genes in agriculture and medicine

• Genetic engineering:

  1. Restriction enzymes are used to isolate the required gene leaving it with sticky ends.
  2. A vector, which is usually a bacterial plasmid or a virus, is cut by the same restriction enzyme leaving it with complementary 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 with the desired characteristics.
• Genetically modified crops:

  • Engineered to be resistant to insects and herbicides to increase yields as less crops will die.

  • Growing with r and pesticides can kill insects and other plants which reduces biodiversity.
• Genetic modification in medicine:

  • Cure inherited disorders.

  • Gene therapy where you transfer normal genes into patients in order to correct the proteins produced.

  • Mass production of certain hormones in microorganism.
• Benefits of genetic engineering:

  • Faster and more efficient way of getting the same results as selective breeding.

  • Improve crop yields or crop quality.

  • Introduce herbicide resistance, which results in less herbicides being used, as weeds are quickly and selectively killed.

  • Sterile insects could be created, such as mosquitoes. May help with spread of diseases.
• Risks of genetic engineering:

  • Transfer of the selected gene into other species. What benefits one plant may harm another.

  • Pollen produced by the plants could be toxic and harm insects that transfer it between plants.

  • Genetically engineered crops could cause allergic reactions in people.

  • Genetically engineered crops could be harmful, for example toxins from the crops have been detected in some people's blood.