Genetic engineering is the artificial alteration of genes, involving the removal and insertion of DNA from different organisms, which creates recombinant DNA and leads to genetically modified organisms (GMOs). This process allows for cross-species gene transfer and has applications in agriculture, medicine, and pharmaceuticals, such as creating insulin-producing bacteria or transgenic animals. However, it raises ethical concerns regarding the release of GMOs into the environment, implications for food sources, animal welfare, and the potential misuse of genetic testing in humans.

1. Genetic
Genetic
Engineering
Engineering
PRESENTED BY-
AKSHDEEP SHARMA

2. What is genetic engineering???
Genetic engineering: is the artificial manipulation or
alteration of genes.
Genetic Engineering involves:
• removing a gene (target gene) from one organism
• inserting target gene into DNA of another organism
• ‘cut and paste’ process.

3. Some important terms!!!
Recombinant DNA: the altered DNA is called
recombinant DNA ( recombines after small section of
DNA inserted into it).
Genetically Modified Organism (GMO): is the
organism with the altered DNA.

4. Genetic Engineering breaks the species
barrier!!!
• Genetic engineering allows DNA from different species
to be joined together.
• This often results in combinations of DNA that would
never be possible in nature!!! For this reason genetic
engineering is not a natural process.
• If DNA is transferred from one species to another the
organism that receives the DNA is said to be transgenic.

5. Genetic engineering breaks the species
barrier!!!
• Examples of cross-species transfer of genes:
- a human gene inserted into a bacterium
- a human gene inserted into another animal
- a bacterial gene placed in a plant

6. Tools Used in Genetic Engineering
Restriction Enzymes:
- are special enzymes used to cut the DNA at specific
places.
- different enzymes cut DNA at specific base sequences
known as a recognition site. For example
i) One restriction enzyme will always cut DNA at
the base sequence: GAATTC.
ii) Another restriction enzyme only cuts at the
sequence: GATC.
- If DNA from two different organisms is cut with the
same restriction enzyme the cut ends from both sources
will be complementary and can easily stick together.

7. Restriction enzymes
DNA 1 DNA 2

8. Tools used in Genetic Engineering
DNA Ligase: enzyme which acts like a glue sticking
foreign DNA to DNA of the cloning vector.
• will only work if DNA from the two DNA sources has
been cut with the same restriction enzyme i.e. sticky ends
of cut DNA will be complementary to each other.

9. Process of Genetic Engineering
Five steps involved in this process:
1. Isolation
2. Cutting
3. Insertion (Ligation)
4. Transformation
5. Expression
Note: The following example will explain how a human
gene is inserted into a bacterium so that the bacterium
can produce human insulin.

10. Applications of Genetic Engineering
You must know three applications: one involving a plant,
one animal and one for a micro-organism.
Plants: Weed killer-resistant crops
• many types of crop plants have bacterial genes
added to them.
• these genes make the plants resistant to certain
weed killers (herbicides).
• this means that the weed killers kill the weeds but do
not affect the transgenic plants.

11. Applications of Genetic Engineering
Animals:
There is a growing trend to experiment with inserting
human genes into the DNA of other mammals. The
transgenic animals formed in this way will then produce a
human protein and secrete it into their milk or even into
their eggs.

12. Applications of Genetic Engineering
Animals: Sheep produce human clotting factor
• A human gene has been inserted into the DNA of
sheep.
• This allows the adult sheep to produce a clotting
chemical needed by haemophiliacs to clot their blood
– produced in the milk of the sheep.
Pharming: is the production of pharmaceuticals by
genetically modified animals i.e. sheep, cows, goats etc.

13. Pharming – using animals to make
pharmaceuticals

14. Applications of Genetic Engineering
Micro-organisms: Bacteria make insulin
• The human insulin gene has been inserted into a
bacterium (E-coli).
• This allows the bacterium to produce insulin for use
by diabetics.

15. Ethical Issues in genetic engineering
The release of GMO’s into the environment:
• Danger of possibility of GMO’s being released into
the environment.
• GMO’s grown in bioreactors do not provoke as
much fear.
• GMO’s grown outdoors - fears of foreign genes
they contain being spread to other plants.

16. Ethical Issues in Genetic Engineering
GMO’s as a food source:
Outlined below are some fears associated with the use of
GMO’s as a food source:
• Cannibalism:
– eating an animal containing a human gene is a
form of cannibalism.
- feeding GMO’s containing human genes to
animals that would later be eaten by humans.
• Religious reasons: – eating cow genes that are inserted
into sheep would be offensive to HINDUs.
• Offensive to vegetarians/vegans: – eating animal genes
contained in food plants cause concern.

17. Ethical Issues in Genetic Engineering
Animal Welfare:
• There is serious concern that animals will suffer as a
result of being genetically modified.
• use of growth hormones may cause limb deformation
and arthritis as animals grow.

18. Ethical Issues in Genetic Engineering
Genetic Engineering in Humans:
The following issues are a cause for concern:
• If tests are carried out for genetic diseases, who is
entitled to see the results?
• Tests on unborn babies – could this lead to abortion
if a disease is shown to be present?
• Insurance/lending companies – will they insist on
genetic tests before they will insure/lend money to a
person?
• Need for legal controls over the uses to which human
cells can be put.
• Development and expansion of eugenics.