Making a Transgenic Plant

• The generation of a transgenic plant

Limitations of Agrobacterium-mediated Transgenesis

DicotsTomatoesPotatoesApplesSoybeans

MonocotsCornWheat

Agrobacterium only infect dicot plants. So, the alternative is to use a gene gun.

http://www.hort.purdue.edu/hort/courses/hort250/animations/Gene%20Gun%20Animation/Genegun1.html

Gene Gun animation

From an agribusiness standpoint – Both seed stock and pesticide are products from the same company

The Flavr Savr™ Tomato

Bt Crops

Bacillus thuriengensis is a bacterium that produces a

natural protein insect poison (Bt toxin). Upon consumption

of the bacteria, the insect dies. This is a “natural”

pesticide used by organic farmers

Enhancing Vitamin/Mineral Content

“Golden Rice” contains transgenes that allow it to produce vitamin A (beta-carotene) and increase levels of iron

This is a humanitarian project designed to combat Vitamin A deficiency

Some examples of transgenic animals

Why are all these glowing green?

Green Fluorescent Protein

A gene product of the jellyfish Aequorea victoria. Will fluoresce green when exposed to blue light. This is used as a tracking molecule to study physiological and cellular processes.

There are now several different modifications of GFP:

“Enhanced GFP”BlueCyanCitrine

Also fluorecent proteins form other animals such as anemones (RFP)

GloFiish

Tetra Rhesus Monkey

1999 2001

Copycat (Cc)Domestic Cat

2003

PrometeaHorse

Idaho GemMulePigsMale Mouse

Cloned Animals

Champion Racehorse

“Royal Blue Moon Too”$150,000Viagen

Cyagra

Cloned Beefstock

Note: This has now been approved by both the FDA and the USDA

Idea – Bring endangered species to term in a surrogate of another species (non-endangered)

Preserving Endangered Species

Giant Panda Cloning

Cloned panda embryos have been produced in ChinaDifficulty finding suitable surrogate

Cloning Extinct Species

Would require an intact nucleus

Spanish Ibex2000

West African Black Rhino2006

Tasmanian Tiger1936

Cloning Extinct Species

The Future?

• People have become greatly concerned with the possibility of human cloning– To some, it is morally wrong and threatens the basic fabric of parenthood

and family– To others, it offers a new avenue of reproduction

• For infertile couples, for example

• In the public sector, the sentiment toward human cloning has been generally negative– Indeed, many countries have issued an all-out ban – While others permit limited research in the area

• In the future our society, will have to wrestle with the legal and ethical aspects of cloning

Human Cloning May Be Underway...

Clonaid – an arm of the Raelian sect claims to have cloned 5 human babies. The location of the offshore laboratory is a secret.

Human cloning, in principle, should be easier than that of large animals – since we know much more about human physiology. The only real barrier regulatory...

Modified from original power point created by Jeff Reinking, SUNY New Paltz