Genetically Modified Organisms - pros and cons

1. 1
Genetic Engineering
--- started in 1970s
What is genetic engineering?
The transfer of genes (segment of DNA)
from one species to another.
This is impossible in natural breeding.

2. 2
Common GM foods
 Genetic engineering: rapid & precise method of
altering organisms as compared to traditional
methods that are slow and inaccurate.
Common GM Foods
 Corn, soy, papaya, canola
 Rice
 Tomatoes
 Potatoes
 Sugar beet
 Cheese, Meat

3. 3
Why have GM crops?
Growing human population
Loss of farmable land
Low nutrient content
Low resistance to drought

4. 4
How can DNA be moved from one
organism to another?
►Find an organism with the desired trait
►Isolate the gene sequence that codes for
the desired trait
►Insert the gene sequence into the
genome of the plant cell
Allow the genetically altered cell to grow
into a plant
Allow the plant to propagate

5. 5
Desirable Traits
Pest Resistance
Herbicide Tolerance
Viral Resistance
Drought Resistance
Increased Nutritional Value
Altered Ripening
Time storage

6. 6
Benefits of GM Foods
Easing of world hunger
Reduced use of pesticides &
herbicides
► Pest resistant crops
► Reduced herbicide use
Improved crop quality
 Frost resistant crops
 Disease resistant crops
Improved nutritional quality
 Foods designed to meet
specific nutritional goals

7. 7
Arguments against GM
Creation of super weeds
Creation of super pests
Loss of biodiversity
Biotech companies control
agriculture
Health concerns: allergy, etc

8. 8
Method for GM of Crops
1.Choose desirable trait
2.Clone the gene
3.Engineer the gene
4.Transform gene into plant
5.Backcross GM plant into high
yield crops

9. 9
How to transfer gene from species A
to species B?
Vector is used to carry the gene into the host
nucleus.
Vectors commonly used in GE:
Bacteria (plasmids)
Viruses
Shotgun technique (blindly shoots tiny
particles coated with the gene into the
host cells)

10. 10
Application of GE:
Medical
GM Food
Industrial production
Environmental protection

11. 11
Medical
New pharmaceuticals:
for treatment of diseases e.g. human insulin, interferon
for disease prevention e.g. vaccine (hepatitis B vaccine)
Gene therapy:
Replacing disease-causing gene with a normal
gene (allele). Normal allele can be carried by a
virus vector to the target tissues:
e.g. treatment of cystic fibrosis
Clonal propagation:
a source of tissue or organ for transplantation.

12. 12
Agricultural
Transgenic plants and farm animals
pest-resistant (reduce use of pesticides),
increase yield
Increase storage time
e.g. green tomato
tomato with beef genes

13. 13
Industrial:
Use of GM microorganisms to make
stone-wash jeans
Use of GM microorganisms to produce
enzymes e.g. detergents

14. 14
Environmental protection
GM E. coli possesses gene to break
down cellulose, speeding up recycling
of the most abundant biomass on earth
GM microorganisms with enhanced
ability to break down environmental
pollutants

15. 15
Dispute in the development of GM
Dangerous pathogens formed in the
course of rDNA
New tools for militarists and terrorists
Triggering of catastrophic ecological
imbalance
Moral problems in the use of GM
techniques in man e.g. germ cell gene
therapy
Unknown effect of GM food on men