Ha Noi University of Science and Technology

The School of Chemical and Life Science

Topic: The application of GMOs

Instructor: Prof. Nguyen Chinh Nghia

Prof. Nguyen Tien Cuong

Group: 5
Class: Technical writing and presentation
(146301)

Member: Nguyễn Ngọc Lan 20211339

Nguyễn Mai Anh 20210076
Nguyễn Quỳnh Chi 20211299
Đỗ Thị Hiểu Lan 20211338
Nguyễn Thảo Ly 20211491

Ha Noi, 2024
1. Introduction:
GMOs (Genetically Modified Organisms) are organisms whose genetic fabric DNA has been
altered in a way that prevents it from occurring naturally through mating or recombination.
The word “genetic alteration” refers to the process of altering an organism’s genetic makeup
by introducing specific beneficial genes. The genetic material of a genetically modified
creature has been altered using genetic engineering techniques (GMOs). Genetic engineering
processes are usually based on knowledge gained from microbiological research or genetics,
and they allow for one-of-a-kind interventions into the genotypes of individuals, living
organisms, and viral genomes. [1]
GMO technology has had a great impact on the global economy with a total of US $ 224.9
billion profit between 1996 and 2018. Its economic impact makes technology inevitable in the
future. [2]
Agriculture plants were the first GMOs to be related to the environment and placed on the
market. Farmers around the world use GM soybeans, GM corn, and GM cotton that are
herbicide tolerant or insect resistant or combine several traits that reduce the costs associated
with crop production. [3]
In Vietnam, the introduction of GMOs into Vietnamese agriculture is considered a key
approach for establishing modern, sustainable agriculture, by “Developing biotechnology for
the benefit of sustainable development of agriculture, forestry, and fishery, as well as the
protection of human health and the living environment.”. [4]
GMOs are applied in numerous major such as the environment, human health, especially
agriculture. In the food major, GMOs have been a controversial problem. In each country, the
government has its law for using GMOs.
2. Agriculture:
Genetic engineering plays a crucial role in addressing challenges faced by agriculture, such as
population growth, climate change, and the increasing human impact on ecosystems. It
accelerates the breeding of new crop varieties, enabling farmers to adapt to changing
conditions and meet global market demands. [5] The discovery of DNA in the 1950s
significantly enhanced biologists' understanding of species modification mechanisms,
providing valuable tools for genetic improvement.

Fig 2.1.: Non-Bt eggplant Bt-eggplant

(Photos: UPLB IPB Bt Eggplant Project, 2014) [6]

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In addition to the yield increases that support growing populations in developing countries,
the primary beneficial effect of genetically modified organisms (GMOs), in terms of
sustainability is likely the decline in pesticide use. [5] Widespread eggplant cultivation in
Bangladesh faces a threat from the fruit and shoot borer. Traditional pest management
involves frequent pesticide spraying, but efficacy diminishes when larvae seek refuge within
the fruit. Genetic engineering introduces the Cry1Ac gene from Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt)
into eggplants, resulting in Bt eggplants resistant to the borer. The activated Bt protein in the
larval gut punctures the insect's gut, leading to its demise within days. Importantly, the Bt
protein selectively targets the borer without harming humans or farm animals.
Agricultural biotechnology, as part of a sustainability portfolio, aids agriculture in adapting to
climate change and reducing its environmental impact. It enhances the precision and speed of
plant breeding, expanding genetic resources available to farmers. Each genetic engineering
application requires independent evaluation, and regulations should efficiently balance
benefits and risks.
3. Environmental management:
Environmental management is significantly improved thanks to GMOs.

Fig 3.1.: GM crops global socio-economic and environmental impacts 1996-2020

(Source: GMOs answers) [7]
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According to statistics in 2020, GMOs helped reduce CO2 by 52 billion pounds, grew more
food on less land, and helped decrease the use of toxic pesticides. [8] So it made a more
beneficial insect, increased organic material, and better moisture retention.
In addition, there are currently several biosensor devices created from GMOs such as GMOs
created based on Pseudomonas fluorescens to evaluate the level of pollution. Pseudomonas
fluorescens is a bacillus, Gram-negative, and has 2 bunches of long flagella. It grows best at a
temperature of around 25- 30 degrees Celsius in the presence of oxygen. It helped plant
growth and produced a variety of antibiotics and secondary metabolic. Especially it is glowed
under UV light due to fluorescent pigment. So P. fluorescens HK44 is created. The original
parental strain from which strain HK44 was derived was isolated from a manufactured gas
plant facility heavily contaminated with polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). The naphthalene
catabolic plasmid pUTK21 was introduced into this strain to form P. fluorescens HK44. [9]
Strain HK44 contains gene lux CDABE helps with bioluminescence and naphthalene
catabolism gen on pUTK21. Therefore, exposure to strain HK44 results in increased catabolic
gene expression, naphthalene degradation, and a coincident bioluminescent response. In this
manner, the biodegradation of naphthalene was reported by HK44.
4. Human health:
To begin with, there are numerous applications of GMOs in human health major. Some of the
uses of GMOs in human health include: producing vaccines or medicines, developing
diagnostic tests, treating genetic diseases using gene therapy, and developing targeted
therapies for diseases such as cancer. [10]
Nowadays, there are currently 2 types of medicines that use gene technology. First, medicines
are made from GMOs. The diagram below illustrates how to manufacture insulin by using
GM bacteria. [10]

Fig 4.1.: Insulin Production via Recombinant Gene Transfer (Universality-BioNinja) [11]
Insulin is a hormone that regulates the amount of glucose in the blood and is required for the
body to function normally. [10] Following the diagram, recombinant DNA is made to insert a
human gene into a bacteria’s plasmid. Then this transgenic bacteria is grown in culture to
produce insulin for individuals.

