Introduction

Engineer
enetic Material
Genetic Engineering
MELCS
After going through this LESSON, you are expected
to:
1. define genetic engineering;
2. describe the techniques in genetic engineering
as based from the situation given; and
3. appreciate the role of genetic engineering to
human life
Genetic Engineering
• Genetic engineering is the direct manipulation of
an organism’s genes using biotechnology.
• It covers different kinds of technologies used to
alter the genomes that includes the insertion of
genes from other individual either the same or
from different species that aims to produce or
improve products.
Plant-based Genetic Engineering Examples

• Rapeseed is a flowering plant used

to make certain types of vegetable
oil.
• Genetic engineering has allowed
these plants to be 
resistant to certain types of pesticide
s
 so that when the fields are treated to
remove pests, the plants will remain
unscathed.
 Plants That Fight Pollution
• Poplar trees developed by
scientists at the University of
Washington can absorb polluted
water through their roots and
clean it before the water is
released back into the air.
• The plants were many times
more efficient at cleaning certain 
pollutants than regular poplars.
Golden Rice
• Genetic modification is often
used to make healthier foods,
such as golden rice, which
contains beta-carotene — the
very same vitamin that makes
carrots orange.
• The result is that people
without access to many
vitamins will get a healthy dose
of vitamin A when the rice is
consumed.
Bigger, Longer-Lasting Tomatoes
• When tomatoes are genetically
engineered, they can be made
bigger and more robust.
• These are engineered to
produce tomatoes that can
remain fresh for longer, be
shipped farther from where
they are grown, and be
harvested at the same time
rather than harvesting only
parts of a field at each harvest.
Insecticide Corn
• Instead of spraying insecticide on
plants, why not genetically
engineer crops that kill pests on
their own?
• Corn was developed through
genetic engineering to produce a
poison that kills insects. While
this corn may also harm
beneficial insects such as
butterflies, supporters say that
the pros outweigh the cons.
Non-Crying Onions
• Onions and crying seem to
go hand-in-hand, but not
anymore. In 2008, a New
Zealand scientist
engineered an onion
without the enzyme that
tears you up called a 
sunion. These sweeter
onions won't make you
cry.
Genetic Engineering Examples With Animals

• Cloning Example
• One of the most controversial
uses of genetic engineering
has been cloning, or producing
a genetically identical copy of
an organism. While the ethics
of cloning are hotly debated,
the first-ever sheep (named
Dolly) was cloned in 1996 by
scientists. In 2020, scientists 
cloned the endangered black-f
ooted ferret
.
Glow-in-the-Dark Cats
• It sounds strange, but in
2007, scientists in South
Korea altered the 
DNA of a kitty so that its
fur would glow in the
dark.
• They then cloned other
cats from it, making the
world's first glowing cats.
Cows That Pass Less Gas

• Methane is produced by cow

flatulence, and the chemical
is a huge contributor to global
warming. 
• Cows that fart less than
average have been produced
to fight the deleterious
effects that cow flatulence
can have on the environment.
Salmon That Grow Faster

• Salmon do not produce

growth hormones year-round,
so scientists have looked
toward genetic engineering
and found a solution.
• A modification that allows
salmon to grow twice as fast
as those that are not
engineered was the answer.
Human and Medical Genetic Engineering
Examples

• The Banana Vaccine

• Bananas were developed
through a genetic modification
that offers a vaccine against
diseases such as cholera and
hepatitis.
• Just like with a needle vaccine,
people who eat them develop
disease-combating antibodies
that make them immune to a
disease.
Human and Medical Genetic Engineering
Examples

• COVID Vaccine
• Amid the COVID-19 pandemic,
the COVID-19 vaccine used
genetic engineering to achieve
immunity.
• The Pfizer and Moderna
vaccines use mRNA genetic
sequencing to help a person's
body recognize the COVID virus.
Synthetic Human Growth Hormone

• Scientists have worked to

understand human growth and
disorders for a long time.
• Using genetic engineering, they
were able to create a 
synthetic human growth hormo
ne
 for individuals born with
human growth hormone
deficiencies.
Genetically Engineered Antivenom

• Rather than injecting

animals with venom and
extracting the antibodies,
scientists are using 
genetically modified DNA to
replicate venoms by creating
synthetic DNA.
• This DNA that replicates the
venom works to produce the
immunogens in the body for
the toxins.
Heparin Example
• Heparin is a medication to help
with blood clotting disorders that
is derived from animals.
• However, scientists are working to
create a genetically 
modified version of heparin that
doesn't require animal sources.
Questions
• 1. What do you think are the objectives of
scientists in genetic engineering?
• 2. How are scientists able to realize their
objectives in genetic engineering?
• 3. Can you cite the techniques in genetic
engineering scientists utilize in creating
outcomes?
Genetic Engineering Techniques
Cloning
• Creating an organism
that is an exact genetic
copy of another. They
will have the same
exact DNA as the
parent.
Gene Splicing
DNA is cut out of one
organism and put into
another organism. A
trait will be
transferred from one
organism to another.
Gel electrophoresis: analyzing DNA

• A technique used to
compare DNA from
two or more
organisms.
Artificial Selection
• -is done to indirectly
manipulate genes focusing
on the physical traits among
organisms. Breeders choose
which organism to mate and
produce offspring with
desirable traits.
• They maintain this
procedure without control of
what genes can be passed.
Selective breeding
• Selective breeding is a
process when animals
with desired
characteristics are
mated to produce
offspring with those
desired traits such as
Angus cows are bred
to increase more meat
 badgers

Dachshunds
Hybridizations
• Hybridizations are when two
individuals with unlike
characteristics are crossed to
produce the best in both
organisms like the disease
resistant potato called the
Burbank potato.
• He crossed a disease resistant
plant with one that had a large
food producing capacity.
 Inbreeding
• Inbreeding is a technique of breeding
organisms that are genetically
similar to maintain desired traits
found in the pure dog breeds. As
defined, genetic engineering is the
process of changing the DNA in living
organisms to create something new.
• It involves artificial manipulation,
modification, and recombination of
DNA or other nucleic acid molecules
to modify an organism or population
of organisms.
Recombinant DNA Technology
• Recombinant DNA is made by
mixing DNA from two different
sources. Restriction enzymes
were discovered in 1968 by
Swiss microbiologist Werner
Arbe.
• This was used to splice, connect
(or ligate), and remove or add
nucleotides to sequences of the
DNA.
Recombinant DNA Technology
• Recombinant DNA
technology has applications
in various areas like
medicine, focusing on the
discoveries of medicine to
cure and improve human
health and nutrition aimed
to produce good quality
and high quantity crops.
 PROS and CONS

• A. Directions. Conduct a short

interview with one or two of your
family members. Ask them about how
they think of the positive and
negative effects of genetic
engineering. List all their responses.
• B. Make a list of pros and cons of
genetic engineering by summarizing the
interview done. Below is the rubric that
will guide you on what to do in the
activity. Write your answer on a
separate sheet of paper.