Genetic Engineering

Genetic Engineering

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What is genetic engineering?

• Genetic engineering is the direct modification of an organism's genome, which is the list of specific traits (genes) stored in the DNA

• Changing the genome enables engineers to give desirable properties to different organisms

• Organisms created by genetic engineering are called genetically modified organisms(GMOs)

Multiple Choice

GMO stands for

• Genetically Made Organism

• Growing More Organisms

• Genetically Modified Organism

• Growing Many Organisms

Multiple Choice

Making changes in the DNA of an organism is

• gene therapy

• genetic engineering

• GMO

• electrophoresis

History of GMO Development

1973: created first genetically modified bacteria

1974: created GM mice

1982: first commercial development of GMOs (insulin-producing bacteria)

1994: began selling genetically modified food

2003: began selling GMOs as pets (Glo fish)

What is the GMO process?

• All genetic changes affect the protein synthesis of the organism

• By changing which proteins are produced, genetic engineers can affect the overall traits of the organism

• Genetic modifications can be completed by a number of different methods:

• Inserting new genetic material randomly or in targeted locations

• Directed replacement of genes (recombination)

• Removal of genes

• Mutation of existing genes

Genetic Engineering Techniques

• Artificial Selection

• A. Selective Breeding

• B. Hybridization

• C. Inbreeding

• Cloning

• Gene Splicing

• 
  

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Body cells can be called somatic cells

• true

• false

Multiple Choice

Corn and rice are two of the most genetically modified crops in the US.

• true

• false

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GMOs can be

• plants only

• animals only

• plant, animal and bacteria

• plant and animal only

GMO Bacteria

• Bacteria are the most common GMOs because their simple structure permits easy manipulation of their DNA

• One of the most interesting uses for genetically modified bacteria is the production of hydrocarbons (plastics and fuels) usually found in fossil fuels

• Cyanobacteria have been modified to produce plastic (polyethylene) and fuel (butanol) as byproducts of photosynthesis

• E.coli bacteria have been modified to produce diesel fuel

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What is the easiest GMO to create?

• fruit

• plants

• animals

• bacteria

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Why have some bacteria been genetically modified?

• to produce diesel fuel

• to produce oxygen

• to consume carbon dioxide

• to make exploding bombs

Engineering Plants

How might genetic engineering modify plants to solve everyday problems?

Consider world hunger, weather problems, insecticide pollution...)

Genetically Modified Crops

• GMO crop production in the US (2010)

• 93% of soybeans

• 93% of cotton

• 86% of corn

• 95% of sugar beets

• Ex. one common modified crop is Bt-corn. A gene from the Nt bacteria is added so the corn produces a protein that is poisonous to certain insects but not humans.

Banana Vaccines

Modified virus injected in sapling tree causes the bananas to contain virus protein

Venomous Cabbage

Scorpion genes added to the cabbage prevent insects from eating it

Other Reasons to Genetically Modify Crops

• Insect and herbicide resistant

• Drought/freeze resistant

• Disease resistant

• Higher yield

• Faster Growth

• Improved nutrition

• Longer shelf life

Multiple Choice

In which ways can genetic engineering improve crops?

• make them pest or drought resistant

• make them more nutritious

• maker them larger

• all of the above

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In order to create corn with larger ears through artificial selection,

• the smallest ears need to be used for next years crop,

• he largest ears need to be used for next years crop.

• the medium sized ears need to be used for next years crop.

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What is NOT a reason to genetically modify plants?

• To make the plants poisonous to insects

• Make plants drought resistant

• Improve the nutrition of food grown

• o produce fewer plants

Engineering Animals

Could genetic engineering be used to modify any animals to solve problems?

Bioluminescent Animals : Uses

• Protein tracking

• Disease detection using bioluminescent imaging (BLI) to identify types of cells

• Novelty pets (Glo fish)

Fast-Growing Salmon

Genes from two other fish cause this salmon to continually produce growth hormones

Less Smelly Cows

Modifying bacteria responsible for methane production in cattle results in 25% less-flatulent cows

Web-Producing Goats

Spider genes in goats enable the production of spider silk in goat milk

Multiple Choice

What is a good argument for genetically modifying animals?

• Produce more meat

• Figure out how to make Spiderman

• Modifying your kids to make them more awesome

• New genes are needed to create new species

What are some concerns regarding GM foods and animals?

• risk to human health; unsafe to eat

• harm to the environment and wildlife

• increased pesticide and herbicide use

• farmer's health

• seen and pollen drift

• creation of herbicide-resistant weeds

• What about genetic engineering in humans?

Multiple Choice

What is risk of GMOs?

• Radioactive

• throw an ecosystem off balance

• food that tastes too good

• produce too much food

Nearly 50 countries around the world, including Australia, Japan and all of the countries in the European Union, have enacted significant restrictions or full bans on the production and sale of genetically modified organism food products, and 64 countries now have GMO labeling requirements.