Genetically Modified
Organisms
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For centuries people have bred plants and animals to
get the best characteristics:
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Taste
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Colour
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Size
This has resulted in the varieties of livestock,
vegetables, flowers and other crops that we use today
What is Genetic Engineering?
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Manually adding new DNA to an organism
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Adding more desirable traits not found in that organism
Recap: DNA
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DNA - a molecule found in the nucleus of every cell
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Made up of 4 subunits (A, T, G, & C)
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DNA is packed into chromosomes
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Genes: Small segments of DNA
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Holds instructions for how to produce a single protein
Demo
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http://cls.casa.colostate.edu/transgeniccrops/animation.
html
Recap: Proteins
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They do a lot of work in cells!
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structurally
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regulate reactions
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enzymes
What are some desirable
characteristics?
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Easy to grow
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Easy to store
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Easy to ship
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Resistant to pests
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Provide high yields
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Grow under well under environmental conditions
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As a result, some varieties are no longer raised.
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There is a movement to protect these heirloom
varieties in order to preserve genetic diversity
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Because of their genetic diversity, these heirloom
varieties are more resistant to disease and they drive
evolution.
Biopharming
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When pharmaceutical products are produced on a
large scale using biotechnology
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Ex: The production of Insulin
Genetic engineering uses DNA technology to modify
the genes of a cell or an organism.
Examples
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Spider Goats
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E. coli bacteria altered to become insulin factories
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Safflowers can now produce insulin
GMOs available in Canada
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Coho Salmon
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Cattle
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Resistance to MCD
Tomatoes
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Faster maturation
Improved flavour, more durability
Canola
GMOs being researched
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Rice
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Higher vitamin A
Tobacco
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Hepatitis B vaccine
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Corn
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Oral vaccines
GM Canola
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Has been engineered to be resistant to specific
herbicides
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Herbicides can be sprayed to kill weeds but the
Canola remains healthy
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The oil from GM canola is identical to conventional
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40% less herbicides, 10% increased yields.
Advantages
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Less pesticides
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Increased yields
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Potential to provide food for the world’s hungry
Disadvantages
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Increased costs of patented seeds
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Excluding family farms and smaller scale operations
Contamination of traditional crops
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Patent infringement
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Some GM plants produce toxins
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Contamination of soil and water
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Reduced fish populations
Societal Concerns and
Implications
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Where do you draw the line?
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There are many known benefits
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There may be far-reaching irreversible effects
Bt Corn
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Resistant to European Corn Borer
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Soil Bacteria: Bacillus thuringiensis
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produces a protein that was toxic to silk worms and
European corn borer
Bt Corn
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Step 1: DNA is extracted from the soil bacteria
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Step 2: Gene Cloning
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This separates the single gene of interest from the
rest of the genes extracted
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Copies are also made of the desired gene
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Step 3: Gene Design
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Step 4: Transformation/ Gene Insertion
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The gene is cut apart with enzymes for it will work
inside a different organisms
Tissue cultures are used to create undifferentiated
plant cells where the genes will be inserted
Step 5: Breeding