Biotechnology Flashcards
transgenic organism
a gene from a different species has been artificially inserted into this species, first done in 1983 for antibiotic resistance in tobacco
transgenes made plants glow
1986
first transgenic food hit the market
1994, the flavor savor tomato modified to ripen slower
artificial selection
selective breeding for preferred traits by breeding the most desirable individuals
hybridization and backcrossing
interbreeding two different species and continually breeding with one parent until an almost pure plant with the desired new gene is achieved
mutagenesis
encouraging random mutations via chemicals or radiation, faster but less reliable
benefits of transgenes
able to control which and how many genes are introduced, allows genes to move between unrelated organisms, allows significant change to occur faster
downsides of transgenes
potential introduction of an allergen, transgene escape
transgene escape
crop plants interbreed with wild plants and spread the new gene into wild populations
bt crops
gene to protect against herbivory from Bacillus thuringiensis
herbicide tolerance
transgenic plants that allow spraying of herbicides without damaging crops, most common transgenic trait
increased nutritional quality
transgenes allow for addition of nutrients to staple crops such as adding beta carotenes to make golden rice
other transgenic traits
frost, salt, and drought tolerance; ripening control
most common transgenic crops in the US
cotton, sugar beets, soybeans, corn, canola
most common method of creating transgenic plants
using transformation with bacteria, gene is isolated from the host and cloned, copies are placed into a plasmid and put into a bacteria, bacteria inserts plasmid into the plant cell, plant incorporates it into the DNA, plant is grown using tissue culture
transgenic plants via agrobacterium tumefaciens
causes some plants to grow tumors by naturally inserting T-DNA from the plasmid, for transgenes the T-DNA is cut out and replaced with a desired gene
kanamycin resistance
added with foreign DNA during transgenes, resulting cells are treated with kanamycin so that any cells that did not take up the gene will die
transgenic plants via particle bombardment
the foreign DNA is coated with gold or tungsten and is then blasted at the cells using a particle gun
transgenic plants via electroporation
plant cells are placed in with the gene and they are exposed to a magnetic field which creates pores in the cells for the gene to pass through
crispr
can be editing existing genes or inserting transgenes
American chestnut
faced a fungus that kills off the entire above ground portion of the plant, attempted to build up resistance through mutagenesis, tried hybridization with the resistant Chinese chestnut which is working, transgenes used to insert an oxalate oxidase from wheat to break down the toxin from the fungus
