GENETIC ENGINEERING

• Genes can be isolated using restriction enzyme digestion, which cuts DNA at specific sites recognized by the enzyme.
• STEP 1

  is isolation of plasmid from bacteria cell
• Genetic engineering, also known as recombinant DNA technology, involves cutting up and joining together genetic material, especially DNA from different biological species, and introducing the resulting hybrid DNA into an organism to form new combinations of heritable genetic material
• Benefits of Genetic Engineering:

  • Production of nutrient-rich foods
  • Increased resistance of plants to rotting and pests
  • Production of novel drugs and vaccines
  • Development of new and favorable characteristics
  • Creation of humans with desirable characteristics
• Risks of Genetic Engineering:

  • Fear for unintended selection and any unwanted transfer of genes
  • Health issues like allergic reactions
  • Development of antibiotic resistance of disease-causing organisms
  • Loss of biodiversity
  • Social and ethical concerns
• Pros of Pharming:

  • Pharming is a cheaper alternative to creating pharmaceuticals in a laboratory
  • Money invested in research and manufacture is reduced, making medicine more affordable
  • Lower price of pharmaceuticals produced by Pharming allows people who could not afford medicines in the past to live healthier
  • Mass producing pharmaceuticals with Pharming provides health-based charities with more medicines to assist more people
  • Almost 3 million people die from preventable diseases, mostly in underdeveloped countries, and basic medicines can save countless lives
• • When transgenic animals start producing drugs, the investment begins to pay off economically
  • Pharming opens up jobs which helps the economy
• Cons of Pharming:

  • Genetically engineered animals are often subject to ethical debates surrounding treatment of animals
  • Using animals to produce drugs purely for the benefit of humans can be considered unethical
  • Concerns about whether animals are being treated fairly as sentimental beings or as living factories
  • Many offspring of transgenic animals are born with abnormalities or do not produce the correct drug
  • Donors are sacrificed in the process of searching for eggs to implant into a host animal
• • Genetically modified drugs can potentially harm human health due to lack of proper testing guidelines
  • Risk of contamination as genetically modified organisms can breed with pure counterparts and create contamination
• GMO Insulin:

  • GMO insulin is produced with genetically modified bacteria, known as synthetic insulin or human insulin
  • Insulin produced from genetically modified bacteria is grown at a lower cost and is identical to insulin produced naturally by the human pancreas
  • Some diabetics have experienced bad reactions to GMO insulin, leading to death
  • Insulin manufacturers have limited or disbanded production of pork or beef insulin due to the lower cost of GMO insulin
  • Scarcity of animal insulin exposes diabetics to additional health problems like blindness, nerve damage, and kidney damage
• GMO Mosquitoes:

  • Genetically modified mosquitoes have been developed to stop the spread of the Zika virus
  • GM mosquitoes have reduced Aedes aegypti populations by upwards of 90% in trials
  • Concerns about negative side effects associated with eliminating Aedes aegypti populations in the wild
  • Aedes albopictus is another species that could potentially fill the ecological gap left by Aedes aegypti
  • Genetically modified Aedes albopictus is still in early testing stages
• Glyphosate (Roundup):

  • Glyphosate is a widely used herbicide produced by Monsanto Corporation
  • Glyphosate kills plants by disrupting the production of specific aromatic amino acids
  • Glyphosate herbicides have reduced the operation of heavy machinery in agriculture
  • Glyphosate has economic benefits and improves safety for farmers and weed control operators
  • Glyphosate toxicity is a major downside, with herbicide products containing surfactants that can have adverse effects if exposed
• Glyphosate exposure effects:

  • Touching eyes after using glyphosate can cause eye irritation
  • Inhalation of glyphosate can cause oral problems like throat irritation
  • Exposure to skin can cause eczema in the specific area
• Negative consequences of glyphosate on animals:

  • Inhalation of glyphosate products can cause reduced respiratory ability and weight loss in rats
  • Long-term effects include development of tumors in the liver, thyroid, and pancreas
  • Study on rats showed decreased testosterone production after exposure to Roundup
• Environmental effects of glyphosate:

  • Leaked herbicides into bodies of water can have lethal effects on aquatic organisms like tadpoles and fish
  • Glyphosate kills plants in distributed areas and surrounding areas, affecting ecosystems
  • Killing unwanted plants can disrupt food chains, affecting insects, birds, and small mammals
• Weed resistance issue:

  • Farmers use greater concentrations of Roundup due to weed resistance
  • Increased Roundup concentration adversely affects surrounding plants, leading to ecosystem effects
  • Glyphosate resistant weeds can transfer the resistance gene to other plants, leading to the need for new herbicides with potentially more adverse effects
• Gene therapy pros:

  • Provides a cure for genetic disorders
  • Offers large-scale treatment by altering cells carrying genetic disorders to prevent passing on illnesses to future generations
• Gene therapy cons:

  • Ethical and religious issues surrounding genetic modification
  • Not all clinical trials are successful, gene therapy is still experimental and research on long-term health effects is limited
• GM foods:

  • GM foods are made from genetically modified organisms like soy and corn
  • GM seeds are used for over 90% of corn, soybeans, and cotton in the US
  • Pros of GM foods include resistance to insects, tolerance to herbicides, and increased crop yield
  • GM foods have potential cons related to allergies, antibiotic resistance, and cancer
  • Research on the long-term health effects of GM foods is limited
• STEP 2

  is cutting, restriction enzymes act as molecular scissors and cut DNA at specific sites called restriction sites
• STEP 3

  ligation and insertion, ligation is the joining of two fragments of DNA and forming recombinant molecules
• step 4 transformation, process where a new gene (transgene) is delivered into the nucleus of a plant cell and inserts into a chromosome where it is passed on to progeny.
• Genetic engineering aims to modify the genes to enhance the capabilities of the organism beyond what is normal.