EARTH and LIFE SCIENCE

Quarter 2 – Module 4
Genetic Engineering

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Earth and Life Science – Grade 11
Alternative Delivery Mode
Quarter 2 – Module 4: Genetic Engineering
Second Edition, 2021

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Published by the Department of Education – Division of Cebu City Schools Division

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Development Team of the Module

Compiler/Writer: Ailen B. Revales

Content Editors/: Miss Celia C. Gepitulan, Principal I, Regino Mercado Night High School
Reviewers Mr. Bonnie James Saclolo, Teacher III, Cebu City National Science High School
Mrs. Jocelyn C. Butanas ,Master Teacher,Talamban National High School
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Dr. Luis O. Derasin, SHS Division Coordinator
 What I Need to Know
This module was designed and written with you in mind. It is here to help you master the
nature of Genetic Engineering. The scope of this module permits it to be used in many
different learning situations. The language used recognizes the diverse vocabulary level
of students. The lessons are arranged to follow the standard sequence of the course. But
the order in which you read them can be changed to correspond with the textbook you are
now using.
The module is about Genetic Engineering, its processes and uses and the benefits
and risks of using GMOs.
Content Standard: The learners demonstrate understanding of:
1. How genes work
2. How genetic engineering is used to produce novel products
Performance Standard: The learners should be able to conduct a survey of products
containing substances that can trigger disorders such as phenylketonuria.
After going through this module, you are expected to:
1.Describe the process of genetic engineering. (S11/12LT-IIej-17)
2.Evaluate the benefits and risks of using GMOs. (S11/12LT-IIej-19)

What I Know
Directions: Write TRUE if the statement is correct and FALSE if it is incorrect. Write your
answer on a separate sheet.

1. Genetically modified crops can help us conserve our natural resources.

2. Significant benefits of GM crops include increased profits, reduced farm cost and
improvement of the environment.
3. The positive development of insect resistance is a risk of GM crops.
4. Genetic engineering is a general term used to describe the modification of biological
processes through human intervention.
5. Genetic engineering is also known as genetic modification.
6. Through genetic engineering we have produced fruits and vegetables with improved
taste, texture, size, and color.
7. Bioremediation is a process of altering the genes which you find in all living things.
8. Genetic engineering involves transfer of genes or parts of DNA from one organism to
another.
9. Observing the organism that contains a desirable gene is the first process of genetic
engineering.
10. Eggplant, also known as Zucchini, is another food product that is widely genetically
modified.
11. Genetic engineering is the process of using recombinant DNA (rDNA) technology to
alter the genetic makeup of an organism.
12. Organisms whose genes are altered or modified for specific purposes are called
modified organisms.
13. GMOs are living organisms whose genetic material has been synthetically
manipulated in a laboratory through genetic engineering.
14. Copying is a method used to produce a genetic copy of another individual.
15. Scientists have explored ways of genetic modification to give desirable characteristics
of food crops.

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 What’s In

Biotechnology is a general term used to describe the modification of biological

processes through human intervention. This may be done through genetic engineering.
This aimed to improve traits of certain organisms. They can choose and isolate a single
gene for a desired trait and transfer such gene from one organism to another. The
recipient becomes GMO or a transgenic organism.

What’s New

A. Pros and Cons of Genetic Engineering

Directions: Complete the table by filling in with the pros and cons of genetic
engineering.

Pros Cons
Medical
Environment
Food and Crops

B. Determine which ones are genetically engineered or not. Give reasons

for your answer and write it on a separate sheet.

_____________________ _______________________
_____________________ _______________________

________________________ ________________________
________________________ ________________________

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 What Is It
Genetic Engineering

Genetic engineering is the process of using recombinant DNA (rDNA) technology

to alter the genetic makeup of an organism. Traditionally, humans have manipulated
genomes indirectly by controlling breeding and selecting offspring with desired traits.
Genetic engineering involves the direct manipulation of one or more genes. Most often, a
gene from another species is added to an organism's genome to give it a desired
phenotype.
It is also a process of altering the genes which you find in all living things. It involves
the transfer of genes or parts of DNA from one organism to another. Organisms whose
genes are altered or modified for specific purposes are called transgenic organisms.

