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Activity – GMO

Genetically Modified Organism (GMO), organism whose genome has been engineered in the
laboratory in order to favour the expression of desired physiological traits or the generation of desired
biological products. In conventional livestock production, crop farming, and even pet breeding, it has long
been the practice to breed select individuals of a species in order to produce offspring that have desirable
traits. In genetic modification, however, recombinant genetic technologies are employed to produce
organisms whose genomes have been precisely altered at the molecular level, usually by the inclusion
of genes from unrelated species of organisms that code for traits that would not be obtained easily
through conventional selective breeding.

Genetically modified organisms (GMOs) are produced using scientific methods that
include recombinant DNA technology and reproductive cloning. In
reproductive cloning, a nucleus is extracted from a cell of the individual
to be cloned and is inserted into the enucleated cytoplasm of a
host egg (an enucleated egg is an egg cell that has had its own nucleus
removed). The process results in the generation of an offspring that is
genetically identical to the donor individual. The first animal produced
by means of this cloning technique with a nucleus from an adult donor
cell (as opposed to a donor embryo) was a sheep named Dolly, born in
1996. Since then a number of other animals, including pigs, horses,
and dogs, have been generated by reproductive cloning technology.
Recombinant DNA technology, on the other hand, involves the insertion
of one or more individual genes from an organism of one species into
the DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) of another. Whole-genome
replacement, involving the transplantation of one bacterial genome into
the “cell body,” or cytoplasm, of another microorganism, has been
reported, although this technology is still limited to basic scientific
applications.

GMOs produced through genetic technologies have become a

part of everyday life, entering into society through agriculture, medicine,
research, and environmental management. However, while GMOs have benefited human society in many
ways, some disadvantages exist; therefore, the production of GMOs remains a highly controversial topic
in many parts of the world.

https://www.britannica.com/science/genetically-modified-organism

Instruction. Do the Task on Genetically Modified Organism (GMO).

Current Use of Genetically Modified Organisms

Agricultural plants are one of the most frequently cited examples of genetically modified
organisms (GMOs). Some benefits of genetic engineering in agriculture are increased crop yields,
reduced costs for food or drug production, reduced need for pesticides, enhanced nutrient composition
and food quality, resistance to pests and disease, greater food security, and medical benefits to the
world's growing population. Advances have also been made in developing crops that mature faster and
tolerate aluminum, boron, salt, drought, frost, and other environmental stressors,
allowing plants to grow in conditions where they might not otherwise flourish
(Table 1; Takeda & Matsuoka, 2008). Other applications include the production of
nonprotein (bioplastic) or nonindustrial (ornamental plant) products. A number of
animals have also been genetically engineered to increase yield and decrease
susceptibility to disease. For example, salmon have been engineered to grow
larger (Figure 1) and mature faster (Table 1), and cattle have been enhanced to
exhibit resistance to mad cow disease (United States Department of Energy,
2007).

Table 1: Examples of GMOs Resulting from Agricultural Biotechnology

Genetically Conferred Trait Example Genetic Change
Organism

APPROVED COMMERCIAL PRODUCTS

Herbicide tolerance Soybean Glyphosate herbicide (Roundup)

tolerance conferred by expression of a
glyphosate-tolerant form of the
plant enzyme 5-enolpyruvylshikimate-3-
phosphate synthase (EPSPS) isolated
from the soil bacterium Agrobacterium
tumefaciens, strain CP4

Insect resistance Corn Resistance to insect pests, specifically

the European corn borer, through
expression of the
insecticidal protein Cry1Ab from Bacillus
thuringiensis

Altered fatty acid composition Canola High laurate levels achieved by inserting
the gene for ACP thioesterase from the
California bay tree Umbellularia
californica

Virus resistance Plum Resistance to plum pox virus conferred

by insertion of a coat protein (CP) gene
from the virus

PRODUCTS STILL IN DEVELOPMENT

Vitamin enrichment Rice Three genes for the manufacture of beta-

carotene, a precursor to vitamin A, in the
endosperm of the rice prevent its removal
(from husks) during milling

