UNIT EXPECTED OUTCOMES

1. Describe biodiversity and its

interrelatedness with the society,
environment and health.
2. Identify the three types of
biodiversity

3. Critique the impacts of Genetically

Modified Organisms (GMOs) to
society.
Genetically Modified Organisms
(Science, Health & Politics)
Has been with the human society since selective
breeding as introduced to humankind and when
animals were domesticated
JACK WILLIAMSON

• 1951 he
coined the
term GENETIC
ENGINEERING
• General Process of GENETIC ENGINEERING is the
manipulation of organisms' genes, where it involves
transfer of genes from the other organisms
 Genetically Modified Organisms

• are a result of technology that

has altered the DNA of living
organisms (animals, plants or
bacteria)
Other terms that mean the same thing:
• Genetically engineered
• Transgenic
• Recombinant DNA (rDNA) technology
PROCESS OF PLANT
GENETIC
ENGINEERING
 PROCESS OF PLANT
GENETIC ENGINEERING
STEP 1: DNA EXTRACTION

A sample of an org
anism containing the gene
of interest is taken throu
gh a series of steps to rem
ove the DNA.
 PROCESS OF PLANT
GENETIC ENGINEERING
STEP 2. GENE CLONING
During DNA extraction, all of the
DNA from the organism is
extracted at once.
Scientists use gene cloning to
separate the single gene of
interest from the rest of the ge
nes extracted and make
thousands of copies of it.
 PROCESS OF PLANT
GENETIC ENGINEERING
STEP 3. GENE DESIGN

Once a gene has been cloned,

genetic engineers begin the third
step, designing the gene to work on
ce inside a different organism. This
is done in a test tube by cutting the
gene apart with enzymes and
replacing gene regions that have
Been separated.
 PROCESS OF PLANT
GENETIC ENGINEERING
STEP 4. TRANSFORMATION
Since plants have millions
of cells, it would be impossible to
insert a copy of the transgene
into every cell. Therefore, tissue
culture is used to propagate
masses of undifferentiated plant
cells called callus. These are the
cells to which the new transgene
will be added.
 PROCESS OF PLANT
GENETIC ENGINEERING
STEP 4. TRANSFORMATION
The new gene is inserted into some of
the cells using various techniques.
Some of the more common methods
include the gene gun, agrobacterium,
microfibers, and electroporation. The
main goal of each of these methods is
to transport the new gene(s) and
deliver them into the nucleus of a cell
without killing it.
 PROCESS OF PLANT
GENETIC ENGINEERING
STEP 4. TRANSFORMATION
Transformed plant cells are then
regenerated into transgenic plants.
The transgenic plants are grown to
maturity in greenhouses and the
seed they produce, which has inher
ited the transgene, is collected. The
genetic engineer's job is now
complete. He/she will hand the
transgenic seeds over to a plant
breeder who is responsible for the
final step.
 PROCESS OF PLANT
GENETIC ENGINEERING
STEP 5. BACKCROSS BREEDING
Transgenic plants are crossed with elite
breeding lines using traditional plant
breeding methods to combine the desired
traits of elite parents and the transgene
into a single line. The offspring are
repeatedly crossed back to the elite line to
obtain a high yielding transgenic line. The
result will be a plant with a yield potential
close to current hybrids that expresses the
trait encoded by the new transgene.
BENEFITS
OF GMOs
BENEFITS OF GMOs
1. Higher
efficiency in
farming

2. Increase
in harvest
BENEFITS OF GMOs

3. Control in Fertility 4. Increase in Food Processing

BENEFITS OF GMOs

5. Improvement of
6. Nutraceutical and
Desirable Traits
Pharmaceutical
Enhancement
BENEFITS OF GMOs

7. Reduce the use of Fertilizer and Pesticides

EXAMPLES OF GMOs
 Genetically Modified Organisms

• Involves the insertion of DNA from one

organism into another OR modification of an
organism’s DNA in order to achieve a
desired trait.

1. A
strawberry
+ = resistant to
frost

Arctic fish DNA strawberry

Genetically
Modified
Organisms
2. Tobacco plant with firefly gene © Keith
Wood (of DeLuca lab) for Science Magazine
1986
 3. Spider silk
• Spider’s silk is
5 times stronger than a thread
of steel of the same thickness
3 times stronger than Kevlar
(carbon fibre)
• Spiders are carnivores and
cannot be raised
• Transgenic animals can
produce the spider protein
© P. Billiet

Aculepeira ceropegia
a European orbweb
spider
© 2010 Paul Billiet ODWS
 Spider silk

• The gene for spider silk

protein was isolated
from the golden orb
weaver (Nephila
clavipes)
• Not easy, it is a fibrous
protein so it has a very
repetitive gene sequence Nephila clavipes © C. Frank Starmer
© 2010 Paul Billiet ODWS
 APPLICATIONS

• Goat grows up, females produce spider silk

protein in their milk
• Silk protein purified
• Super strong surgery thread
• Artificial ligaments and tendons
• Light bullet proof body armour
• Jaw repair
• Biodegradable fishing line
4. AquAdvantage salmon
• Atlantic salmon developed
by AquaBounty Technologies.
 5. Featherless chickens (bare-
skinned “prototype”).
• The new chicken would be lower in calories, faster-
growing, environmentally friendly, and more likely
to survive in warmer conditions,
• Males have been unable to mate, because they
cannot flap their wings, and “naked” chickens of
both sexes are more susceptible to parasites,
mosquito attacks and sunburn.
• The chicken’s lack of feathers would make it quicker
to process and more environmentally friendly, says
Cahaner. “Feathers are a waste. The chickens are
using feed to produce something that has to be
dumped and the farmers have to waste electricity
to overcome the fact,” he said. Plucking also
requires the use of large amounts of water, he says.
6. Bionic Cat
• 2010, Oscar is the 1st kitty to
get prosthetic legs attached
directly to his anklebones.
• Intraosseous transcutaneous
amputation prosthetics or ITAP
– Fuse flesh & metal together in
a tight seal that keeps out dirt
& bacteria
7. GPS Implanted Rhino Horns
7. GPS Implanted Rhino Horns
• Rhinos are at risk because of their
horns , traditional Chinese
medicine
• Drill small hole in the dead part of
the horn & Insert a small GPS
• Enable them to track the Rhinnos
SIDE EFFECTS OF GMOs
 SIDE EFFECTS OF GMOs
Allergenicity
Gene Transfer
Reduced effectiveness of pesticides
as insects become resistant to
engineered toxins.

Loss of biodiversity
 REFERENCES
• tp://www.who.int/foodsafety/areas_work/food-technology/faq-genetically-
modified-food/en/Frequently asked questions on genetically modified foods

• Genetics Generation - Education is our Motivation, Copyright 2015 Genetics

Generation
• http://knowgenetics.org/introduction-to-genetically-modified-organisms-
gmos/

• University of Nebraska, 2001 Lincoln Page Content Provided by

Croptechnology.unl.eduhttp://agbiosafety.unl.edu/education/summary.htm

• Sharon Perkins October. 03, 2017

https://www.livestrong.com/article/417880-risks-side-effects-of-genetically-
modified-food/

• https://www.google.com/search?biw
 UNIT EXPECTED OUTCOMES

1. Describe biodiversity and its

interrelatedness with the society,
environment and health.
2. Identify the three types of
biodiversity

3. Critique the impacts of Genetically

Modified Organisms (GMOs) to
society.