Figure 1: Genetic Engineering

https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.earthtimes.org%2Fencyclopaedia%

Genetic engineering, also called genetic modification or genetic

manipulation, is the direct manipulation of an organism's genes using biotechnology. It
is a set of technologies used to change the genetic makeup of cells, including the transfer
of genes within and across species boundaries to produce improved or novel organisms.
New DNA is obtained by either isolating and copying the genetic material of interest
using recombinant DNA methods or by artificially synthesizing the DNA.
An organism that is generated through genetic engineering is considered to be
genetically modified (GM) and the resulting entity is a genetically modified
organism (GMO).
Genetic engineering has a huge array of applications, for instance surgery, animal
husbandry, medicine, and agriculture. With genetic engineering, many crops species have
developed immunity to most lethal diseases. Genetic engineering has also helped to
increase yields at the farm. Today, wide-ranging crop species which are genetically
modified to achieve high nutritive value, and faster and higher productivity. These days,
more and more countries are embracing genetically engineered crops to fight scarcity of
food, offer highly nutritious foods, grow, and cultivate crops that are immune to various
diseases and pests.

Process of Genetic Engineering

1.Identification of an organism that exhibits the desired trait or gene of interest.

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2. Extracting the DNA from that organism.
3. Through a process called gene cloning, one desired gene(recipe) must be located and
copied from thousands of genes that were extracted.
4. The gene is slightly modified to work in a more desirable way once it is inserted inside
the recipient organism.
5. The transformation process occurs when new gene(s), called a transgene is delivered
into cells of the recipient organism. The most common transformation technique uses
bacteria that naturally genetically engineer plants with its own DNA. The transgene is
inserted into the bacteria, which then delivers it into cells of the organism being
engineered.
6. The characteristics of the final product is improved through the process called traditional
breeding.

When modifying a bacterium, the most common method for this final step is to add
the isolated gene to a plasmid, a circular piece of DNA used by bacteria. This is done by
“cutting” the plasmid with the same restriction enzyme that was used to remove the gene
from the original DNA. The new gene can now be inserted into this opening in the plasmid
and the DNA can be bonded back together using another enzyme called ligase. This
process creates a recombinant plasmid which is also known as bacterial artificial
chromosome (BAC).

What are the uses of Genetic Engineering?

The purpose of doing genetic engineering includes:
• Repairing a genetic “defect”
• Enhancing an effect already natural to that organism (e.g., to increase its growth
rate)
• Increasing resistance to disease or external damage (e.g., crops-blight cold or
drought)
• Getting a micro-organism to produce human insulin for diabetics, or a sheep to
produce a human blood-clotting protein in her milk, in both cases a transgenic
method.
• Getting a tomato to ripen without going squashy- this can be done simply by taking
one of its own genes, turning its pattern upside down and putting it back again.

Figure 2: GMOs-Transgenic Crops

https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&url=https%3A%2F%2Faskabiologist.asu.edu%2Fexplore%2Fwhats-gmo

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Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO)
GMOs are living organisms whose genetic material has been synthetically
manipulated in a laboratory through genetic engineering. This relatively new science
creates unstable combinations of plant, animal, bacterial and viral genes that do not occur
in nature or through traditional crossbreeding methods.

Examples of Genetically Engineered Foods

Golden rice
Is a variety of rice (Oryza sativa) produced through genetic
engineering to biosynthesize beta-carotene, a precursor of vitamin A, in the edible parts
of rice. It is intended to produce a fortified food to be grown and consumed in areas with
a shortage of dietary vitamin A, a deficiency which each year is estimated to kill 670,000
children under the age of 5 and cause an additional 500,000 cases of irreversible
childhood blindness.
Golden Rice is intended to be used in combination with existing approaches to
overcome Vitamin A deficiency (VAD), including eating foods that are naturally high in
vitamin A or beta-carotene, eating foods fortified with vitamin A, taking vitamin A
supplements, and optimal breastfeeding practices.
The International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) and its national research partners
have developed Golden Rice to complement existing interventions to address VAD. VAD
is a serious public health problem affecting millions of children and pregnant women
globally.

Papaya
Hawaii is well documented as a place where genetically modified papaya trees
have been cultivated and grown since 1999. The harvested papayas are disseminated to
markets such as the United States and Canada. The reason for modifying these papayas
is the Papaya Ringspot virus that caused havoc for many years. Also, Hawaii papayas
have been modified to slow down their maturity to accord suppliers sufficient time to ship
to the market.

Soy
Statistically, over 90% of soybeans available in the marketplace today are
genetically engineered to naturally resist a herbicide known as “Round Up”. This
enhanced resistance enables farmers to use a lot more Round Up to exterminate weeds.
Roundup, a common weed killer used by farmers and homeowners alike. Roundup
is the brand name for the herbicide, glyphosate. Glyphosate works by preventing plants
from being able to make the proteins they need to survive. Since virtually all plants make
these essential proteins the same way, glyphosate affects nearly all plants. For this
reason, glyphosate is deemed a “broad-spectrum” herbicide.
In 1996, Monsanto introduced the Roundup Ready soybean, a genetically
engineered crop resistant to glyphosate. In the few years after, Roundup Ready cotton
and various other crops also made their debut. While almost all plants are susceptible to
glyphosate’s grip, the beautiful thing about genetic engineering is that the genes need not
be from similar organisms. In this case, the gene allowing resistance to glyphosate was
taken from a type of bacteria called Agrobacteria. With the introduction of this organism’s
relevant gene into the desired plant genetics, a Roundup Ready crop is born.

