Genetic engineering involves modifying an organism's genes using technology. It was first achieved in 1973 when Herbert Boyer and Stanley Cohen inserted antibiotic resistance genes into bacterial DNA. Rudolf Jaenisch then created the first genetically modified animal, a mouse, in 1974. In 1994, the first genetically modified food, a longer-lasting tomato, was approved for sale. More recently, scientists have developed new gene editing tools like CRISPR that allow more precise genetic modifications. While genetic engineering enables benefits like increased food production and disease resistance, it also raises concerns about unintended health and environmental impacts.

1. Nathanael
Genetic Engineering
Biotechnology

2. Basic Description

3. Basic Description
What is
genetic engineering?
Genetic engineering, also called genetic
modi
fi
cation or genetic manipulation, is
the modi
fi
cation and manipulation of an
organism's genes using technology. It is a
set of technologies used to change the
genetic makeup of cells, including the
transfer of genes within and across
species boundaries to produce improved
or novel organisms.

4. Timeline

5. DNA's role in heredity
was con
fi
rmed by Alfred
Hershey and Martha
Chase
1952
James Watson and Francis
Crick showed that the DNA
molecule has a double-
helix structure
1994
1974
Rudolf Jaenisch created a
genetically modi
fi
ed
mouse, the
fi
rst GM
animal.
Herbert Boyer and Stanley
Cohen created the
fi
rst
transgenic organism by inserting
antibiotic resistance genes into
the plasmid of an Escherichia coli
bacterium.
1973
Calgene attained approval to
commercially release the
fi
rst
genetically modi
fi
ed food, the
Flavr Savr, a tomato engineered
to have a longer shelf life.
In 2010, scientists at the J. Craig
Venter Institute created the
fi
rst
synthetic genome and inserted it
into an empty bacterial cell. The
resulting bacterium, named
Mycoplasma laboratorium, could
replicate and produce proteins.
2010
1953

6. Con
fi
rmed by Alfred Hershey and Martha Chase
DNA’s Role
• They did a famous experiement: “Hershey-
Chase experiment”
• In their experiments, Hershey and Chase
showed that when bacteriophages, which
are composed of DNA and protein, infect
bacteria, their DNA enters the host
bacterial cell, but most of their protein
does not. Hershey and Chase and
subsequent discoveries all served to
prove that DNA is the hereditary material.

7. Proved by James Watson and Francis Crick
Double-helix
In “A Structure of Deoxyribose Nucleic
Acid,” Watson and Crick described DNA
as a double helix that contained two
long, helical strands wound together. In
their model, each DNA strand contained
individual units called bases, and the
bases along one DNA strand matched the
bases along the other DNA strand.

8. First GM organism created by Herbert Boyer and Stanley Cohen
GMO
Herbert Boyer had expertise with restriction
endonucleases and Stanley Cohen studied plasmids, and
after meeting at a conference in 1972, the two decided to
combine their research e
ff
orts.
After preliminary experiments in 1973, the Cohen-Boyer
team was able to cut open a plasmid loop from one
species of bacteria, insert a gene from di
ff
erent bacterial
species and close the plasmid. This created a
recombinant DNA molecule-- a plasmid containing
recombined DNA from two di
ff
erent sources. Next, they
inserted the plasmid into bacteria and demonstrated that
the recombinant DNA could be used by bacteria. The
team had created the
fi
rst genetically modi
fi
ed organisms.

9. First GM animal created by Rudolf Jaenisch
GM Mouse
Jaenisch’s
fi
rst breakthrough occurred in the
1970s when he demonstrated for the
fi
rst time
that foreign DNA could be integrated into the
DNA of early mouse embryos; mice derived from
these embryos carried the foreign genes in all of
their tissues.
Subsequently, Jaenisch injected retrovirus into
early mouse embryos and showed that leukemia
DNA sequences had integrated not only into the
mouse genome but also to its o
ff
spring. These
mice were the
fi
rst transgenic animals in history.

10. A tomato engineered to have a longer shelf life
Flavr Savr
The FLAVR SAVR™ tomato was developed
through the use of antisense RNA to
regulate the expression of the enzyme
polygalacturonase (PG) in ripening tomato
fruit. This enzyme is one of the most
abundant proteins in ripe tomato fruit and
has long been thought to be responsible
for softening in ripe tomatoes.

11. Mycoplasma Laboratorium
Synthetic Genome
A team of 17 researchers at the J. Craig
Venter Institute has created the largest man-
made DNA structure by synthesizing and
assembling the 582,970 base pair genome of
a bacterium, Mycoplasma genitalium
JCVI-1.0. This work is the second of three key
steps toward the team's goal of creating a
fully synthetic organism. In the next step, the
team will attempt to create a living bacterial
cell based entirely on the synthetically made
genome.

