BY DESIREE OSORNIO & BLANCA HERNANDEZ ENGLISH, PER.2
Genetic Engineering
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Genetic Engineering is the deliberate modification of the
characteristics of an organism by manipulating genetic
material
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In medicine, genetic engineering has been used to mass- produce
insulin, human growth hormones, follistim (for treating
infertility), human albumin, monoclonal antibodies, antihemophilic
factors, vaccines, and many other drugs. In research, organisms are
genetically engineered to discover the functions of certain genes.
Not only is it used in medicine it is also used to modify food It
has also been modified for crops Current uses
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Cloning One of the most controversial uses of genetic
engineering has been cloning, or producing a genetically identical
copy of an organism. While the ethics of cloning are hotly debated,
the first ever sheep (named Dolly) was cloned in 1996 by
scientists.
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Glow-in-the-dark cats - It sounds strange, but in 2007,
scientists in South Korea altered the DNA of a kitty so that its
fur would glow in the dark, and then cloned other cats from it,
making the worlds first glowing cats. Glow in the dark cats
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Plants that fight pollution Poplar trees developed by
scientists at the University of Washington can absorb polluted
water through their roots and clean it before the water is released
back into the air. The plants were many times more efficient at
cleaning certain pollutants than regular poplars.
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Golden rice Genetic modification is often used to make
"healthier" foods, such as golden rice, which contains
beta-carotene the very same vitamin that makes carrots orange. The
result is that people without access to many vitamins will get a
healthy dose of vitamin A when the rice is consumed.
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Other examples Environmentally friendly pigs - Genetic
modification has helped to create pigs that can digest phosphorous
better, which decreases the pigs phosphorous output. The result is
that manure, which is often made from pig waste, is less
destructive to the environment due to its lower phosphorous
content. Faster-growing trees - Demand for wood can be met by trees
that grow faster than average. Genetic engineering has produced
trees that can ward off biological attacks, grow more quickly and
strongly, and create better wood than trees that are not
genetically modified Bigger, longer-lasting tomatoes - When
tomatoes are genetically engineered, they can be made bigger and
more robust. These are engineered to produce tomatoes that can
remain fresh for longer, can be shipped farther from where they are
grown, and can be harvested all at the same time rather than
harvesting only parts of a field at each harvest. Salmon that grow
faster - Salmon do not produce growth hormones year-round, so
scientists have looked toward genetic engineering and found a
solution: a modification that allows salmon to grow twice as fast
than those that are not engineered. Insecticide corn - Instead of
spraying insecticide on plants, why not genetically engineer crops
that kill pests on their own? Corn was developed through genetic
engineering to produce a poison that kills insects The banana
vaccine - Bananas were developed through genetic modification that
offer vaccine against diseases such as cholera and hepatitis. Just
like with a needle vaccine, people who eat them develop
disease-combating antibodies that make them immune to a
disease.
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Proposed Uses Medical Treatment Agricultural Use ( faster
growth, and delayed ripening) Gene therapy(addresses disease
conditions)
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Pros Cons Most of the diseases and illnesses can easily be
prevented Infectious diseases that can also be treated with the use
of genetic engineering Easily determine their desirable
characteristics Pose a threat to human dignity Diminish our
humanity It seizes control of humanity so radically that humanity
can no longer judge it Pros and Cons of Genetic Engineering
