The Plant World
and
Genetic Engineering
Part I
Transgenic Plants
Jana Klose, Greg Lampard
UBC Biotechnology Laboratory
What Is Biotechnology?
• Harnessing the natural biological processes
of living systems for the benefit of mankind
• Biotechnology in the past
– making bread and cheese, brewing beer
– crossbreeding plants
• Modern biotechnology
– genetic engineering
Genetic Engineering
• The process of manipulating and transferring
instructions carried by genes from one cell to
another
Why do scientists want to change gene
instructions?
• to produce needed chemicals
• to carry out useful processes
• to give an organism desired characteristics
DNA IS
EVERYWHERE
DNA and Genes
• Genes = the coding system for instructions
• A gene = is a segment of DNA
Guanine
(G)
Cytosine
(C)
Adenine
(A)
Thymine
(T)
bases
DNA
gene
Genes and Proteins
transcription
mRNA
Gene
(a piece of DNA)
protein
translation
trait
Restriction enzymes
As
biological
scissors
Plant Genetic Engineering
Transgenic Plants
• the product of plant genetic engineering
Genetically Modified Organism (GMO)
Genetically Engineered Organism (GEO)
• the label for transgenic plants
Plant Genetic Engineering Process
Cell
Plant cell
Extracted DNA
A single
gene
Transformation
Transgenic plant
Cell division
How are Transgenic Plants
Produced?
Commonly Used Methods:
• Agrobacterium tumefaciens
• Gene Gun / Biolistics
• Electroporation
Agrobacterium tumefaciens
Agrobacterium
Plant cell
Genomic DNA
Genomic DNA
Ti plasmid
(carries the gene of
interest)
Restriction
enzyme A
Restriction
enzyme A
+
Empty
plasmid
Gene of
interest
Ti plasmid with the gene of interest
Agrobacterium tumefaciens
Ti plasmid with the new gene
cell’s
DNA
+
Agrobacterium
Transformation
Plant cell
The new
gene
Transgenic plant
Cell division
“Gene Gun” Technique
DNA coated
golden particles
Gene gun
Cell’s DNA
Plant cell
A plant cell with
the new gene
Transgenic plant
Cell division
Power supply
Electroporation
Technique
Plant cell
Duracell
Protoplast
DNA containing
the gene of interest
DNA inside the
plant cell
The plant cell with
the new gene
Next Generation of Transgenic
Crops
•
•
•
•
•
Plant-based vaccines
Enhanced nutritional content
Functional foods and phytoceuticals
Transgenic plants for phytoremediation
Plant-derived plastics and polymers