What is Genetic Enginering? |
Whar are examples of Genetic Engineering? |
What is the controversy towards Genetic Engineering? |
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| Genetic Engineering is a scientific alteration of the structure of genetic material in a living organism. An example of this could be gene manipulation. Genetic Engineering involves the production and use of recombinant DNA and has been emplyed to create bacteria that synthesis insulin, and other human proteins. Thanks to this new discovery, humans have recently begun to purposely change genetic instructions in organisms. It's been a difficult task to endure, but they are slowly making their rounds to humans. |
| Gene manipulation is an example of Genetic Engineering. This process is done by cutting the genes out of cells from an organism and putting them into cells of another to create new varieties of plants and animals. Specific examples of gene manimpulation are corn plants and bacteria. One more example is taking a particular section of one animal's DNA and putting it into another animal. In one particular trial of Genetic Engineering, called selective breeding, there wre two cattle that were cross breeded. Cattle one contained good resistance to heat. However, it had poor beef. Cattle two had good beef, but poor heat resistance. Scientists though they could fix this problem. So, they crossed the cattles' DNA. This experiment resulted in BOTH good beef AND good resistance. One more example of selective breeding is when humans select animals or plants with 'good traits' and breed them. |
| The controversy comes from Genetic Engineering being so risky. One risk would be the idea that we do not know what we're getting ourselves into. In some projects in Genetic Engineering concerning food, some of the food turned out to be toxic. Also, transgenic crops could bring allergens into foods that sensitive individuals would not know to avoid. An example is tranferring the gene for one of the many allergenic proteins found in milk into vegetables, like carrots. There are also risks concerning plants. If we use Genetic Engineering towards plants, they could become toxic, therefore harming to whoever eats them-animal or human. Other risks would be associated with genetically enginneered animals and, like the risks associated with plants, would depend largely on the new traits introduced into the new organism. Also, some specific engineered organisms may be harmful. Therefore, we need to understand more of why this occurs before going deeper into it. This explains why people have controversial issues about the risks of Genetic Engineering |
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Click below for more sites on Genetic Engineering! |
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