Lecture 14

Question 1

Biotechnology

Answer 1

Set of technologies in which a living organism/system derived from one or more living organisms is directed to generate a product/service

Question 2

“Old Biotechnology”

Answer 2

Yeast fermenting grape sugar to produce ethanol in wine

Question 3

“New Biotechnology”

Answer 3

Cutting and joining of DNA molecules to produce new genes of value in the target organism

• Transgene technology
• Genetic engineering

Question 4

Transgene technology

Answer 4

• Rely on the ability to cut and join DNA molecules to assemble a DNA molecule having a new nucleotide sequence and to introduce the new DNA molecule into an organism in the lab

Question 5

The transgenic organism can transmit the new sequence to its progeny

Answer 5

meaning that the progeny will have the new phenotype

Question 6

Could a transgene cause a toxin to be produced

Answer 6

possibly, yes

Question 7

Could a transgene cause increased disease susceptibility in a crop plant and result in mycotoxin accumulation?

Answer 7

This can happen regardless of the technology

Question 8

Fusarium verticillioides

Answer 8

Corn Ear Rot

• cryptic
• Produces a number of toxins –> mycotoxins

Question 9

Fumonisins

Answer 9

if there scorn there is some sort of concentration it in the food –> of course below the level of concern

Question 10

World-wide, >95% of transgenic plantings are in four crops:

Answer 10

soybean, corn, cotton, and canola

Question 11

What kind of tolerance is the most common transgenic crop trait?

Answer 11

Herbicide tolerance –> allows herbicide sprays of the field to kill weeds but not the crop

Question 12

USDA-APHIS

Answer 12

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

• Safe to grow?
• Probability that the transgenic crop plant/animal could become a weed/pest/transfer genes to a wild relative

Question 13

EPA

Answer 13

• Is it safe for the Environment?

- probability of releasing a toxic sub into the enviro

Question 14

FDA

Answer 14

• Is it safe to eat?
• probability that short term/long term consumption of for derived from the transonic plant/animal will cause an adverse effect (toxicity, allergenicity)

Question 15

Methods for genetic improvement of crop plants

Answer 15

Generational selection
vegetative sport propagation
ordinary genetic crosses
Chemical mutagenesis
Tadiation mutagenesis
wide genetic crosses
Protoplast fusion
Transgenic transformation

Question 16

What are possible adverse outcomes of performing wide genetic crosses or protoplast fusion?

Answer 16

It’s conceivable that genes from the 2 parents, which have been separated by millions of years and evolution, could interact with an adverse outcome

Question 17

The U.S. focuses on what kind of crops?

Answer 17

Transgenic crops