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 Figure 3. Roundup contains glyphosate, which is toxic to standard plants that contain its target
protein. The plants containing this protein are destroyed upon exposure to glyphosate, indicated by the red X.
Roundup Ready crops have been engineered to contain a gene from Agrobacteria, making them immune to
the herbicide.
https://i1.wp.com/sitn.hms.harvard.edu/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/Roundup-Draft22.png

Eggplant
Eggplant, also known as Zucchini is another food product that is widely genetically
modified. It contains a protein, which gives it more resistance to insects.
Cotton
Cotton is very susceptible to diseases, insects and pests. It is heavily modified to boost
yields and resistance to pests and diseases.
Corn
Corn also makes the list of the most genetically modified foods. Half of farmers in the
United States grow corn that has been genetically modified. Most of the corn are utilized
for human consumption and animal feed.
Sugar
Sugar beets are surprisingly modified due to their high demand in countries like U.S.,
Canada, and Europe. Genetically modified sugar beets debuted in the United States
markets in 2009. They are genetically modified to develop resistance to Round Up.
Milk
These days, dairy cows are increasingly being genetically modified with growth hormones
to enable faster growth and beef up of yields.
Canola Oil
Harnesses from rapeseed oil. According to studies, it is the most well-known genetically
modified oil in the world.

Pros and Cons of Genetically Modified Foods

Pros Cons
• Higher yields • Can bring about
• Provide all round quality and allergies
taste • May lead to
• Disease resistant environmental
• More nutritious degradation (e.g.,
• Longer shelf life deforestation, soil
erosion, depletion of the

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 • Used in the creation of
vaccines
• Ecological benefits
• Lower risk of crop failure
ozone layer, air, and
water pollution)
• Bear no economic value
• Causes gene escape
• GMOs have reduced
resistance to antibiotics

FYI: Genetic escapes are plants or animals that are either not native to
an area or have been selectively bred or genetically modified and
have escaped from marine culture enclosures. Escapes pose a threat
to ecological and socioeconomic stability if they compete with or prey
upon native species.

What is cloning?
Cloning is the process of producing individuals with identical or virtually identical
DNA, either naturally or artificially. In nature, many organisms produce clones through
asexual reproduction. Cloning in biotechnology refers to the process of creating exact
copies of cells or DNA fragments.
It is a method that scientists use to produce a genetic copy of another individual.
In 1997, a 7-month-old sheep named Dolly became a celebrity. Dolly is the first cloned
animal.

What’s More

What would you do in the following situations? Write your answer on a separate sheet.

1.You are a tomato farmer whose crops are threatened by a persistent species of beetle.
Each year, you spend large sums of money for pesticides to protect your crops. A
biotechnology company introduces a new strain of tomato plant that produces a natural
pesticide, making it resistant to the beetle.
By switching to this new strain, you could avoid both the beetle and the chemical
pesticides traditionally needed to fight it.
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
2.You are a leader of a developing nation. Hunger is a problem among your citizens: the
salty coastal wetlands of your country cannot support the growth of needed crops, and
your slow economy cannot support importing enough food for everyone.
A biotechnology company has genetically modified rice plant that can thrive in salt
water, providing your nation with the opportunity to feed its citizens while bolstering its
economy.
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________

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 What I Have Learned

Answer the following questions briefly on a separate sheet.

1.What is genetic engineering?
_______________________________________________________

2. How is DNA used in genetic engineering?

________________________________________________________

What I Can Do

Develop a brochure on GMOs to inform the public on the facts about GMOs and
to give answers to frequently asked questions (FAQs) about GMO.
Rubrics:

Category Description Points

Content The brochure includes all required content as well 10
as additional information.
Spelling/ Words are spelled correctly, and grammar does not 5
Grammar take away from the meaning of the content.
Pictures All pictures are related to the topic and make it 5
easier to understand.
Attractiveness The brochure is exceptionally attractive in terms of 5
design, layout, and neatness.
TOTAL POINTS 25

Assessment
Directions: Write the letter of the correct answer on a separate sheet.

