genetic engineering

• what is genetic engineering?

  • a process which involves modifying the genome of an organism to introduce desirable characteristics
• describe the main stages of genetic engineering

  1. restriction enzymes are used to isolate the required gene leaving it with sticky ends. sticky ends are a short section of unpaired bases
  2. a vector, which is usually a bacterial plasmid or a virus is cut by the same restriction enzyme leaving it with corresponding sticky ends
  3. the vector and the isolated gene are joined together by ligase enzyme
  4. the vector inserts the gene into required cells
  5. the genes are transferred to animal, plant or microorganism cells, during early development, which allows them to develop w the desired characteristics
• benefits of genetic engineering

  • genetic engineering is a faster and more efficient way of getting the same results as selective breeding
  • improve crop yeilds or crop quality which is important in developing countries, this may help reduce hunger around the world
  • introduce herbicide resistance, which results in less herbicides being used such as weeds are quickly selectively killed
• risks of gentic engineering

  • transfer of the selected gene into other species, what benefits one plant may harm another
  • some people believe it is not ethical to interfere with nature in this way, also genetically engineered crop seeds are often more expensice and so people in developing countries cannot afford them
  • genetically engineered crops cause allergic reactions in people
  • pollen produced by plants could be toxic and harm insects that transfer it between plants