genetic engineering

• Genetic engineering


  Modifying an organism's genome by adding a new helpful gene
• Genetic engineering process


  1. Find desirable gene

  2. Cut out gene using enzymes

  3. Insert gene into vector (virus or bacterial plasmid)

  4. Introduce vector to target organism

  5. Organism cells take up vector and produce protein coded for by gene
• Genetically engineered organisms


  • Sheep producing drugs in milk
  • Bacteria producing human insulin
• Genetically modified crops


  • Improved fruit size and quality
  • Disease resistance
  • Insect resistance
  • Herbicide resistance
• Gene therapy


  Giving a person a healthy version of a gene to fix an inherited disorder
• Gene therapy is difficult because the faulty gene is in all of the person's cells, so the new gene would have to be transferred to every cell</b>
• A potential solution to gene therapy is transferring the gene at an early stage of development, such as at the egg or embryo stage