Genetic modification

• What is the purpose of genetic engineering in crops?

  To produce crops with desirable characteristics
• How do scientists genetically modify plants?

  By using a modified version of Agrobacterium tumefaciens
• What disease does Agrobacterium tumefaciens cause?

  Grown gall disease
• What genes have scientists added to crop plants?

  Genes that make them resistant to herbicides
• What is the effect of herbicide resistance in crops?

  Less herbicides need to be used
• How does Agrobacterium tumefaciens affect plant cells?

  It invades and inserts genes into the plant's DNA
• What happens after Agrobacterium tumefaciens is modified?

  It infects the target plant's cells
• What is a potential disadvantage of creating GM plants?

  Development of herbicide-resistant weeds
• How does genetic engineering affect biodiversity?

  It can lead to loss of biodiversity
• What are the concerns regarding GM food safety?

  It might harm people
• What is a financial concern related to GM plants?

  Seeds for GM plants can be expensive
• Why are GM crops often designed to be sterile?

  To require new seeds each year
• What are the advantages and disadvantages of genetic engineering in crops?

  Advantages:

  • Increased crop yields
  • Resistance to herbicides

  
  

  Disadvantages:

  • Development of herbicide-resistant weeds
  • Loss of biodiversity
  • Potential harm to human health
  • High cost of seeds
  • Sterility of GM crops
• What is Bt corn produced from?

  A gene from Bacillus thuringiensis
• What does the gene inserted into maize code for?

  A protein poisonous to insect pests
• What happens to pests that try to eat Bt corn?

  They are killed by the poison produced
• What is used as a vector for the gene in Bt corn?

  A virus
• How is the gene for Bt corn obtained?

  It is cut out of a pesticide-resistant plant
• What enzymes are used to cut the gene out of the plant?

  Restriction enzymes
• What characteristic does the useful gene control?

  Pesticide resistance
• What is done to the DNA of a carrier or vector?

  It is cut open using restriction enzymes
• What happens after the useful gene is spliced into the carrier DNA?

  The combined DNA is placed in a virus
• What is the process of injecting the virus into a plant cell called?

  Insertion
• What occurs after the new gene is inserted into the host DNA?

  The new gene begins to work
• What is a transgenic organism?

  A genetically modified organism
• What happens to the GM organisms after they are created?

  They are cloned to produce identical individuals
• What is the benefit of cloning GM organisms?

  Producing large numbers resistant to pesticide
• However, there are disadvantages to creating these plants:

  • the potential of the genes spreading to wild plants (through seeds.)
  • loss of biodiversity because fewer insects survive - resulting in reduced food for animals.
  • there are concerned that food from GM plats might harm people when eaten.
  • seed for GM plants can bee expensive and GM crops are often designed to be sterile so that new seeds are required each year.
• Scientists have added a gene from the daffodil to wild rice that makes it produce beta carotene. this changes the color of the wild rice to a golden color. beta carotene is needed by humans in order to make vitamin A. the advantages of golden rice is that it can be used in areas where vitamin A deficiency is common, so it can help prevent blindness.
• some disadvantages of golden rice are:

  • fears that it will crossbreed with and contaminate wild rice.
  • worries that GM organisms might harm people
  • beta carotene levels are not high enough to make a difference.
  • GM organisms can be expensive.