1. What is genetic engineering?

A. It involves transcription and translation.
B. It is a process of altering the genes which you find in all living things.
C.A method that scientist uses to produce a genetic copy of another individual.
D. It is a segment of DNA that encodes a unique protein that performs specialized
function in the cell.
2. Which of the following is NOT a genetic engineering technique?
A. Extract the entire DNA from the organism.
B. Remove the gene from the rest of the DNA.
C. Insert the new gene to an existing organism’s DNA.
D. Observe an organism that contains a desirable gene.

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3.Which statement best describe genetic engineering?
A. changing a DNA sequence
B. cutting out a DNA sequence
C. reinserting DNA into living organisms
D. all of the above
4. What is the process of making changes in the DNA code of living organisms?
A. inbreeding C. selective breeding
B. hybridization D. genetic engineering
5. What DNA molecule is produced by combining DNA from different sources?
A. a change C. strange DNA
B. a mutant D. recombinant DNA
6. What does it mean to “clone a gene”?
A. change the gene C. destroy the gene
B. remove the gene D. make many copies of the gene
7. What is a genetically modified organism (GMO)? A genetically modified organism is
____________.
A. a hybrid organism
B. a plant with certain genes removed
C. an organism with an artificially altered genome
D. any agricultural organism produced by breeding or biotechnology
8. Which of the following steps is NOT essential in producing recombinant DNA?
A. Cut out a piece of DNA from a DNA molecule.
B. Read the sequences of bases in a piece of DNA
C. Use a restriction enzyme to cut DNA and form sticky ends.
D. Insert a piece of DNA from one organism into the DNA of another organism
9. What is cloning? It is a method that scientists use to ________.
A. isolate gene C. enhance the effect of natural organisms
B. alter an organism’s genome D. produce a genetic copy of another individual
10. Which of the following is NOT a benefit of GM crops?
A. higher crop yields C. increased farm profits
B. reduced farm cost D. positive development of insect resistance
11. What carries a gene from one organism into a bacterial cell?
A. a plasmid C. an electrophoresis gel
B. a restriction enzyme D. polymerase chain reaction
12. How important is genomics in agriculture?
A. improve yields C. improve disease resistance
B. generate new hybrid strains D. all of the above
13. What does this figure show?

A. Restriction enzymes
B.DNA
duplex
C. Sticky ends

D. Sticky ends

A. DNA sequencing
B. Gel electrophoresis
C. Polymerase chain reaction
D. A restriction enzyme cutting sequence of DNA

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14. What way can a recombinant plasmid gets inside a bacterial cell?
A. hybridization C. recombination
B. radiation D. transformation

15. How is DNA used in genetic engineering? DNA is used _______.

A. like a universal language
B. for all organisms is made up of same nucleotide
C. as hereditary material in humans and almost all other organisms
D. to build certain proteins, by changing the DNA sequence engineers can provide a
new gene for an organism to create different protein

References

Salandan, Gloria G. Ph.D., et al. Earth and Life Science for Senior High School.
Lorimar Publishing, Inc., 2016
Bayong, Roel B, et.al. Earth and Life Science for Senior High School.
Educational Resources Corporation. 2016

Web Sources

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Genetic_engineering
http://sitn.hms.harvard.edu/flash/2015/roundup-ready-crops/
https://www.conserve-energy-future.com/what-is-genetic-engineering.php
https://bio.libretexts.org/Bookshelves/Introductory_and_General_Biology/Book%3A_Con
cepts_in_Biology_(OpenStax)/10%3A_Biotechnology/10.E%3A_Biotechnology_(Exercis
es)
https://www.cwcboe.org/cms/lib/NJ01001185/Centricity/Domain/143/Chapter%2012%20
%20Genetic%20Engineering/Practice%20test/practice%20test%20answers.pdf

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What I Have Learned (Possible Answers)
1.Genetic engineering is a process of using
recombinant DNA technology to alter the genetic
make up of an organism.
It is a process of altering genes which you find in
all living things.
It involves the transfer of genes or parts of DNA
from one organism to another.
2. DNA is used in genetic engineering to build
certain proteins, by changing the DNA sequence
engineers can provide a new gene for an organism
to create different protein.
What ‘s New (Possible Answers)
Pros Cons
*Use in the creation of
Medical vaccines. Some GMO
*Improvement of products contain
medical treatment. genes that make
the body
resistant to
certain antibiotics
and this
resistance could
pass on to
humans.
*Degradation
Environment *GMO helped (pollution,
decreased CO2 deforestation)
emission. *Imbalance in the
* Enhance biodiversity. ecology
*Disease resistant *Overproduction
Food and *Higher yields *Can bring
Crops allergies
Answer Key
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