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 Secondly, GMOs are used as medicines. For example, vaccines to prevent human viruses such
as COVID-19 vaccines or HPV vaccines. [10]
Moreover, scientists are currently researching and developing GM plants that can produce
edible vaccines. This is a potential way to produce vaccines and use them. When utilizing GM
plants that have vaccines, they can be stored easily. It can also reduce the number of waste
from using sterile needles when using vaccines in the normal way.
On the other hand, GM for humans is produced based on many guidelines to certain that not
affect human health dangerously. For instance, in Europe, this framework strictly regulates
the production of GM food and feed, GMO imports as well as the release of GMOs into the
environment. [12]
5. Advantages and Disadvantages:
Nowadays, with modern advances in science and technology and biotechnology, GMOs have
been more developed in the present world, including in Vietnam. While there are arguments
in favor, the opponents are completely against the relevance of GMOs. Regarding advantages,
GMOs have many potential benefits. It could be created vaccines or more easily identify
diseases using genetic markers or early identification of defective genes. [13] Another good
point would be that includes producing seeds that can resist harsh environmental conditions;
creating more nutritious staple foods; increasing productivity in farmed animals; producing
more food on smaller growing areas and in poor soil; reducing the need to use chemicals;
food is preserved longer. [14]
On the other hand, critics may point out that a significant disadvantage of GMOs is that
contaminate the environment, food poisoning. This is due to the excessive and prolonged use
of chemical fertilizers and pesticides in high-yielding GM crops, which has led to serious
environmental contamination and food poisoning. Strict management is necessary to
guarantee social, environmental, and health safety while the safety of genetically modified
products is still up for debate. In addition to management by agencies, as individuals, it is
important to have a thorough understanding of genetically modified organisms, especially
genetically modified foods.
6. Conclusion:
GMOs bring huge benefits that help improve and develop human life. Many human diseases
are cured by GMO products, and a lot of plants enhance performance. In the future, GMOs
will be still applied and evolve greatly. According to predictions, human health will use more
and more GMO products to heal a variety of gene diseases because of their convenience and
effectiveness. Besides, the usage of GMOs needs to be controlled strictly to remove their
demerits.

References:
[1] Y. Werkissa, “Application of Genetically Modified Organism (GMO) crop technology and its
implications in modern agriculture,” International Journal of Agricultural Science and Food
Technology, vol. 8, no. 1, pp. 014–020, Jan. 2022, doi: 10.17352/2455-815x.000139.

[2] Ulsu and Tugce, “Plant Biotechnology Reports,” vol. 15, no. 6, p. 741, 2021.

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[3] J. Ovesná, K. Demnerová, and V. Pouchová, “The detection of genetically modified organisms: An
overview,” in Meat Biotechnology, Springer New York, 2008, pp. 319–334. doi: 10.1007/978-0-387-
79382-5_14.

[4] “3 Consideration of Problem Formulation and Option Assessment (PFOA) for Environmental Risk
Assessment: Bt Cotton in Vietnam.”

[5] D. Zilberman, T. G. Holland, and I. Trilnick, “Agricultural GMOs-What we know and where scientists
disagree,” Sustainability (Switzerland), vol. 10, no. 5. MDPI, May 10, 2018. doi: 10.3390/su10051514.

[6] B. Eggplant, “K Pocket Global KnowledGe Center on Crop bioteChnoloGy,” 2018. Accessed: Jan. 24,
2024. [Online]. Available: https://www.isaaa.org/resources/publications/pocketk/foldable/Pocket
%20K48%20(English).pdf

[7] “How Do GMOs Affect The Environment?” Accessed: Jan. 25, 2024. [Online]. Available:
https://gmoanswers.com/gmos-environment

[8] Kate Hall, “How GMOs Help Us Address Climate Change,” Sep. 2016.

[9] G. S. Sayler and S. Ripp, “Field applications of genetically engineered microorganisms for
bioremediation processes,” Curr Opin Biotechnol, vol. 11, no. 3, pp. 286–289, Jun. 2000, doi:
10.1016/S0958-1669(00)00097-5.

[10] “Gene technology and human health.” Accessed: Jan. 25, 2024. [Online]. Available:
https://www.genetechnology.gov.au/using-gene-technology/human-health?
fbclid=IwAR2kZ6WuLksSvasMo4vSMo2D8PzQHchN0ybHyI-MHKD7EA5VWXpFxvaryjI

[11] “Insulin Production via Recombinant Gene Transfer.” Accessed: Jan. 25, 2024. [Online]. Available:
Insulin Production via Recombinant Gene Transfer

[12] “EU framework.” Accessed: Jan. 25, 2024. [Online]. Available:

https://www.efsa.europa.eu/en/topics/topic/gmo?
fbclid=IwAR2_GXggY6tjWmAcmfxqYZheqCCiui1TuQWZHAGKVCBQm8Z0ocQGA4IuUAo#eu-
framework

[13] E. Gachet, G. G. Martin, F. Vigneau, and G. Meyer, “Detection of genetically modified organisms
(GMOs) by PCR: a brief review of methodologies available,” Trends Food Sci Technol, vol. 9, no. 11–
12, pp. 380–388, Nov. 1998, doi: 10.1016/S0924-2244(99)00002-3.

[14] J. Stanton, G. Rezai, and S. Baglione, “The effect of persuasive/possessing information regarding
GMOs on consumer attitudes,” Future Foods, vol. 4, p. 100076, Dec. 2021, doi:
10.1016/J.FUFO.2021.100076.