Senior High School

Earth and Life Science

Module 12:
Genetic Engineering

Learning Tasks

Read and understand the lesson then do

the following:

Required to submit (written or virtual

submission)

1.Pre-test
Activity 2. Complete that GMO!
Activity 3. GMO’s: Friend or Foe?
2. Gauge

LU_Earth and Life Science_Module12

 Learning Tasks

Read and understand the lesson then do the

following:
Required to submit
1. Pre-test

Activity 2. Complete that GMO!

Activity 3. GMO’s: Friend or Foe?

2. Gauge
 Target

This learning material covers lesson and activity that will help students gain
knowledge on genetic engineering. It discusses topics that enhance their
understanding of DNA manipulation to produce desired traits, and how they used
this practice to address current problems faced by humanity. It is necessary to learn
the different application of genetic engineering and its moral and ethical issues
related to its implementation.
This module will provide you with activities and information that will help you
in understanding the process of genetic engineering.

After going through this module, you are expected to:

a. describe the process of genetic engineering, S11/12LT-IIej-17; and

b. evaluate the benefits and risks of using GMOs. S11/12LT-IIej-19

Before proceeding further, check how much you know about

Genetic Engineering. Answer the pre-test in a separate sheet of paper.

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Pre-test
Direction: Read each item carefully. Write the letter of the correct answer on a
separate answer sheet.
1. Which of the following would be considered recombinant DNA?
A. A viral genome
B. The human insulin gene
C. Pure bred dog through three generations, such as a golden retriever
D. A bacterial transcription gene combined with a human promoter
2. Genetic engineering is the artificial manipulation, modification, and recombination
of what class of naturally occurring chemical compound?
A. amino acids B. nucleic acids C. phosphates E. proteins
3. In the modern era, the term genetic engineering refers specifically to which of the
following methods?
A. artificial selection B. in vitro fertilization
C. genetic variation D. recombinant DNA technology
4. In recombinant DNA technology, what molecule is the most commonly used DNA
vector (or carrier, used to insert foreign genetic material into an organism’s
genome)?
A. cell B. clone C. gene D. plasmid
5. What type of organism was the first to be successfully modified via the techniques
of genetic engineering?
A. bacteria B. mouse C. plant D. virus
6. Which of the following is the primary method of genetic engineering that has been
studied in humans?
A. cloning B. gene targeting C. gene therapy D. transformation
7. The ability to recombine genetic material from different organisms, resulting in
the production of a genetically modified organism, is possible for which of the
following reasons?
A. All organisms are capable of reproduction.
B. DNA vectors are readily taken up by all organisms.
C. The basic chemical structure of the genetic material of all organisms is
highly variable.
D. The basic chemical structure of the genetic material of all organisms is the
same.
8. Which of the following tools allows researchers to make highly specific changes in
an organism’s nucleic acid sequence?
A. gene editing B. gene targeting C. hybridization D. transformation
9. The purpose of selective breeding is to
A. get bigger animals B. creates animals with desirable traits
C. get smaller animals D. create animals with bad traits
10. A scientist cloned a goat. Which of these is a true statement about the cloned
goat?
A. It has new genes and traits
B. It lacks the genes for reproduction
C. It has the genes that are identical to the original goat
D. It looks the same but has different genes.

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 Jumpstart

Introduction to Genetic Engineering

and Its Application

For you to understand the lesson well, do the following activity.

Have fun learning and good luck!

Activity 1: What do you see?

Direction: Looking at the images below, what did you observe?

Source: https://interestingengineering.com/11-real-examples-of-genetically-modified-
organisms- marvels-or-monsters

Observation:

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 Discover

What is Genetic Engineering?

Genetic engineering refers to the direct manipulation of DNA (deoxyribonucleic
acid) using technology to change the genetic makeup of an organism - be it an animal,
plant or a bacterium.
Genetic engineering which is also called genetic modification was first
introduced in 1970s, describes the developing field of recombinant DNA technology
and started with simple cloning of small pieces of DNA, growing them in bacteria
which has evolved to an enormous field where whole genomes can be cloned and
moved from cell to cell, to cell using varied techniques.
Recombinant DNA
Recombinant DNA allows one specific piece of DNA to be cut and combined
with another piece of DNA.

The illustration below will help you to further understand this process of
Recombinant DNA:

Recombinant
DNA

Figure 1. Process of Recombinant DNA

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Gene Therapy

Is the primary method of genetic engineering that has been studied in humans?
Gene therapy is an experimental technique that uses genes to treat or prevent
disease. In the future, this technique may allow doctors to treat a disorder by
inserting a gene into a patient’s cells instead of using drugs or surgery.

