Applications of Genetic
Engineering
13-4
Ms. Haut
Transgenic Organisms
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http://www.bio.miami.edu/~cmallery/150/handouts/D.zebra.htm
http://
http://www.bio.miami.edu/~cmallery/150/handouts/c17
x5transgenic-tobacco.jpg
• An organism
described as
transgenic,
contains genes
from other species.
Transgenic Organisms
• Genetic engineering has spurred the
growth of biotechnology.
– Transgenic animals and plants
– The Human Genome Project
– The production of vaccines, cancer drugs, and
pesticides
– Engineered bacteria that can clean up toxic wastes
– Cloning
• Organ replacement
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• Transgenic bacteria
produce important
substances useful for
health and industry.
Transgenic bacteria
have been used to
produce:
– insulin
– growth hormone
– clotting factor
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BIOLOGY: CONCEPTS AND CONNECTIONS 4th Edition, by Campbell, Reece,
Mitchell, and Taylor, ©2003.
Transgenic Organisms
• Transgenic animals have
been used to study genes
and to improve the food
supply.
• Mice have been produced
with human genes that
make their immune
systems act similarly to
those of humans. This
allows scientists to study
the effects of diseases on
the human immune
system.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/bookshelf/br.fcgi?book=cmed&part=A9538
Transgenic Organisms
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Transgenic Animals
• Nils Lonberg, director at
Medarex, bred two
genetically modified mice,
creating a mouse with a
humanized immune
system.
• In response to diseasecausing agents, these
mice make human
antibodies in their cells,
some of which might be
developed into drugs.
http://images.businessweek.com/ss/06/01/critters/source/4.htm
Transgenic Organisms
• Researchers are trying to produce
transgenic chickens that will be resistant to
the bacterial infections that can cause food
poisoning.
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http://www.cals.ncsu.edu/agcomm/magazine/spring03/images/transgenic1.jpg
Transgenic Organisms
• Transgenic plants are now an important
part of our food supply.
• Many of these plants contain a gene that
produces a natural insecticide, so plants
don’t have to be sprayed with pesticides.
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• Bt Corn
– Engineering resistant
corn. Following the
insertion of a gene
from the bacteria
Bacillus thuringiensis,
corn becomes
resistant to corn borer
infection. This allows
farmers to use fewer
insecticides
http://www.bio.davidson.edu/people/kabernd/semin
ar/2004/GMevents/LH/cornear.jpg
Transgenic Plants
http://www.scq.ubc.ca/bt-corn-is-it-worth-the-risk/
• “Golden rice” has been genetically modified
to contain beta-carotene
– This rice could help prevent vitamin A
deficiency
Figure 12.18B
Cloning
Dolly and Bonnie
• A clone is a member
of a population of
genetically identical
cells produced from a
single cell.
• In 1997, Ian Wilmut
cloned a sheep called
Dolly.
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Cloning
Cloning
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http://resources.edb.gov.hk/biology/english/images/genetics/panda.gif
• Researchers hope cloning will enable
them to make copies of transgenic animals
and help save endangered species.
Cloning
• Studies suggest that cloned animals may
suffer from a number of genetic defects
and health problems.
– Abnormal gene expression
– “old” DNA
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DNA technology raises important
ethical questions
• Our new genetic knowledge
will affect our lives in
many ways
• The deciphering of the
human genome, in particular,
raises
profound ethical issues
– Many scientists have
counseled that we
must use the
information wisely
Figure 12.21A-C
Could transgenics harm human
health or the environment?
• Genetic engineering involves
some risks
– Possible ecological damage
from pollen transfer between
GM and wild crops
– Pollen from a transgenic variety
of corn that contains a pesticide
may stunt or kill monarch
caterpillars
Figure 12.20A, B
Insulin-dependent diabetes can now be treated
with insulin produced through the use of
a)
b)
c)
d)
transgenic plants.
transgenic animals.
transgenic microorganisms.
transgenic fungi.
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Transgenic tobacco plants that glow in the dark
were produced by transferring the gene for
luciferase from a
a)
b)
c)
d)
clone.
bacterium.
firefly.
jellyfish.
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The first mammal to be cloned was a
a)
b)
c)
d)
sheep.
horse.
dog.
cat.
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In producing a cloned animal, an egg cell is taken
from a female and its nucleus is removed. A
body cell is taken from a male. The clone from
this experiment will
a) look just like the female.
b) be genetically identical to the male.
c) have a mixture of characteristics from both
animals.
d) resemble neither the male nor the female.
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Animals produced by cloning have been shown
to
a)
b)
c)
d)
all be perfectly healthy.
suffer from a number of health problems.
live longer than uncloned animals.
be less intelligent than uncloned animals.
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