Using gene technology to improve an organism Genetic engineering and gene technology to manipulate DNA to change the genes within an organism.
Why change genes?
Gene technology allows scientists to isolate a specific gene, alter it, copy it and then reinsert it into a new
position. This could be back into the original organism or in a completely different one.
Gene technology has led to:
• larger harvests
• plants with greater disease resistance
• crops with improved storage and
handling properties
• fruit and vegetables that last longer and
taste better.
Organisms that have their gene sequence altered are called genetically modified (GM) plants or animals.Genetically modified cotton, for example, has a gene from a naturally occurring bacterium, Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) inserted into it. This insertion produces a protein that kills the major pest of cotton (the Heliothis caterpillar) when it eats the cotton leaves. The modified cotton is called Bt cotton. Australians currently use a number of products from genetically modified crops in their foods. These include canola oil, soy beans in some soy-based products and potatoes in processed snack foods.
In the future, genetic modification may have other benefits such as:
• producing plants that can reverse the effects of salinity
• creating bio-fuel bacteria that can produce energy
• producing bacteria that can clean up oil spills and process industrial waste
• allowing genetic diseases to be eliminated.
How gene technology works
Genetic engineering and gene technology alter
particular characteristics of an organism by manipulating
Global Issues
Genetically Modified Foods
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Add factual information to this page.
Website defining exactly what GM foods are and standards regarding their production and sale.
http://www.foodstandards.gov.au/consumerinformation/gmfoods/
Genetically modified foods (GM foods or GMO foods) are foods derived from genetically modified organisms, (GMOs). Genetically modified organisms have had specific changes introduced into their DNA by genetic engineering techniques. These techniques are much more precise[1[[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Genetically_modified_food#cite_note-0|]]] than mutagenesis(mutation breeding) where an organism is exposed to radiation or chemicals to create a non-specific but stable change. Other techniques by which humans modify food organisms include selective breeding; plant breeding, and animal breeding,
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Genetically_modified_food
(Sourced from SF4)
Using gene technology to improve an organism Genetic engineering and gene technology to manipulate DNA to change the genes within an organism.
Why change genes?
Gene technology allows scientists to isolate a specific gene, alter it, copy it and then reinsert it into a new
position. This could be back into the original organism or in a completely different one.
Gene technology has led to:
• larger harvests
• plants with greater disease resistance
• crops with improved storage and
handling properties
• fruit and vegetables that last longer and
taste better.
Organisms that have their gene sequence altered are called genetically modified (GM) plants or animals.Genetically modified cotton, for example, has a gene from a naturally occurring bacterium, Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) inserted into it. This insertion produces a protein that kills the major pest of cotton (the Heliothis caterpillar) when it eats the cotton leaves. The modified cotton is called Bt cotton. Australians currently use a number of products from genetically modified crops in their foods. These include canola oil, soy beans in some soy-based products and potatoes in processed snack foods.
In the future, genetic modification may have other benefits such as:
• producing plants that can reverse the effects of salinity
• creating bio-fuel bacteria that can produce energy
• producing bacteria that can clean up oil spills and process industrial waste
• allowing genetic diseases to be eliminated.
How gene technology works
Genetic engineering and gene technology alter
particular characteristics of an organism by manipulating
its genes. To do this, the long strand of the DNA
molecule needs to be cut and rejoined.