Gene Editing
Genome editing (also called gene editing) is a group of technologies that give
scientists the ability to change an organism's DNA (make highly specific changes in
an organism’s nucleic acid sequence)

Selective Breeding
Selective Breeding is also known as artificial selection. It is the process used
by humans to develop new organisms with desirable characteristics. Breeders select
two parents that have beneficial phenotypic traits to reproduce, yielding offspring
with those desired traits

Cloning
DNA cloning is the process of making multiple, identical copies of a particular
piece of DNA. In a usual DNA cloning procedure, the gene or other DNA fragment of
interest (e.i human protein) is first inserted into a circular piece of DNA called a
plasmid.

Figure 2. DNA Cloning

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 The insertion is done using enzymes that “cut and paste” DNA, and it
produces a molecule of recombinant DNA, or DNA assembled out of fragments from
multiple sources on how. The illustration below shows the process of cloning which
produced Dolly the sheep, the was the first mammal to have been successfully cloned
from an adult cell.
You may think you are familiar with a certain type of cloning, such as with
'Dolly' the sheep. However, there are other methods of cloning used in laboratories
that impact the scientific, medical, and farming world.

Figure 3. Illustrated Process of Genetic Modification

Simplified process as illustrated in the diagram (Figure 3):

1. The agrobacterium cell that contains a bacterial chromosome and a Tumor
inducing plasmid or "Ti Plasmid”.
2. The Ti plasmid is removed from the agrobacterium cell and a restriction
enzyme indicator cleaves the T-DNA restriction site.
3. The foreign DNA, which is also cleaved by the same enzyme, is inserted into
the T DNA at the site that was cleavage site.
4. The modified plasmid is then reinserted in the agrobacterium and the
bacterium inserts the TDNA, which now carries a foreign gene into the plant
cell.
5. The plant cell is then cultured and results in a new plant that has the foreign
DNA trait.
Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO)
A genetically modified organism or GMO, is an organism (plant, animal, or any
microorganism) whose genetic makeup has been modified in a laboratory using
genetic engineering or transgenic technology. They produced combinations of plant,
animal, bacterial and virus genes that do not occur in nature or through traditional
crossbreeding methods.
Question:

What examples of traditional cross-breeding methods can you remember?

Answer:

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Table 1: Examples of GMOs Resulting from Agricultural Biotechnology

Genetically Example
Genetic Change
Conferred Trait Organism

Approved Commercial Products

Herbicide tolerance Soybean Glyphosate herbicide (Roundup) tolerance

conferred by expression of a glyphosate-tolerant
form of the plant enzyme 5-
enolpyruvylshikimate-3-phosphate synthase
(EPSPS) isolated from the soil
bacterium Agrobacterium tumefaciens, strain CP4

Insect resistance Corn Resistance to insect pests, specifically the

European corn borer, through expression of the
insecticidal protein Cry1Ab from Bacillus
thuringiensis

Altered fatty acid Canola High laurate levels achieved by inserting

composition the gene for ACP thioesterase from the California
bay tree Umbellularia californica

Virus resistance Plum Resistance to plum pox virus conferred by

insertion of a coat protein (CP) gene from the
virus

Products Still in Development

Vitamin enrichment Rice Three genes for the manufacture of

beta-carotene, a precursor to vitamin
A, in the endosperm of the rice prevent
its removal (from husks) during
milling.

Vaccines Tobacco Hepatitis B virus

surface antigen (HBsAg) produced in
transgenic tobacco induces immune
response when injected into mice

Oral vaccines Maize Fusion protein (F) from Newcastle

disease virus (NDV) expressed in corn
seeds induces an immune response
when fed to chickens

Faster maturation Coho salmon A type 1 growth hormone gene injected

into fertilized fish eggs results in 6.2%
retention of the vector at one year of
age, as well as significantly increased
growth rates

Source: https://www.nature.com/scitable/topicpage/genetically-modified-
organisms-gmos-transgenic-crops-and-732/

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Activity 2. Complete that GMO!

Direction: List other examples of Genetically Modified Organisms by completing the

table below.

Genetically
Sample Organism Benefits
Conferred Trait

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

2. Among these GMO’s you listed in No.1, which do you think is the most beneficial
to you? Explain your answer.
Answer:

3. What do you think is the disadvantage of these GMO’s?

Answer:

Use the rubrics below in rating students’ responses.

