Key Terms
- enzymeany of various proteins, as pepsin, originating from living cells and capable of producing certain chemical changes in organic substances by catalytic action, as in digestion.
- gene therapythe application of genetic engineering to the transplantation of genes into human cells in order to cure a disease caused by a genetic defect, as a missing enzyme.
- genetic engineeringthe artificial manipulation, modification, and recombination of DNA or other nucleic acid molecules in order to modify an organism or population of organisms.
- human insulina protein that has the normal structure of insulin produced by the human pancreas but that is prepared by recombinant DNA techniques and by semisynthetic processes.
- plasmida segment of DNA independent of the chromosomes and capable of replication, occurring in bacteria and yeast: used in recombinant DNA procedures to transfer genetic material from one cell to another.
- recombinant DNArecombinant DNA technology, joining together of DNA molecules from two different species that are inserted into a host organism to produce new genetic combinations that are of value to science, medicine, agriculture, and industry.
The Human Genome Project
- Human Genome Management Information System. (n.d.). About the human genome project. Retrieved from http://web.ornl.gov/sci/techresources/Human_Genome/project/index.shtml
Begun formally in 1990, the U.S. Human Genome Project was a 13-year effort coordinated by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The project originally was planned to last 15 years, but rapid technological advances accelerated the completion date to 2003.
Introduction
"Genetic engineering is the process by which scientists modify the genome of an organism. Creation of genetically modified organisms requires recombinant DNA. Recombinant DNA is a combination of DNA from different organisms or different locations in a given genome that would not normally be found in nature.
In most cases, use of recombinant DNA means that you have added an extra gene to an organism to alter a trait or add a new trait. Some uses of genetic engineering include improving the nutritional quality of food, creating pest-resistant crops, and creating infection-resistant livestock" (Chen, n.d.).
Introduction
Turner, J. (Director). (2008, June 3). Animal Pharm Part II [Television Series]. London: Lion Television
NB: Video requires Google Chrome or Safari to view.
Overview
- Chen, G. (n.d.). What is genetic engineering? Definitions and examples. Retrieved from http://study.com/academy/lesson/what-is-genetic-engineering-definition-and-examples.html
Genetic engineering is the process by which scientists modify the genome of an organism. Creation of genetically modified organisms requires recombinant DNA. Recombinant DNA is a combination of DNA from different organisms or different locations in a given genome that would not normally be found in nature. - Tait, R. & Horton. R. (1998). Genetic engineering with PCR. Retrieved from http://www.open-access-biology.com/pcr/pcr01.htmlThe manipulation of genetic material through the selection of organisms with desired heritable traits or characteristics probably dates back to the earliest forms of human agricultural activity.
- Khan Academy. (n.d.). Gene therapy using retroviruses. Retrieved from https://www.khanacademy.org/test-prep/mcat/biological-sciences-practice/biological-sciences-practice-tut/e/gene-control---passage-1Several methods of gene therapy have been developed to insert foreign genes into cells with genetic defects. Microinjection of a gene into a target cell has been successful in some cases, but is very time consuming and requires a high degree of expertise. Another approach is electroporation, in which DNA is stimulated to enter cells by exposure to an electric shock.
For and Against Genetic Engineering
- BBC. (n.d.) Genetic Engineering. Retrieved from http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/gcsebitesize/science/add_ocr_gateway/living_growing/newgenesrev2.shtmlGenetic engineering has some potential advantages, such as being able to produce organisms with desired features quickly. On the other hand, it has some potential risks, for example, the inserted genes may have unexpected harmful effects.
- Genetic Engineering. (n.d.). Do the pros of genetic engineering outweigh the cons? Retrieved from http://www.geneticengineeringinhumans.com/ar/pros-of-genetic-engineering.phpPros of genetic engineering are considered by those in favor of it to outweigh the possible negatives and the moral considerations which concern it, although it is far too early for those to be properly quantified.
- Midgely, M. (2000). Improving nature? The science and ethics of genetic engineering (review). The Hastings Center Report, 41.
Current maps of the field of genetic engineering are provisional. It is more like an expanding lava flow than an ordered countryside. Yet we vitally need these maps to help us to grasp where it is going, what forms it is liable to take, and how to treat it. These three books are all useful guides to some aspects of these problems.
