Topic 8—B: Genome Projects and Gene Technologies- 4. Recombinant DNA technology Flashcards
What is genetic engineering?
- Microorganisms, plants and animals can all be transformed using recombinant DNA technology
How can transformed plants be produced?
- they are a gene that codes for a desirable protein which is inserted into a plasmid
- the plasmid is added to a bacterium and the bacterium is used as a vector to get the gene into the plant cells
- if the right promotor region has been added along with the gene, the transformed cells will be able to produce the desired protein
How can transformed animals be produced?
- they are a gene that codes for a desirable protein which can be inserted into an early animal embryo or into the egg cells of a female
- if the gene is inserted into a very early embryo, all the body cells of the resulting transformed animal will end up containing the gene
- inserting it into the egg cells means that when the female reproduces all the cells of her offspring will contain the gene
Promotor regions that are only activated in specific cell types can be used to control exactly which of an animals body cells the protein is produced in
- if the protein is only produced in certain cells, it can be harvested more easily
- producing the protein in the wrong cells could also damage the organism
Benefits of transformed organisms
- in agriculture: agricultural crops can be transformed so that they give higher yields or are more nutritious. This means these plants can be used to reduce the risk of famine and malnutrition
E.g. golden rice - crops can also be transformed to have resistance to pests or droughts
- pest-resistant crops need fewer pesticides which reduces costs and any environmental problems associated with using the chemicals
- drought resistant crops can survive in drought-prone areas with little water
In industry:
- industrial processes often use enzymes (biological catalysts)
- these enzymes can be produced from transformed organisms, so they can be produced in large quantities for less money, reducing costs
In medicine:
- many drugs and vaccines are produced by transformed organisms using recombinant DNA technology
- drugs made using recombinant DNA technology can be produced quickly, cheaply and in large quantities
- this could make them ore affordable and so available to more people
Concerns about transformed organisms
- In agriculture:
- farmers might plant only one type of transformed crop (monoculture)
- this could make the whole crop vulnerable to the same disease because the plants are genetically identical
- environmentalists are also concerned about monocultures reducing biodiversity, as this could damage the environment
- some people are concerned about the possibility of ‘superweeds’- weeds that are resistant to herbicides
- these could occur if transformed crops interbreed with wild plants
- there could then be an uncontrolled spread of recombinant DNA, with unknown consequences
- organic farmers can have their crops contaminated by wind-blown seeds from nearby genetically modified crops
- this means they can’t sell their crop as organic and may lose their income
In industry:
- without proper labelling, some people think they won’t have a choice about whether to consume food made using genetically engineered organisms
- some people are worried that the process used to purify proteins (from genetically engineered organisms) could lead to the introduction of toxins into the food industry
- a few, large biotechnology companies control some forms of genetic engineering
- as the use of this technology increases, these companies get bigger and more powerful
- this may force smaller companies out of business, e.g. by making it harder for them to compete
- anti globalisation activists are against this
In medicine:
- companies who own genetic engineering technologies may limit the use of technologies that could be saving lives
- also some people worry that this technology could be used unethically e.g. to make designer babies (babies that have characteristics chosen by their parents)
- this is currently illegal tho
Recombinant DNA technology also creates ownership issues e.g.
- there is some debate about who owns genetic material from humans once it has been removed from the body- the donor or the researcher
- some people argue that the individual holds the right to their own genetic information. However, others argue that value is created by the researcher who uses it to develop a medicine or in diagnosis
- a small number of large corporations own patents to particular seeds
- they can charge high prices sometimes including a ‘technology fee’, and can require farmers to repurchase seeds each year
- if non GM crops are contaminated by GM crops, farmers can be sued for breaching the patent law
