Genetic Modification Of Food And Plants

What are genetically modified foods? They are plants and animals whose DNA has been altered or change to suit the needs of humans. There are three types of genetically modified food (GM) first generation, second generation, and third generation crops. Each type is focused in different types of yields and crops so they can have a system that allows to keep production and value up.

Gene therapy is an experimental treatment, which is used to replace mutated, improperly functioning genes with regular DNA. There are several gene therapy methods, most of which involve using a vector to transport the corrected gene into targeted cells. Retro viruses, adeno viruses, adeno ascosciated viruses and liposomes are commonly used as vectors. Naked DNA (DNA without

A: Traditionally breeding and genetic engineering both involved artificial selection for desired traits. However genetic engineering techniques facilitate faster gen transfer and are not limited to transferring genes between closely related varieties or species.

What are transgenic organisms? How are they made? Are they safe? Are they a good source of food? These are all questions that are asked about transgenic organisms. Through this paper we will discuss these questions and give viable answers. We will look in detail into the role these organisms play in today’s society.

Today, with use of GMOs, the DNA from several organisms may be combined to create desirable effects or changes in crops. Through the use of gene transfer, the genetic makeup of these modified organisms may contain genes from: plant, bacteria, animal, and viruses. Early forms of the GMO concept could be traced back to the process of “selective breeding”. Through selective breeding it was possible to breed for desirable traits. “Through selective breeding, farmers and ranchers have introduced valued traits into crops and livestock for centuries. It was selective breeding, for example, that produced two main species in the grass family, wheat and rye. Some farmers focused on breeding a grass that was rugged (resulting in rye), and other farmers focused on breeding grass with a high yield (wheat). By identifying and “crossing” grasses that exhibited the desired traits, farmers were able to breed these two distinct species.” (“Genetically Modified Organisms,” n.d.).

The terms "genetic engineering", "genetic manipulation", gene technology and trans-genes or the utilization of recombinant DNA are the terms used to describe modification processes. Genetic engineering is a positioned of developments used to change the genetic makeup of cells, including the transfer of genes inside and crosswise over species limits to deliver enhanced or innovative organisms. The systems include modern controls of inherited material and other organically energetic elements. Genetic engineering is also known GM or genetic modification.

The act of injecting a trait into another organism so it can continuously produce that specific trait is unnatural. While some are arguing that the use of the modified organisms is beneficial for reasons such as stronger crops that not only produce more, but also are pest resistant. However, the dangers have failed to be mentioned such as health risks and the complete extinction of some plants. For example, some plants are being created with built in pesticide that will prevent farmers from having to spray their crops with harmful pesticide. The plant however, has the pesticide inside of it, which is then sold to

Gene therapy is an experimental treatment, which is used to replace mutated, improperly functioning genes with regular DNA. There are several gene therapy methods, most of which involve using a vector to transport the corrected gene into targeted cells. Retro viruses, adeno viruses, adeno ascosciated viruses and liposomes are commonly used as

Genetic modification has been practiced for thousands of years, but most know it as selective breeding. This is a process by which humans select specific individuals, based on their desirable traits for reproduction, creating a new generation of better adapted organisms. This technique is similar to the process of creating GMOs in labs today. Rather than breeding, “… specific genes [are] identified, isolated, copied, and introduced into other organisms” (Jones, 2016, p.581). This method of crop modification has worked so well that almost 85 percent of all US corn has become

Now, what exactly is the procedure that these brilliant scientist follow to modify the plant, well it is pretty simple actually. Many people are afraid of the

This is done through an alteration of the genetic makeup of an organism so that the modification is transmitted to the organism 's offspring (Knight).

The ability to transform cell cultures and incorporate foreign DNA into other tissues is a key component to studying gene function which allows research to further in biotechnology (Gao and Nielson, 2013). The most commonly used biotechnology methods for integrating foreign genes into plant cells are Agrobacterium-mediated transformation and Biolistic delivery mediated transformation (Gao and Nielson, 2013). For the purpose of this technical review paper, the focus will be on the biolistic delivery method, and primary scientific literature that incorporates this technique in their studies.

Genetically modified foods are foods with different genetic information. This is done to create more, tastier food in less time. These foods are supposed to be “better” than regular foods. “’The 1980’s marked the scientific discovery that specific pieces of DNA could be transferred from one organism to another’” (History of Genetically Modified Organisms). Later in 1990, genetically modified cotton was successfully tested. This new way of making food started with corn, but spread to all kinds of different crops. Soon Monsanto, a company that produces genetically modified seeds, introduced herbicide-immune soybeans. “Farmers have been manipulating genomes since long before they knew about genes. For thousands of years, they sought to transfer desirable traits from one plant species to another by cross-breeding” (Cothran). Farmers quickly picked up on the

Instead of transferring large blocks of genes from donor plant to recipient, small isolated blocks of genes are put into the plant chromosome through biolistics, vectors, or protoplast transformation (Horsch 1993). Biolistics is a technique that shoots the gene block into the potential host cell. In order for the process to succeed, the microscopic particles and DNA must enter the cell nuclei and combine with the plant chromosome. Biolistics is commonly used but has a slight failure risk since the breeder has little control over the destination of the gene block (Mooney & Bernardi 1990). Bacteria or viruses can also carry the gene blocks into a new cell. Common vectors in gene transfer between plants are Agrobacterium tumefaciens and Agrobacterium rhizogenes. In the soil, the bacteria will infect the plants with their own plasmid, transferring the desired gene that was placed in the bacteria's DNA. Vector gene transfer is a preferred method of transformation since this modification already occurs naturally in the environment (Rudolph & McIntire 1996). Last is protoplast transformation, which uses enzymes to dissolve the cellulose in the plant wall that leaves a protoplast. Once a specific gene block is added to the protoplast, the cell wall will re-grow into a transgenic plant.

The coding region of the gene is usually fused to a promoter, most commonly used is the 35S promoter from cauliflower mosaic virus (CMV), in order to promote higher expression levels. (Snow et. al, 1997) The popular method for genetic engineering of crop plants is natural gene transfer via an Agrobacterium tumefaciens vector, a bacterium normally found in soils. The transfer-DNA (T-DNA) vector is made by inserting the desired gene fragment in between specific 25bp repeat domains in the bacterium. The vector is then inserted into the Agrobacterium and "the virulence gene products of Agrobacterium actively recognize, excise, transport, and integrate the T-DNA region into the host plant genomes." (Conner et. al, 1999) The amount of DNA transferred is only about 10kb and the nature of the gene is usually well understood. The expression of the gene introduced can also be controlled by adding additional sequences that might allow the gene to be constitutively expressed, expressed only in certain cell types, or expressed as a result of different environmental changes. This method of gene transfer, however, will only work for the natural host range of the bacterium and therefore other methods are used for additional crop plants. Such methods are uptake of naked DNA by electroporation or particle gun bombardment. The use of genetic markers, as mentioned previously, allows for the preferential growth of cultures that contain the new genetic