3 2 1 0

Exceeded Satisfactoril Came close to Did not meet the

expectations y Met all meeting the expectations
expectation expectations
s

DETAILS/ Provides a VERY Provides a Came close to Did not meet the
thorough and thorough meeting the expectations and
CONTENT OF clear and and clear expectations but was was missing
ESSAY concise content and concise missing one or two crucial elements.
content minor elements or Provides an
details. Provides a unclear and
somewhat muddled unintelligible
and rambling details details

REFLECT Shows great Relates Little reflection of Shows No

PERSONAL depth of learning, learning, evidence of
THOUGHTS/ knowledge and reveals generalizations and learning or
learning, reveals feelings and limited insight, uses reflection. No or
KNOWLEDG/
feelings and abstract some detail few details to
LEARNING abstract ideas ideas support
reflected reflected Limited explanation reflection
through the use through the
of specific use of
details specific
details

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 MECHANICS/ Consistently Contains Contains numerous Consistently
GRAMMAR contains accurate errors in contains
accurate and and proper grammatical inaccurate and
proper grammatica conventions, spelling, incorrect
grammatical l and punctuations grammatical
conventions, conventions conventions,
spelling, and , spelling, spelling, and
punctuations and punctuations
punctuatio
ns

Potential GMO applications:

1. Some microorganisms are being considered as future clean fuel producers and
bio degraders.
2. Genetically modified plants may be used to produce recombinant vaccines, like
oral vaccine expressed in fruits and vegetables as a possible solution to the
spread of disease in underdeveloped countries, one that would greatly reduce
the costs associated with conducting large-scale vaccination campaigns.
3.Future production of other commercially valuable proteins in plants, such as
spider silk protein and polymers that can be used in surgery or tissue
replacement.
Current use of Genetically Modified Organisms
1. Increased crop yields, reduced costs for food or drug production, reduced need
for pesticides, enhanced nutrient composition and food quality, resistance to
pests and disease, greater food security, and medical benefits to the world's
growing population.
2. Advances have also been made in developing crops that mature faster and tolerate
aluminum, boron, salt, drought, frost, and other environmental stressors,
allowing plants to grow in conditions where they might not otherwise flourish
3. The production of non-protein (bioplastic) or non-industrial (ornamental plant)
products.
4.A number of animals have been genetically engineered to increase yield and
decrease susceptibility to disease, such as salmon which have been engineered to
grow larger
5. A cattle have been enhanced to exhibit resistance to mad cow disease.

Risks and controversies surrounding the use of GMOs

• Alterations can change the organism's natural life processes such as
metabolism, growth rate, and/or response to external environmental
factors.
• Allergic reactions may occur because some GMOs may contain genes
from an allergen, such as food that prompts an allergic reaction.
• Ecological imbalances can be caused by horizontal gene transfer of
pesticide, herbicide, or antibiotic resistance to other organisms. This
promotes the spread of disease among both plants and animals.

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 • Antibacterial resistance can also occur due to genetic modification,
which can boost a crop’s resistance to disease or make it more tolerant
to herbicides, could affect the ability of people to defend against illness.
• Cancer may also be contributed by consuming GMO foods.
• Outcrossing is the risk of acquiring genes from certain GMO plants
which mixes with conventional crops. This was derived from the
information in which low levels of GMO crops approved as animal feed or
those that are used for industrial purposes, are found in food for human
consumption.

Effects of Genetic Engineering

A. Environment. Ecological problem can occur when it. It can be a potential
danger to the environment though the release of a new genetically engineered
species that leads to imbalance in the ecology. An accident in use of a virus
or bacteria for example could result in a stronger type, which could cause a
serious epidemic when spread.
B. Human. When genetic engineering employs viral vector that carries
functional gene inside the human body; the effect is still unknown, that there
are no clues as to where functional genes are being placed. These functional
genes may replace the important genes, instead of mutated genes. Therefore,
this may lead to another health condition or disease to human. Additionally,
when defective genes are replaced with functional gene, then it is expected
that there will be a reduction in genetic diversity and if human beings will
have identical genomes, the population as a whole will be susceptible to virus
or any form of diseases.

Genetic engineering may also produce unknown side effects in a plant or

animal which could cause unpredicted allergic reactions in some people which,
in its original form. Other changes could result into the toxicity of an organism
to humans or other organisms.

In the process of genetic engineering, there were some instances where

modification can turn into a mistake. It produces an undesirable result called
mutant (process is called mutation)

Mutation is a permanent change in a DNA sequence. Mutations can result

from DNA copying mistakes made during cell division, exposure to ionizing
radiation, exposure to chemicals called mutagens, or infection by viruses

Causes of Mutation
There were many possible causes of mutation. These mutations may
happen spontaneously without any outside influences. They can occur when
mistakes are made during DNA replication or transcription. Other mutations can
be caused by environmental factors. Anything in the environment that can cause
a mutation is known as a mutagen.

