Lesson 18.

Genetic Engineering
 introduce the concepts of
1 genetic engineering;

Objectives describe the history of

2 genetic engineering;
At the end of
this lesson, explain the general process
students 3 of genetic engineering; and
should be
able to: enumerate the common
4 products of genetic
engineering in society.
 Learn about It!

Genetic Engineering
• Genetic engineering is a
biotechnological technique
of modifying an organism’s
genes.

Genetic engineering laboratory in

Macedonia.
 Learn about It!

Brief History
• Genetic engineering and
biotechnology trace their
roots in agriculture.

• Our ancestors devised plant

breeding techniques to
achieve the desired trait of
crops. Maize is a product of repeated
breeding of teosinte.
 Learn about It!

Brief History
• In 1972, Herbert Boyer and
Stanley Cohen performed
transgenesis for the first
time.

• They made the first insulin-

producing transgenic Boyer (1936-present) and Cohen
bacteria. (1922-present).
 Learn about It!

Brief History
• In 1974, Rudolf Jaenisch
pioneered transgenic in
animal science.

• He incorporated viral DNA

into a mouse’s genetic
material.
Rudolf Jaenisch (1942-
present)
 Learn about It!

Brief History
• Michael Bevan, Richard
Flavell, and Mary-Dell
Chilton inserted antibiotic
resistance gene in tobacco.

• This disease resistant

tobacco is the world’s first
genetically modified crop. Nicotiana tabacum or tobacco was
modified to be disease resistant.
 Learn about It!

Genetic Engineering Process

• DNA isolation. Target DNA
and plasmid are isolated
from their sources.

• In Bt corn, gene of interest

is isolated from Bacillus
thuringiensis.

Restriction enzymes cut gene of

interest from source organism.
 Learn about It!

Genetic Engineering Process

• Bacillus thuringiensis
produces the
cry1Ab protein or
Bt toxin.

• Bt toxin is lethal to
the Asian corn Bt toxin (left) is lethal to the intestines of corn
borers. borers (right).
 Learn about It!

Genetic Engineering Process

• The plasmid used comes
from Agrobacterium
tumefaciens, a soil
bacterium.

• A. tumefaciens can infect

the target crop and
incorporate the new DNA Plant tumors caused by
into its host. Agrobacterium tumefaciens.
 Learn about It!

Genetic Engineering Process

• Ligation: Recombinant
plasmid and foreign DNA
are combined by DNA
ligase.

Ti-plasmid and foreign DNA form the

recombinant plasmid.
 Learn about It!

Genetic Engineering Process

• Transformation involves
the insertion of
recombinant plasmid back
to a bacterial cell, usually,
Escherichia coli.

Transformation requires electric or

heat shock.
 Learn about It!

Genetic Engineering Process

• Selection. Transformed
bacteria are normally
selected by using Xgal.

• The bacteria transfers

the Bt toxin gene into
corn cells.

Transfer of foreign DNA into the corn cells.

Key Points

Genetic engineering is the process of modifying

genes in a living organism to produce genetically
1 modified organisms (GMOs) also known as
transgenic organisms.

The first ever DNA manipulation experiment was

2 performed by Herbert Boyer and Stanley Cohen in
early 1972.
Key Points

In 1974, the first genetically modified mouse was

3 created by Rudolf Jaenisch.

In DNA Isolation, the plasmid and gene-of-interest

4
are isolated.

5 In ligation, the gene is inserted into the plasmid.

In transformation, the recombinant plasmid is

6 inserted back to the bacterium.
 Check Your Understanding

Determine whether each of the following

statements is right or wrong.
1. Genetic engineering requires the introduction of genes from the
same modified organisms.
2. Ligation is the process of inserting the exogenous gene to the
plasmid.
3. E. coli is a common expression vector for the transformation
process.
4. Plasmid is the genetic material of animals that is used for ligation.
5. Electrolysis is one process being used for ligation.
 Challenge Yourself

What do you think is

the disadvantage of
genetic engineering to
the society?
 Photo Credits

● Slide 3: This file, Центар за генетско инженерство и биотехнологија во МАНУ (1), by Македонец,
is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0 via Creative Commons.

● Slide 4: This file, Maize-teosinte, by John Doebley, is licensed under CC BY 3.0 via
Creative Commons.

● Slide 7: This file, Nicotiana Tobacco Plants 1909px by Derek Ramsey, is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0
via Creative Commons.

● Slide 10: This file, Agrobacteriumgall by Clemson University - USDA Cooperative Extension Slide
Series, Bugwood.org, is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 US via Creative Commons.
 Bibliography

Aleksandr Ivanovich Oparin. 2003.The Origin of Life. Massachusetts: Courier Corporation.

Klug, William S., and Michael R. Cummings. 2003. Concepts of genetics. Upper Saddle River, N.J.: Prentice
Hall.

Rakesh Kumar Rastogi. 2007. Concepts of Biology XII. New Delhi: Rastogi Publications.

Reece, J.B. and Campbell, N.A. 2011. Campbell Biology. Boston: Benjamin Cummings/Pearson.

Sandra Alters. 2000.Biology: Understanding Life. Massachusetts: Jones & Bartlett Learning.

Shri Hemant Roy. 2005.Comprehensive MCQs in Biology. New Delhi: Golden Bells.