GM Product Techniques

There are many genetically modified products that many people have no idea even exist. This can be anything that contains genes, or DNA material, that was inherited from its “parents”. These products can include food, plants, and animals. Scientists are able to modify the products by changing and altering the genetic makeup of the organism.

Genes and DNA are how an organism was compiled together and “created”. They are the unstructions and building blocks of the organism. Once the DNA is decoded, proteins are made with these “instructions” and then travel to the correct area within the organism in order to keep the body functioning properly. Genetically modifying an organism can be very dangerous if scientists randomly combine or mutate genes. Although scientists did at one time allow this process to be completely random, they have discovered ways to give organisms specific traits by giving the organism DNA with the desired trait(s). When scientists allowed GM products randomly modified, they had to do so with similar species, however, more specific changes can be done with different types of organisms.

Some techniques used to transfer different organisms’ cells into another organism include bacterial carriers, biolistic, electroporation, gene splicing, gene silencing, microinjection, and viral carriers.

·         Bacterial Carriers are an effective way of injecting new DNA into an organism because the bacterium, “Agrobacterium” can infect plants. This is an effective way to insert new genes or traits into a plant organism because it will infect the plant and transfer this DNA throughout the organism (plants).

·         Biolistic allow the DNA to be attached to microscopic particles of gold or tungsten and are then “fired” into the desired cells using pressurized gas.

·         Electroporation allows a shock of electricity to tear a small part of the cells wall and allow the desired genetics to make their way into the nuclei of each of the desired cells. Then these cells go into a healing mode to close the new genes inside and are soon put back into the desired organism.

·         Gene silencing is used to “silence”, or get rid of unwanted traits or characteristics. The gene can be silenced by having a second copy the wrong way or to insert foreign DNA in order to de-activate the unwanted gene/trait.

·         Gene splicing is when you place DNA in the organism and they are designed specifically to work with the bacteria that cuts the DNA up, causing the section cut off from the DNA to be “sticky” and attach or paste itself to the desired DNA. After this, other enzymes are used to fuse the genetics together to make one, and fuse the new gene sequences into the chromosome.

·         Microinjection is a method used to inject desired traits into the egg within the female before it attaches to the uterus and this allows the desired genes to be in nearly all cells/parts of the new organism.

·         Viral carriers allow the desired DNA to be put into the genetic makeup of a virus before being put into the organism to infect the targeted cells. This is often done in ways that it does not harm the “infected” cells or cause death.

Genetic modification is all around today. Many crops have been genetically modified in order to handle toxins used to keep bugs from getting them and other types of toxins used within the fields. Other types of foods have been altered in order to increase the shelf life or to remove factors from items that people may be allergic to, such as peanuts in peanut butter. Other organisms have been genetically modified in order to be “safer” for organisms, to get rid of unwanted traits or characteristics and other reasons, depending on the organism and purpose in the environment.

Benefits could include the organism surviving better within specific climates, or being healthier for people. Some downsides of modifying some of the organisms include the fact that nature is usually best left unaltered, it could ruin the taste of the product, or can become much less healthy to be around or to consume.

Resources

"EarthTalk / Genetically Modified Foods." Darien News. N.p., n.d. Web. 25 Jan. 2013. http://www.dariennewsonline.com/news/article/EarthTalk-Genetically-modified-foods-4074240.php.

"Genetically Modified Foods - Home." Genetically Modified Foods - Home. N.p., n.d. Web. 25 Jan. 2013. http://gmfhome.weebly.com/.

"Genetically Modified Foods - Techniques." Better Health Channel. N.p., n.d. Web. 20 Jan. 2013. http://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/bhcv2/bhcarticles.nsf/pages/Genetically_modified_foods_techniques.

"Top 7 Genetically Modified Crops | Stuart Wilde | The Official Author Website." Stuart Wilde. N.p., n.d. Web. 26 Jan. 2013. http://www.stuartwilde.com/2012/11/top-7-genetically-modified-crops/.