Week 1 Flashcards
Gene technology? (1 point, 2 exceptions)
Technology for the modification of genes or other genetic material, but NOT:
- sexual reproduction
- homologous recombination
What is a GMO? (3 points)
Organism modified by gene technology OR inherited traits from initial organism modified by gene tech OR as otherwise specified
What is NOT a GMO? (2 points)
- Human being, even if a patient of somatic gene cell therapy
- As otherwise specified, e.g.
- Induced mutagenesis
- Possible to occur naturally
- Vaccines, if incapable of giving rise to infectious agents
Who administers the Gene Technology Act 2000?
Gene Technology Regulator
Who supports the Gene Technology Act 2000?
Office of the Gene Technology Regulator (OGTR)
What involves Dealings?
Conduct experiments with; make; breed/propagate; use to manufacture others; import; transport;dispose of
GMO
Exempt dealing?
Very low risk, contained, well understood organism, no release
Notifiable Low Risk Dealing (NLRD)?
Low risk, certified physical containment facilities, higher regulated than exempt.
Licensed dealing? (2 points)
Dealings not involving intentional release (DNIR);
Dealings involving intentional release (DIR)
Who conducts dealings? (2 points, 2 exceptions)
Those with access to Institutional Biosafety Committee (IBC);
Those who apply and are evaluated by the IBC and describe:
- host, vector and genes
- qualification
- facilities
- procedures
- risk assessment
EXCEPTION: no IBC for “exempt”; IBC + OGTR for licensed
What are the 2 possible outcomes of transformation?
Transient (no incorporation into genome) and stable
What is Agrobacterium tumefaciens?
A bacterium found in soil that causes disease on plants by naturally transferring DNA to plants. Its Ti-plasmid is the one transformed.
How is T-DNA transferred?
When wounded, plants send out small molecules which causes VirA/g activation. T-DNA synthesis and Vir transcription occur. virD2 activates pillus, which transports the T-DNA through the pores of the cell
What is a binary vector?
A “dis-armed” plasmid that does not carry virulence
How can T-DNA become safe as a tool for genetic engineering?
vir is a trans gene whilst the T-DNA is a cis structure, allowing them to be separated, making a binary vector. Other tumour causing genes can be excluded as well.
What are the 4 properties of binary vectors?
- E. Coli replication origin
- Agrobacteria replication origin
- Bacterial or herbicide resistance gene
- Plant Transgene (w/ promoter, desired gene and stop sequence)
Plant propagation
- propagate vector in e coli
- isolate and engineer (insert wanted gene)
- re-introduce into e.coli + propagate
- isolate, introduce to Agrobacteria w/ modified Ti-plasmid
- Infect plant
- Use medium to select only transformed cells
How can insertional mutagenesis help science?
When genes are inserted into a genome, they are put at a random place and can knock-out another gene, de-activating it and becoming a tag for finding it.
Advantages of transgenics?
+ resistance to disease, yield and nutrition
- pesticide use
Rapid transfer between plants
Transfer traits don’t hybridise naturally
Novel traits
Improve existing traits
Disadvantages of transgenics?
Cultured plant cell is genetically unstable
Allergenicity
Gene transfer to other species or wild populations