Vaccines Tobacco Hepatitis B virus surface antigen (HBsAg)

produced in transgenic tobacco induces
immune response when injected into
 mice

Oral vaccines Maize Fusion protein (F) from Newcastle

disease virus (NDV) expressed in corn
seeds induces an immune response
when fed to chickens

Faster maturation Coho salmon A type 1 growth hormone gene injected

into fertilized fish eggs results in 6.2%
retention of the vector at one year of age,
as well as significantly increased growth
rates

The pharmaceutical industry is another frontier for the use of GMOs. In 1986, human growth
hormone was the first protein pharmaceutical made in plants (Barta et al., 1986), and in 1989, the
first antibody was produced (Hiatt et al., 1989). Both research groups used tobacco, which has since
dominated the industry as the most intensively studied and utilized plant species for the expression of
foreign genes (Ma et al., 2003). As of 2003, several types of antibodies produced in plants had made it to
clinical trials. The use of genetically modified animals has also been indispensible in medical
research. Transgenic animals are routinely bred to carry human genes, or mutations in specific genes,
thus allowing the study of the progression and genetic determinants of various diseases.

Potential GMO Applications

Many industries stand to benefit from additional GMO research. For instance, a number of
microorganisms are being considered as future clean fuel producers and biodegraders. In addition,
genetically modified plants may someday be used to produce recombinant vaccines. In fact, the concept
of an oral vaccine expressed in plants (fruits and vegetables) for direct consumption by individuals is
being examined as a possible solution to the spread of disease in underdeveloped countries, one that
would greatly reduce the costs associated with conducting large-scale vaccination campaigns. Work is
currently underway to develop plant-derived vaccine candidates in potatoes and lettuce for hepatitis B
virus (HBV), enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC), and Norwalk virus. Scientists are also looking into
the production of other commercially valuable proteins in plants, such as spider silk protein and polymers
that are used in surgery or tissue replacement (Ma et al., 2003). Genetically modified animals have even
been used to grow transplant tissues and human transplant organs, a concept called xenotransplantation.
The rich variety of uses for GMOs provides a number of valuable benefits to humans, but many people
also worry about potential risks.

Risks and Controversies Surrounding the Use of GMOs

Despite the fact that the genes being transferred occur naturally in other species, there are
unknown consequences to altering the natural state of an organism through foreign gene expression.
After all, such alterations can change the organism's metabolism, growth rate, and/or response to
external environmental factors. These consequences influence not only the GMO itself, but also the
natural environment in which that organism is allowed to proliferate. Potential health risks to humans
include the possibility of exposure to new allergens in genetically modified foods, as well as the transfer of
antibiotic-resistant genes to gut flora.
Horizontal gene transfer of pesticide, herbicide, or antibiotic resistance to other organisms would
not only put humans at risk, but it would also cause ecological imbalances, allowing previously innocuous
plants to grow uncontrolled, thus promoting the spread of disease among both plants and animals.
Although the possibility of horizontal gene transfer between GMOs and other organisms cannot be
denied, in reality, this risk is considered to be quite low. Horizontal gene transfer occurs naturally at a very
low rate and, in most cases, cannot be simulated in an optimized laboratory environment without active
modification of the target genome to increase susceptibility (Ma et al., 2003).
 In contrast, the alarming consequences of vertical gene transfer between GMOs and their wild-
type counterparts have been highlighted by studying transgenic fish released into wild populations of the
same species (Muir & Howard, 1999). The enhanced mating advantages of the genetically modified fish
led to a reduction in the viability of their offspring. Thus, when a new transgene is introduced into a wild
fish population, it propagates and may eventually threaten the viability of both the wild-type and the
genetically modified organisms.

