BIOLOGY: GENETIC ENGINEERING

BIOLOGY: GENETIC ENGINEERING

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Overview

• Genetic engineering refers to the direct manipulation of an organism’s genes
• Genetic engineering is also referred to as recombinant DNA technology, genetic modification and gene splicing
• Genetic engineering uses cloning and transformation of molecules to alter the structure and characteristics of genes
• Examples of genetic engineering include improved crop technologies, synthetic hormones, and creation of experimental mice

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Process of genetic engineering

The process of genetic engineering has five main steps:

1. Isolation of the genes of interest
2. Insertion of the genes into a transfer vector
3. Transfer of the vector to the organism to be modified
4. Transformation of the cells of the organism
5. Selection of the genetically modified organisms from those that have not been successfully modified

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Applications of genetic engineering

• The first genetically engineered medicine was synthetic insulin
• Genetic engineering has been used to produce vaccines for hepatitis B
• Creation of genetically modified foods such as soybean, corn, canola and cotton seed oil. GM foods have higher resistance to pests, bacterial/fungal infections, higher yield and higher nutritional value
  
• Gene therapy using viruses to treat severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID)
• Using genetically modified virus to construct environment friendly lithium-ion battery
• Using human eggs from a second mother to allow infertile women with genetic defects in their mitochondria to have children
• Artificial DNA, called Synthetic Organism (SO-1), with unknown functions has been created

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Milestones in genetic engineering

• 1953: James Watson (USA) and Francis Crick (Britain) discover structure of DNA. They win Nobel in Physiology or Medicine in 1979
• 1973: Stanley Cohen (USA) and Herbert Boyer (USA) develop a technique to clone segments of DNA molecules
• 1976: Genentech, the first company dedicated to producing genetically engineered products is established in San Francisco. It was founded by Herbert Boyer and Robert Swanson
• 1979: Genetic engineering used to synthesize insulin
• 1981: scientists at Ohio university transfer genes from other organisms into mice
  
• 1990: Human Genome Project launched
  
• 1990: first gene therapy experiment performed on a four-year old girl with adenosine deaminase deficiency. Developed by French Anderson
• 1996: a yeast known as Saccharomyces cerevisiae is the first eukaryotic genome to be sequenced by more than 100 labs collaboratively around the world
  
• 2003: Human Genome Project announces complete mapping of human genome

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GENETICALLY MODIFIED FOODS

1. BT-Cotton
   1. BT-Cotton is a genetically modified variety of cotton into which Cryiae gene from the bacillus thuriegenois bacteria have been introduced
   2. This gene produces a toxin called BT-Toxin in every part of the plant thereby destroying the dreaded cotton pest Bollworm
   3. This technology was developed by US seed company Monsanto
   4. However, concerns include evolution of super-pests with higher levels of resistance, destruction of agriculturally beneficial organisms like bees, soil microflora etc
2. Terminator gene
   1. Terminator gene is a seed variety developed using genetic engineering
   2. It causes the seed to self-destruct after it has been used to raise the first generation of crops
   3. This is done in order to prevent farmers from raising subsequent generations of crops without paying royalties
   4. Concerns include this self-destruct gene may be transferred to other plants by cross-pollination leading to extinction of traditional agricultural production
   5. It is also known as Genetic Use Restriction Technology (GURT) and was developed by the US Department of Agriculture in conjunction with the Delta and Pine Land Co.
3. Golden rice
   1. Type of rice crop provided with a gene to develop Beta-Carotene
   2. This helps production of vitamin A in the body
   3. This helps fight vitamin A deficiency, the primary cause of childhood blindness
   4. Beta-carotene gives rice a yellow colour and hence is called Golden Rice
   5. Created by Swiss Federal Institute of Technology
4. GM Cabbage
   1. Cabbage that will resistant to attack of Diamond Back Moth
   2. Developed by Indian Agricultural Research Institute (New Delhi)

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JOHAR