Gene Modification

Question 1

What is the main aim of gene therapy?

Answer 1

To make changes to the genome to try and correct genetic disorders.

Question 2

What are the 3 main approaches to gene therapy?

Answer 2

Inserting functioning genes where the animals own genes are not working.
Inactivating genes that are not functioning properly
Introducing new genes

Question 3

What does stomatic cell gene therapy target ?

Answer 3

The affected body cells

Question 4

What does Germline gene therapy act on?

Answer 4

The ova , sperm and early embryos

Question 5

What is Transgenics ?

Answer 5

A process where a foreign gene is incorporated into an organisms DNA.

Question 6

What is Gene Pharming ?

Answer 6

A mix of transgenic techniques and farming which is used to develop animals that produce proteins with a medicinal or commercial value. These proteins may be secreted in milk or released though eggs making them easy to harvest.

Question 7

What is cloning ?

Answer 7

When an exact copy of the organism is made. DNA is extracted from an adult animal and is used to replace the DNA in a fertilised ovum. The embryo is then implanted in a surrogate mother. The offspring will be genetically identical to the adult that donated DNA

Question 8

What are Knockout Mice ?

Answer 8

Lab bred mice that have a section of DNA inactivated , often by inserting artificial DNA. They are used to investigate the effect or a particular gene in order to study genetic disease and development of treatments. However sometimes genes have different effects in different species.