Genetically Modified Organisms Technology
GMO Gentically Modified Organisms
A Genetically Modified Organism (GMO) is any organism that has had its genetic makeup altered by humans Ahmed, 2002.
The organism could be an animal, plant, or microorganism. The changing of the genetic code could involve subtracting, adding, or altering. All these changes could be from the same species or different species, which would give the organism characteristics that it does not have normally. GMO technology is widely used for scientific research and in the production of foods and goods. A GMO results from the laboratory process of extracting genes from the DNA of a species and forcing the genes into an unrelated plant or animal's genes. The foreign genes come from viruses, bacteria, animals, insects, or even humans. GMOs allow for the production of organisms with desired biological traits or favor the expression of some desired traits. Conventional crop farming, livestock production, and pet breeding have involved the practice of select breeding in order to produce offspring's with desirable traits. Genetic modification employs technology to produce organism that have their genomes altered in a precise manner at the molecular level. This process involves the introduction of genes from unrelated species, which would not be possible using conventional breeding.
The scientific methods used in the production of GMOs are reproductive cloning and recombinant DNA technology. In order to reproduce offspring with the same genetics as the parent one would use reproductive cloning technology. This involves the transfer of the entire donor's nucleus into the host egg's enucleated cytoplasm. Dolly was the first animal to be born using this technology in 1996. Recombinant DNA technology involves inserting one or more individual genes of a particular organism into the DNA of another. The two organisms are not necessarily from the same species.
Reproductive cloning
According to Bowring (2004)
Reproductive cloning is the deliberate production of organisms with the same genetic as the parent. In this case, each of the genetically produced organisms would be a clone of the original. The most common techniques used for cloning is Somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT). This involves transferring the nucleus of a body cell to an egg, which has its nucleus removed. This would produce a clonal embryo that needs electricity or chemical triggers in order for it to begin developing. Placing the cloned embryo in the uterus of a female, where it comes to term, thus creating a clone. The clone will have identical genes as those of the original animal. For implanting the cloned embryo, one can use a real or an artificial uterus.
Reproductive cloning is more difficult than it sounds. The process has a low rate of success, and in the case of the cloned sheep, the scientists confirmed that they had to try around 227 times. The attempts required demonstrate that this process is highly impractical. The nucleus extracted from the donor may not reproduce after it is inserted it the donor egg. Even after the insertion, the process requires triggering in order for reproduction to occur. The egg needs to reproduce enough times for consideration as an embryo fit for implantation into a female. The female implanted with the embryo is not necessarily the donor, and the chances that the embryo will reach its term are low. The born animal might be deformed, which renders the whole process a failure and the scientists have to start all over again. There is significant progress in reproductive cloning, but scientists have had trouble trying to clone dogs and monkeys. They have faced numerous challenges like getting a female to carry the embryo and growing the embryo without losing chromosomes. These challenges make the use reproductive cloning a less viable means of GMO production.
SCNT involves removing the entire nucleus of an organism from a somatic cell, followed by inserting the nucleus into an egg that has had its nucleus removed. This process has undergone significant changes and refinement. There are procedures developed that aid in preventing damages to the egg during extraction and insertion. Using SCNT for reproductive cloning is very harmful since the embryo fetuses rarely survive gestation. Some of the fetuses are born with birth defects.
Recombinant DNA technology
This technology involves joining DNA molecules of two different species. The DNA molecules are inserted into the host organism in order to produce a new genetic combination that is of value to agriculture, science, industry, and medicine. The gene is the focus of all genetics. Therefore, laboratory genetics fundamental goal is isolation, characterization, and manipulation of genes Pasternak ()
GMO Food The process of genetic modification of an organism Genetic modification of an organism is the process by which the genes of an organism are altered to introduce useful genes that are believed to help it to grow and thrive in any given condition. The genes contain DNA, a basic building block of all living organisms that is responsible for the presence or absence of certain traits or characteristics and modification
Furthermore, these crops could exhaust soil to such a degree that no more crops could be developed there, and thus contribute to rather than alleviate the problem of world hunger. Another problem cited by opponents is the danger to biodiversity that might be created by GMO's. Genetically modifying foods may have a negative impact on the environment by destroying biodiversity, according to this group. Proponents however argue that biodiversity is
Food There are many different controversies with respect to food, among them issues about long-run food security, about different health issues related to food including added salt and trans-fats, or on the positive side the value of highly-nutritious superfoods. But probably the biggest subject of public debate with respect to food these days relates to GMOs, or genetically-modified organisms. They are almost always banned in Europe, but in the U.S. not
This toxin is currently used as a conventional insecticide in agriculture and is safe for human consumption," (WHO 2010). This begs the question: if the "toxin" is safe, then why is it called a toxin? With similar grim irony, biotechnology companies are inserting viruses and bacteria into plants too. Theoretically, these alterations to the genetic structure of the plant are "safe," but there have been no longitudinal studies showing
GMO Food Labeling Genetically modified foods (genetically modified foods) have been an issue of controversy since their early development. genetically modified foods refer to organisms that are intended for human or animal consumption that have been modified artificially to enhance certain plant traits. Some of these traits include pesticide resistance, herbicide tolerance, disease resistance, cold tolerance, drought tolerance, salinity tolerance, improved nutrition, pharmaceuticals, and phytoremediation, which is the use of plants
GMO Foods The safety, or lack thereof, of genetically modified foods is subject to considerable debate in the public sphere. In order to render a reasonable opinion on the subject of feeding GMO foods to my children, I would want to defer to the best available science, and add a dash of reason. The first thing that would need to be established is the methodology by which one assesses the concept
Our semester plans gives you unlimited, unrestricted access to our entire library of resources —writing tools, guides, example essays, tutorials, class notes, and more.
Get Started Now