Genetic Engineering in the Biotech Century: Playing It Smart or Playing Roulette with Mother Nature’s Designs? THINK ABOUT AND DISCUSS THE MEANINGS OF THE FOLLOWING QUOTATIONS: Our doubts are traitors, And make us lose the good we oft might win By fearing to attempt. —Measure for Measure: William Shakespeare (1564-1616) English dramatist and poet They are in you end in me; they created us, body and mind; and their preservation is the ultimate rationale for our existence . they go by the name of genes, and we are their survival machines. —The Selfish Gene: Richard Dawkins (1941-} English zoologist We've discovered the secret of life. —Francis Crick (1916-) English scientist 114, 1. PRELISTENING A. Preview of the Content All organisms, from the smallest virus to the largest elephant have genes. The complete collection of genes for each organism is called its genome. On earth, each species of living thing has its own unique genome. You might think of the genome as a giant cookbook with each gene being a single recipe. The recipes in the cookbook are passed down from generation to generation, like some family recipes are. The genes are “written” in a language called the genetic code. This code is based on a molecule shaped like a twisted ladder called DNA, or deoxyribonucleic acid. On February 28, 1953, two scientists, James Watson and Francis Crick, announced they had discovered “the secret of life.” What they had solved was one of biology’s greatest mysteries: the structure of the DNA molecule. After Crick and Watson, other scientists learned how to remove and study the genes of simple organ- isms, such as bacteria. They then learned how to splice and cut the genes, and to “genetically engineer” new kinds of organisms. These biologists became “genetic engineers.” Some people believe that gene splicing and the creation of new organisms via genetic engineering could be a great advantage for humankind, especially in the fields of agriculture and medicine; others fear that genetic engineering could be used to create new kinds of dangerous organisms, either by accident or on purpose. The debate about the pros and cons of genetic engineering continues. In today’s lecture, you will hear some of the pros and cons of genetic engineering outlined, In addition, examples will be given to support the lecturer's points about the blessings and potential horrors of genetic engineering in the twenty-first century. B. Think about This Think about the following questions. 1. Would you eat genetically engineered food? Give three reasons why or why not? 2. Do you expect to sez cloning of animals and humans in the near future? Why or why not? 3. If given the chance, would you allow a commercial company to clone you or a loved one? Explain why or why not? 4. Think about 100 years in the future, what advances in medicine, agriculture, and transportation do you anticipate? Explain. 5. Have you seen the movie, or read the book Frankenstein? What implications [if any] does the “engineering” of Dr. Frankenstein's monster have for today’s researchers in genetic engineering? Explain. CHAPTER 10 GENETIC ENGINEERING IN THE BIOTECH CENTURY 115 se