technology is also being used to remove the allergens from peanuts, one of most serious causes
of food allergy.
Transgenic crops might produce uncontrollable ‘super weeds’
Resistance to a specific herbicide does not mean that the plant is resistant to other herbicides, so affected weeds could still be controlled with other products.
Most crop plants have significant limitations in their
growth and seed dispersal habits that prevent them from
surviving long without constant nurture by
humans, and they are thus unlikely to thrive in the wild
as weeds.
Religious values & ethics
“Nature makes nothing without some end in view,
nothing to no purpose, it must be that nature has made for
the sake of man" Aristotle
Since animals and plants exist for human beings, our behaviour towards
them is not governed by moral considerations.
Gen 1: 26-28."Increase & multiply & dominate the Earth".
At the same time we can say that high tech
medicines involves playing with God and
agriculture was started by disrupting nature.
Manohar (n.d.) Any new technology has its set of advantages and
disadvantages. However you cannot
condemn a beneficial technology
because of the possible misuse. Saying no to genetic engineering would be like
refusing to log on to the Internet because
you are afraid your email account might
get hacked. The simple solution is to use the technology with great caution.
Conclusion