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Genetically Organisms : Genetically Modified Organism

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A GMO is a genetically modified organism. It is a process of taking “genes from one species and inserting them into another in an attempt to obtain a desired trait or characteristic, and this is why they are also called transgenic organism” (About GMO). This process is categorized under two names even though they are one in the same, Genetic Engineering and Genetic Modification. In order for a scientist to introduce new DNA into an organism, they must go through a series of steps or methods like: “using viruses or bacteria to infect cells with new DNA; coating DNA onto tiny metal pellets, and firing it with a special gun into cells; injecting the new DNA into fertilized eggs with a very fine needle; or using electric shocks to create holes in the membrane covering sperm, and then forcing the new DNA into the sperm through these holes” (About GMO). For thousands of years, humans have been practicing some type of genetic modification either through selective breeding and/or cross pollination. Selective breeding or artificial selection is humans breeding animals or plants for particular traits. When farmers breed their bulls, cows, horses, chickens, or anything they are handling, the animals tend to be domesticated. Every farmer is guilty of this because they want their animals to be the biggest and the best, so of course they take their best male and female and let them mate. Sometimes they will just use their females and buy the semen from someone else so they can have those

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