12. A family of DNA Sequence
CRISPR
Stands for Clustered Regularly Interspaced
Short Palindromic Repeats, which are the
hallmark of a bacterial defense system that
forms the basis for CRISPR-Cas9 genome
editing technology. Systems that can be
programmed to target speci
fi
c stretches of
genetic code and to edit DNA at precise
locations, as well as for other purposes, such
as for new diagnostic tools. With these
systems, researchers can permanently
modify genes in living cells and organisms

13. What does this
technology give us

14. Pros
• More nutritious food
• Tastier food
• Disease- and drought-resistant plants that require
fewer environmental resources (such as water and
fertilizer)
• Less use of pesticides
• Increased supply of food with reduced cost and longer
shelf life
• Faster growing plants and animals
• Food with more desirable traits, such as potatoes that
produce less of a cancer-causing substance when
fried
• Medicinal foods that could be used as vaccines or
other medicines
Cons
• They might contribute to a rise in allergic reactions
• Genetic food can prompt allergic reactions from
di
ff
erent foods
• GMOs may contribute to antibiotic resistance
• Some research has linked GMOs to cancer
• Very few companies are in charge of all the GMO seed
market
• Herbicide resistance occurs even without genetic
modi
fi
cation
• GMOs produce superbugs

15. Less Use of
Pesticides
Based on a study conducted by PG
Economics to measure the quantity of
pesticide on cotton that had been
genetically modi
fi
ed from 1996-2011, it was
discovered that there had been a 6% decline
in the amount of herbicides used compared
to those that had not been modi
fi
ed.

16. Increased
supply of food
Currently, food production in the world is
17% more than it is required for the
population. The problem is how food can
be dispensed to the countryside where
individuals have little quantities of food.
The time it takes for it to reach such areas
is su
ffi
cient to get ruined before
consumption.

17. Linked GMOs
to Cancer
A research that was initially published in 2013
showed that herbicide found in Round-up tolerant
crops led to the development of cancer in rats. The
paper was later taken back by the
fi
rst journal that
published it for having unfounded or deceptive
information; however, other journals have printed it
since the withdrawal. Thus, a lot of individuals
have concluded that consumption of the modi
fi
ed
corn could be dangerous to their health.

18. Antibiotic
resistance
GMOs are mostly incorporated with
antibiotic genes so as to make the crops
that will grow stronger. It is contemplated
but not corroborated that the procedure
could be contributing to the development
of antibiotic-resistant bacteria.

19. Future

20. Long way to go…
Future
• First, no Spiderman or Hulk
• Second, convincing the public that it is a force for good, rather than conjuring images of
evil corporations playing god.
• The problem with genetic engineering is that a large proportion of the research and
implementation is being carried out by private companies, and corporations don’t have
the best track record for looking after the planet. The gene drive experiments which may
take place could, it’s true, wipe out malaria in at-risk regions, but these introduced traits
may spread to other organisms through crossbreeding, destroying ecological systems.
• To help
fi
gure out these ethical debates, genetic engineering needs to start referring to
other
fi
elds of study

21. “All the food we eat, whether Brussels sprouts or pork
bellies, has been modi
fi
ed by mankind. Genetic engineering
is only one particularly powerful way to do what we have
been doing for thousand years.”
—— Michael Specter

22. Citation
• Alston, J. (2020, August 5). The future of genetic engineering. NewEngineer.com. https://newengineer.com/blog/the-future-of-genetic-
engineering-1383253
• Broad Institute. (2018, August 4). Questions and Answers about CRISPR. Broad Institute; Broad Institute. https://www.broadinstitute.org/
what-broad/areas-focus/project-spotlight/questions-and-answers-about-crispr
• Down to Earth. (2009, November 17). Risks of Genetic Engineering. Down to Earth Organic and Natural. https://www.downtoearth.org/
label-gmos/risks-genetic-engineering
• Michael Specter Quotes. (n.d.). BrainyQuote. Retrieved December 22, 2022, from https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/
michael_specter_634072?src=t_genetic_engineering
• Rinkesh. (2018, October 6). Pros and Cons of Genetically Modi
fi
ed Organisms (GMOs). Conserve Energy Future. https://www.conserve-
energy-future.com/pros-cons-gmos.php
• Scientists Create First Synthetic Bacterial Genome -- Largest Chemically De
fi
ned Structure Synthesized In The Lab. (n.d.). ScienceDaily.
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/01/080124175924.htm
• Smithsonian Institution. (2018). Recombinant DNA and the Birth of Biotech. National Museum of American History; Smithsonian Institution.
https://americanhistory.si.edu/collections/object-groups/birth-of-biotech/recombinant-dna-in-the-lab
• Wikipedia Contributors. (2019, February 28). Genetic engineering. Wikipedia; Wikimedia Foundation. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/
Genetic_engineering
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