CSEC Biology Notes

Genetic engineering

The science of biotechnology deals with using biological systems, processes, and creatures
(especially microbes) in manufacturing enterprises. Genetic engineering is the biotechnologists'
most potent tool. Recombinant DNA (rDNA) technology is used in genetic engineering to
change an organism's genetic makeup. The creation of high-performance food crops that grow
quickly and require less fertilizer is one of genetic engineering's advantages. This would lessen
the strain that a growing world population is putting on food supplies. Disease resistance in crop
plants, which would lessen the need for pesticides, is another crucial area of development. A
transgenic organism is one that has genes from another species introduced to it through genetic
engineering. Most packaged foods contain genetically modified organisms (GMOs) that have
been bred to be herbicide and insect resistant; maize, soybeans, and canola oil are good
examples.

Some examples of genetic engineering in food production include:

● resistance to pathogenic fungi in maize and potato;
● resistance to insect pests in many crop plants;
● increased growth rates in salmon and chicken;
● production of meat with less fat in pork and beef animals;
● production of higher quality dairy products (e.g. milk with more protein);
● increase in the proportion of protein in seeds such as soya;
● long shelf-life of fruits such as tomato and bananas;
● tastier and more nutritious foods like tomato;
● increase in size, and therefore in yield, of many crop plants and cattle and dairy animals;
● production and subtropical crops so they are able to grow in temperate climates (e.g.
sugar cane and millet);
● production of cows and sheep from temperate areas so that they can grow well in tropical
regions;
● grain crops that can fix atmospheric nitrogen (e.g. wheat and maize).
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Image showing crops that are genetically modified. Bt stands for Bacillus thuringiensis,
often modified by genetic engineering for use in biopesticides against insects.
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Some human inherited disorders are being treated through genetic engineering as well. One in
every 2500 infants is affected by cystic fibrosis. The mucus in the lungs becomes thick and
sticky due to a recessive gene that causes the condition. Infections brought on by bacteria that
become stuck in the mucus might result in an early death. The only known treatment for cystic
fibrosis is regular physical therapy to remove lung mucus. The normal allele is being delivered
into the lungs during therapy using a viral vector, according to recent research. The cells might
produce typical mucus if the vector is absorbed by them. The need for ongoing treatment arises
from the shedding of lung lining cells.
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Image showing insulin production by genetic engineering

In research studies, animals that have been safely genetically engineered (GE) include cattle,
pigs, chickens, goats, sheep, dogs, cats, fish, rats, and mice. Pigs serve as an important
agricultural resource and animal model in biomedical studies. Efficient and precise modification
of the pig genome by using recently developed gene editing tools has significantly broadened the
application of pig models in various research areas. Pigs have been genetically modified so that
their organs can no longer carry retroviruses (any group of RNA viruses that insert a DNA copy
of their genome into the host cell in order to replicate, e.g., HIV). Pig lungs from genetically
modified pigs are being considered for transplantation into humans. There is even the
possibility of creating chimeric pigs capable of carrying human organs.
Sociopolitical relevance of GMOs
While GMOs offer many potential benefits to society, the potential risks associated with them
have fueled controversy, especially in the food industry. Many skeptics warn about the
dangers that GM crops may pose to human health. For example, genetic manipulation may
potentially alter the allergenic properties of crops. Whether some GM crops, such as golden rice,
deliver on the promise of improved health benefits is also unclear
Role of GMOs in environmental management
Another application of GMOs is in the management of environmental issues. For example, some
bacteria can produce biodegradable plastics, and the transfer of that ability to microbes that can
be easily grown in the laboratory may enable the wide-scale “greening” of the plastics industry.
In the early 1990s, Zeneca, a British company, developed a microbially produced biodegradable
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plastic called Biopol (polyhydroxyalkanoate, or PHA). The plastic was made with the help of a
GM bacterium, Ralstonia eutropha, to convert glucose and a variety of organic acids into a
flexible polymer. GMOs endowed with the bacterially encoded ability to metabolize oil and
heavy metals may provide efficient bioremediation strategies.

Image showing pigs.

These fish are being engineered for traits that allegedly will
make them better suited for industrial aquaculture, such as
faster growth, disease resistance, larger muscles, and
temperature tolerance.

The most frequently modified fish species are

zebrafish and medaka because they have optically
transparent chorio (shells), mature quickly, have 1-
cell embryos that are simple to view and micro-inject
with transgenic DNA, and because zebrafish can
regenerate their organ tissues. They are also employed
in the search for new drugs.
Image showing zebra fish

Glowing Dark Cats was developed in 2011 to fight the

feline efficiency virus, or FIV, which is related to a
human version of HIV and typically affects feral cats.
Feline means they belong to the cat family or are
related to the cat family. American and Japanese
scientists inserted genes into cats to help them resist
FIV in order to mark the cells. In order for them to
mark the cells more easily, they also inserted a green
fluorescent protein into both genes transferred to the
feline eggs. This protein, which is naturally produced
in jellyfish, is commonly used in this area of research
to monitor the activity of altered genes. This allowed the scientists to examine how the resistant
gene develops within the cats using a microscope. The modified cats are always normal during
the day, but sometimes they glow at night.
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The immunodeficiency virus (FIV) attacks the immune system, leaving the cat vulnerable to
many other infections. Despite the fact that FIV-infected cats may initially seem normal, they
ultimately develop an immunological deficit, which makes it possible for bacteria, viruses,
protozoa, and fungi that are often innocuous to cause serious infections. Despite this, current
research indicates that FIV-positive cats typically live normal lives, provided they are not also
carriers of the feline leukemia virus.

Positive Implications of GMO

Agriculture
Agricultural plants are one of the most frequently cited examples of genetically modified
organisms (GMOs). Some benefits of genetic engineering in agriculture are increased crop
yields, reduced costs for food or drug production, reduced need for pesticides, enhanced nutrient
composition and food quality, resistance to pests and disease, greater food security, and medical
benefits for the world's growing population.
When farmers plant their crops, they generally worry about three things that could prevent a
good yield: insects, weeds, and weather. Most of the GM crops grown around the world today
address problems caused by insects or weeds (although some GMOs are currently being tested
for enhanced nutrition). When it comes to insects, there are genetically modified plants that can
repel only the very particular type of insect that feeds on them. With some crops, this has
significantly lowered the need to apply pesticides.
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References
Adams JM, Piovesan G, Strauss S, Brown S (2002). "The Case for Genetic Engineering of
Native and Landscape Trees against Introduced Pests and Diseases". Conservation Biology. 16
(4): 874–79.

Gibson DG, Glass JI, Lartigue C, Noskov VN, Chuang RY, Algire MA, et al. (2010). "Creation
of a bacterial cell controlled by a chemically synthesized genome". Science. 329 (5987): 52–6.

Redick, T.P. (2007). "The Cartagena Protocol on biosafety: Precautionary priority in biotech
crop approvals and containment of commodities shipments, 2007". Colorado Journal of
International Environmental Law and Policy. 18: 51–116.