Genetic Engineering vs. Artificial Selection

Genetic Engineering vs. Selective Breeding

Selective breeding and genetic engineering are both ways humans modify organisms, but they are very different processes.

Selective Breeding/Artificial Selection

Selective breeding involves choosing parent plants or animals with desirable traits and breeding them over many generations to enhance those traits, such as larger fruit or specific coat colors in dogs. This process takes time and relies on naturally occurring genes.

Multiple Choice

What is the main characteristic of ALL selective breeding?

• Organisms with desired traits survive in the wild.

• Organisms with desired traits are chosen by humans.

• Organisms without desired traits die.

• Organisms are randomly chosen.

Multiple Choice

Which is an example of selective breeding?

• A giraffe's long neck.

• Clipping a horse's tail so it's not too long.

• Training a horse to run faster.

• Cross breeding a labrador retriever with a poodle .

Genetic Engineering

Genetic engineering is a scientific process where scientists change the DNA of an organism to give it new traits. Unlike selective breeding, which works with existing genes, genetic engineering allows scientists to directly add, remove, or modify genes, sometimes even using genes from other species. For example, scientists use genetic engineering to produce insulin for people with diabetes by inserting the human insulin gene into bacteria, which then produce insulin quickly and in large amounts. Another example is creating golden rice by adding genes from corn and a bacterium to increase its vitamin A content, helping reduce vitamin A deficiency in some parts of the world.

Multiple Choice

Which process is involved with genetic engineering?

• Allowing organisms to reproduce without human interference

• Humans choosing individuals with desirable traits to parent the next generation

• Using technology to cut DNA and insert genes to get the traits you want.

Categorize

Options (10)

Direct changes to DNA

Can combine genes from different species

CRISPR technology for gene editing

Choosing parent organisms with desirable traits

Mating individuals to enhance specific characteristics

Maintaining genetic diversity in breeding programs

Creates specific traits like adding Vitamin A

Takes many generations

Sort each example by which process is occuring

Genetic Engineering

Selective Breeding

Multiple Choice

What is the name of the process in which genes from one organism are transferred into the genome of another organism?

• Genetic Engineering

• Selective breeding

• Artificial selection

• Survival of the fittest

Multiple Choice

What term describes humans choosing certain organisms because they have useful characteristics?

• Artificial selection

• Natural selection

• Survival of the fittest

• Some theory Darwin came up with

Multiple Choice

Which is an example of SELECTIVE BREEDING ?

(also called artificial selection)

• A giraffe’s long neck.

• Training a horse to run faster.

• Clipping a horse’s tail so it is not too long.

• Cross breeding a labrador retriever with a poodle.

Multiple Choice

If scientists engineer the DNA of tomatoes to make them survive in cold temperatures, what do type of technology do those tomatoes become?

• Human Genome Project

• Genetically Modified Organisms

• Punnett Squares

• Gene Therapy

Multiple Choice

Genetic engineering has been used to produce

• medicine

• animals for food

• improved crops

• all of these

Multiple Choice

What is the main difference between genetic engineering and traditional breeding methods?

• Traditional breeding methods can only be applied to animals, while genetic engineering is applicable to plants

• Traditional breeding methods involve selecting parents with desired traits, whereas genetic engineering involves altering genes directly

• Genetic engineering is a natural process, while traditional breeding methods are not

• There is no difference; both methods result in genetically identical organisms

Multiple Choice

Artificial selection is also known as

• natural selection

• selective hearing

• genetic manipulation

• selective breeding

Multiple Choice

What is this an example of?

• genetic engineering

• artificial selection

Multiple Choice

What is this an example of?

• genetic engineering

• artificial selection

Multiple Choice

Artificial Selection is

• a new concept

• discovered by Darwin and used ever since

• used for thousands of years

• a 19th century concept

Multiple Choice

5. The insertion of working copies of a gene into the cells of a person with a genetic disorder in an attempt to correct the disorder:

• Gene Therapy
• Clone
• Genome
• Hybridization