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 Figure 4. Result of Mutation

Source: http://myriverside.sd43.bc.ca/ryleer2015/2016/01/13/the-life-of-a-
genetic-mutation-ectrodactyly/

Activity 3. GMO’s: Friend or Foe?

Direction: Tell whether the item is a Risk or a Benefit of Genetically Modified
Organisms. Put a beside if it’s a Benefit or beside if it’s a
Risk.

1. Corn seed is inserted with a gene 2. A chicken farmer breeds a chicken

from bacteria (Bacillus huringiensis) who lays many eggs with a rooster
that is resistant to the herbicide whose mother laid bigger eggs so that
Roundup commonly used for weed the offspring will lay many big eggs.
control

3. A vegetable farmer that grows a 3. A potato farmer changes his potato’s

lot of tomatoes find one plant with DNA in a lab so that less of a chemical
a very strong flavor. He breeds this called acrylamide, which is suspected of
plant with a tomato plant that causing cancer in people, is produced
produces many tomatoes. when the potato is fried.

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 5. A pig farmer has his pigs engineered with a
small percentage of human hemoglobin in their
blood. Now doctors are able to the use pig blood
for human transfusions.

Activity 4: Match that Gene-terms!

Direction: Match the following terms used in genetic engineering with its
corresponding description. Write the letter of your answer.

1. Molecules of DNA from two different species that are inserted into a host
organism to produce new genetic combination
2. Genetic engineering involves the recombination of this naturally occurring
chemical compound
3. This term refers to the method use in genetic engineering.
4. The molecule that is commonly used DNA vector or carrier, used to insert
foreign genetic material into an organism’s genome
5. It is a permanent change in a DNA sequence.
6. The was the first mammal to have been successfully cloned from an adult
cell.
7. It justifies the ability to recombine genetic material from different organisms.
8. Allows researchers to make highly specific changes in an organism’s nucleic
acid sequence.
9. The main purpose of selective breeding.
10. Cloning will produce an organism with this characteristic

A. Plasmid F. New set of genes and traits

B. Gene editing G. Production of organisms with desirable traits
C. Nucleic acids H. Recombinant DNA technology
D. Recombinant DNA I. Mutations
E. Dolly the Sheep J. Gene therapy
K. Transcription
L. Similarity in basic chemical structure

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 Explore

Enrichment Activity 1: Illustrate like an Engineer!

Direction: Make a simple illustration on how you describe the process of genetic
engineering using your own combination of organisms and their product
after the process. Don’t forget to label. (Rubric for scoring is shown
below).

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 Deepen

Direction: Recalling the previous discussions on Genetic Engineering, make a

concept map on the following.

1. Process of genetic engineering. 2. Benefits and risks of using GMOs.

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 Gauge

Direction: Choose the letter of the answer of your choice. Write you answers on your
answer sheets.
1. Genetic engineering is the artificial manipulation, modification, and recombination
of what class of naturally occurring chemical compound?
A. amino acids B. nucleic acids C. phosphates E. proteins
2. In recombinant DNA technology, what molecule is the most commonly used DNA
vector (or carrier, used to insert foreign genetic material into an organism’s
genome)?

A. cell B. clone C. gene D. plasmid

3. What type of organism was the first to be successfully modified via the techniques
of genetic engineering?
A. bacteria B. mouse C. plant D. virus

4. In the modern era, the term genetic engineering refers specifically to which of the
following methods?
A. artificial selection B. in vitro fertilization

C. genetic variation D. recombinant DNA technology

5. Which of the following tools allows researchers to make highly specific changes in
an organism’s nucleic acid sequence?

A. gene editing B. gene targeting C. hybridization D. transformation

6. The purpose of selective breeding is to

A. get bigger animals B. creates animals with desirable traits
C. get smaller animals D. create animals with bad traits
7. Which of the following would be considered recombinant DNA?

A. A viral genome
B. The human insulin gene
C. Pure bred dog through three generations, such as a golden retriever
D. A bacterial transcription gene combined with a human promoter

8. Which of the following is the primary method of genetic engineering that has been
studied in humans?
A. cloning B. gene targeting C. gene therapy D. transformation
9. A scientist cloned a goat. Which of these is a true statement about the cloned
goat?
A. It has new genes and traits
B. It lacks the genes for reproduction
C. It has the genes that are identical to the original goat
D. It looks the same but has different genes.
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10. The ability to recombine genetic material from different organisms, resulting
in the production of a genetically modified organism, is possible for which
of the following reasons?
A. All organisms are capable of reproduction.
B. DNA vectors are readily taken up by all organisms.
C. The basic chemical structure of the genetic material of all organisms is
highly variable.
D. The basic chemical structure of the genetic material of all organisms is the
same.
11-15. List 5 risk of Genetically Modified Organisms

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