4-6-8 Transgenic Organisms Flashcards
Some examples of transgenic, or genetically engineered, bacteria introduced into plants to protect and improve the health of plants.
“Frost-minus” bacteria protects plants from frost damage.
Nitrogen-fixing bacteria could be engineered to supply nitrogen to non-legumes.
Brennan, for your information: The roots of legumes have natural symbiotic bacteria that take nitrogen from the air and convert it to forms of nitrogen the plant can use. Non-legumes do not host these kinds of natural bacteria.)
Some examples of genetically engineered bacteria that help the environment.
Bacteria engineered to use petroleum as their only source of carbon: They clean up oil spills. When the oil is cleaned up, the bacteria will die.
Genetically engineered bacteria that can remove sulfur from coal before the coal is burned, preventing the sulfur from polluting the air.
Example of bacteria used in the large-scale production of chemicals
The amino acid phenylalanine is used as a sweetner called aspartame, or Nutrasweet. Engineered bacteria are used to produce aspartame in large scale.
Bacteria that process minerals
Genetically engineered “bioleaching” bacteria can extract copper, uranium, and gold from ore.
Summary: What are some different uses for genetically engineered bacteria?
Protect plants from frost damage
Convert nitrogen from the air into forms of nitrogen plants can use
Clean up oil spills
Remove sulfur from coal before it is burned, preventing the sulfur to pollute the air
Extract minerals (copper, uranium, gold) from ore
Produce chemicals, e.g., aspartame, in large quantities.
Transgenic plants with improved characteristics have been developed over the past decade. What are the major crops that have been improved? What are the improved characteristics?
Improved soybean, cotton, alfalfa, rice, potato, and corn have been developed.
Improved characteristics are resistance to herbicides, pests, and diseases; higher stress tolerance; increased nutrients.
Animal cells will not take up bacterial plasmids like plants. What are some other methods used to develop transgenic animals?
Silicon-carbide needles are used to make tiny holes in the animal cell nucleus. DNA can enter through these holes.
Growth hormone is injected into animal eggs to produce larger fish, cows, pigs and sheep.
What is gene pharming?
The use of transgenic farm animals to produce pharmaceuticals. Genes for therapeutic proteins are inserted into the animal’s DNA. Often the product is collected from the milk of females.