Unintended Impacts on Other Species: The Bt Corn Controversy

One example of public debate over the use of a genetically modified plant involves the case of Bt
corn. Bt corn expresses a protein from the bacterium Bacillus thuringiensis. Prior to construction of the
recombinant corn, the protein had long been known to be toxic to a number of pestiferous insects,
including the monarch caterpillar, and it had been successfully used as an environmentally friendly
insecticide for several years. The benefit of the expression of this protein by corn plants is a reduction in
the amount of insecticide that farmers must apply to their crops. Unfortunately, seeds containing genes
for recombinant proteins can cause unintentional spread of recombinant genes or exposure of non-target
organisms to new toxic compounds in the environment.
The now-famous Bt corn controversy started with a laboratory study by Losey et al. (1999) in
which the mortality of monarch larvae was reportedly higher when fed with milkweed (their natural food
supply) covered in pollen from transgenic corn than when fed milkweed covered with pollen from regular
corn. The report by Losey et al. was followed by another publication (Jesse & Obrycki, 2000) suggesting
that natural levels of Bt corn pollen in the field were harmful to monarchs.
Debate ensued when scientists from other laboratories disputed the study, citing the extremely
high concentration of pollen used in the laboratory study as unrealistic, and concluding that migratory
patterns of monarchs do not place them in the vicinity of corn during the time it sheds pollen. For the next
two years, six teams of researchers from government, academia, and industry investigated the issue and
concluded that the risk of Bt corn to monarchs was "very low" (Sears et al., 2001), providing the basis for
the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to approve Bt corn for an additional seven years.

Unintended Economic Consequences

Another concern associated with GMOs is that private companies will claim ownership of the
organisms they create and not share them at a reasonable cost with the public. If these claims are
correct, it is argued that use of genetically modified crops will hurt the economy and environment,
because monoculture practices by large-scale farm production centers (who can afford the costly seeds)
will dominate over the diversity contributed by small farmers who can't afford the technology. However, a
recent meta-analysis of 15 studies reveals that, on average, two-thirds of the benefits of first-generation
genetically modified crops are shared downstream, whereas only one-third accrues upstream (Demont et
al., 2007). These benefit shares are exhibited in both industrial and developing countries. Therefore, the
argument that private companies will not share
ownership of GMOs is not supported by evidence from
first-generation genetically modified crops.

recombinant DNA, molecules of DNA from two

different species that are inserted into a host organism to
produce new genetic combinations that are
of value to science, medicine, agriculture, and industry.
Since the focus of all genetics is the gene, the
fundamental goal of laboratory geneticists is to isolate,
characterize, and manipulate genes. Although it is
relatively easy to isolate a sample of DNA from a
collection of cells, finding a specific gene within this DNA
sample can be compared to finding a needle in a
haystack. Consider the fact that each human cell
contains approximately 2 metres (6 feet) of DNA.
Therefore, a small tissue sample will contain many
kilometres of DNA. However, recombinant
DNA technology has made it possible to isolate one
gene or any other segment of DNA, enabling researchers to determine its nucleotide sequence, study its
transcripts, mutate it in highly specific ways, and reinsert the modified sequence into a living organism.

https://www.genome.gov/genetics-glossary/Recombinant-DNA-Technology

DNA cloning
In biology a clone is a group of individual cells or organisms descended from one progenitor. This
means that the members of a clone are genetically identical, because cell replication produces identical
daughter cells each time. The use of the word clone has been extended to recombinant DNA technology,
which has provided scientists with the ability to produce many copies of a single fragment of DNA, such
as a gene, creating identical copies that constitute a DNA clone. In practice the procedure is carried out
by inserting a DNA fragment into a small DNA molecule and then allowing this molecule to replicate
inside a simple living cell such as a bacterium. The small replicating molecule is called a DNA vector
(carrier). The most commonly used vectors are plasmids (circular DNA molecules that originated
from bacteria), viruses, and yeast cells. Plasmids are not a part of the main cellular genome, but they can
carry genes that provide the host cell with useful properties, such as drug resistance, mating ability,
and toxin production. They are small enough to be conveniently manipulated experimentally, and,
furthermore, they will carry extra DNA that is spliced into them.

https://www.britannica.com/science/recombinant-DNA-technology

TASK 1. Make a graphic organizer or process flow of both Recombinant DNA and Cloning. Make a
comparison of them.

Guide Questions:

1.How the philosophical and religious belief of the community being affected through this GMO?

2. How recombinant DNA works?

You may search for further information:
https://www.britannica.com/science/genetically-modified-organism
https://www.nature.com/scitable/topicpage/genetically-modified-organisms-gmos-transgenic-
crops-and-732/
https://www.britannica.com/science/recombinant-DNA-technology