New Genes For Old

Question 1

What has selective breeding of cows improved yields on

Answer 1

Quantity of milk
Quality of milk- jersey cows produce creamy milk, sold for more
Beef production- hereford and anghus cows have early maturity and lots of offspring

Question 2

Advantages of selective breeding

Answer 2

More efficient on agriculture and horticulture

More economically viable than natural selection

Question 3

Disadvantages of selective breeding

Answer 3

Reduces gene pool, smaller range of alleles so less variation. This Reduces ability to respond to environmental change, limiting further selective breeding opportunities
More susceptible to disease

Accumulation of harmful recessive characteristics, (in-breeding)

Question 4

What is GM (genetic modification)

Answer 4

Genes transferred for one organism to another to change the recipients characteristics

Question 5

Why would altering genetic make up of an organism be done

What are the advantages of GM

Answer 5

Improve resistance to herbicides in plants - removes competition not crop itself
Improve quality of food (adding vitamins, improving taste)
Produce substances required quickly
Can be used to make biochemical processes cheaper and more efficient

Question 6

What are the disadvantages of GM

Answer 6

GM foods may not be safe to eat

GM plants may release new genes into the environment by cross breeding with wild plants

Question 7

It may be possible to change peoples genes are cure disease

What is this research called and what is used to do this

Answer 7

Gene therapy

Body cells and gametes

Question 8

GM can be used to produce insulin to treat diabetes

What is the process

Answer 8

Gene for insulin is identified and removed using a restriction enzyme that cuts through DNA in precise pieces
The restriction enzyme cuts open a ring of bacterial DNA (plasmid) Enzymes insert DNA into plasmid, as it divides the DNA replicates
Bacteria are cultivated in fermentors. Each bacterium can make insulin

Question 9

What is the opposition to gene therapy

Answer 9

The results could be worse than the disease attempted to cure
In the future racial variations like height and skin colour may be targeted 👱🏻👱🏽👱🏿
Reduction in genetic diversity could increase vulnerability to disease😷
Concerns insurance companies may screen people and deny people at higher risk of disease

Question 10

Describe the process of selective breeding

Answer 10

Select desired characteristics in parents
Allow individuals to breed/cross pollinate
Select desired offspring and allow these to become parents of the next generation