Ethics and Impacts of Biotechnology

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Biotechnology Noun

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[by-oh-tek-nol-uh-jee]

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Biotechnology

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The use of living systems and organisms to develop or make products for a specific technological application.

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Example: This image shows biotechnology by illustrating genetic engineering, where scientists use tools to 'cut' and 'paste' parts of DNA to change an organism's traits.

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Transgenic Organism Noun

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[trans-jen-ik or-guh-niz-uhm]

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Transgenic Organism

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An organism containing genetic material into which DNA from an unrelated organism has been artificially introduced.

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Example: This diagram shows foreign DNA being injected into a fertilized mouse egg, which then develops into a transgenic mouse containing the new genetic material.

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Patent Noun

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[pat-nt]

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Patent

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A legal tool that gives an individual or company the exclusive right to profit from its innovations.

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Example: This image shows a real patent document from 1891 for a toilet paper roll, illustrating how an invention is legally protected by the government.

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Synthetic Genes Noun

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[sin-thet-ik jeens]

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Synthetic Genes

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Genes that have been artificially constructed or altered in a laboratory, which can then be patented.

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Example: This diagram illustrates the potential outcomes of gene editing, showing how a desired edit leads to a repaired cell, while unintended edits can create defective cells.

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Genetically Modified (GM) Food Noun

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[juh-net-ik-lee mod-uh-fahyd food]

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Genetically Modified (GM) Food

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Foods produced from organisms that have had changes introduced into their DNA using genetic engineering methods.

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Example: This image shows how genetic modification (GMO) can change an organism's traits, turning a sickly corn plant into a healthy one by altering its DNA.

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Insecticide Noun

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[in-sek-tuh-sahyd]

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Insecticide

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A type of pesticide specifically used to kill, harm, repel, or mitigate one or more species of insect.

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Example: A farmer sprays a chemical substance, an insecticide, onto crops to protect them from being eaten by harmful insects.

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Pesticide Noun

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[pes-tuh-sahyd]

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Pesticide

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A chemical substance used to kill, repel, or control certain forms of plant or animal life considered pests.

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Example: A person sprays a chemical substance, called a pesticide, onto crops to protect them from being eaten by harmful insects (pests).

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Herbicide Tolerance (HT) Noun

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[ur-buh-sahyd tol-er-uhns]

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Herbicide Tolerance (HT)

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A trait engineered into crops that allows them to survive the application of specific herbicides that would kill them.

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Example: This image compares normal corn (CK) with genetically modified herbicide-tolerant corn (SCB-29). The tolerant corn survives even high doses of herbicide, while the normal corn dies.

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Insect Resistance (Bt) Noun

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[in-sekt ri-zis-tuhns]

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Insect Resistance (Bt)

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A trait engineered into crops that produces a protein toxic to certain insects, derived from a bacterium.

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Example: This graph shows that as farmers planted more Bt crops over the years (black line), the number of insect species that became resistant also increased (red bars).

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Bacillus thuringiensis Noun

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[buh-sil-uhs thur-in-jee-en-sis]

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Bacillus thuringiensis

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A soil-dwelling bacterium commonly used as a biological pesticide and the source of the insect resistance gene.

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Example: This image shows Bacillus thuringiensis bacteria at two scales: as colonies in a dish (A) and under a microscope (B), revealing the toxic crystals.