genetic modification

Question 1

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define genetic modification

Answer 1

• changing the genetic material of an organism
• by removing, changing or inserting
• individual genes

Question 2

outline examples of genetic modification

Answer 2

• the insertion of human genes into bacteria to
  produce human proteins
• the insertion of genes into crop plants to
  confer resistance to herbicides
• the insertion of genes into crop plants to
  confer resistance to insect pests
• the insertion of genes into crop plants to
  improve nutritional qualities

Question 3

outline the process of genetic modification using bacterial production of a human protein as an example

Answer 3

• (a) isolation of the DNA making up a human
  gene using restriction enzymes, forming
  sticky ends
• (b) cutting of bacterial plasmid DNA with
  the same restriction enzymes, forming
  complementary sticky ends
• (c) insertion of human DNA into bacterial
  plasmid DNA using DNA ligase to form a
  recombinant plasmid
• (d) insertion of recombinant plasmids into
  bacteria
• (e) multiplication of bacteria containing
  recombinant plasmids
• (f) expression in bacteria of the human gene to
  make the human protein

Question 4

Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of genetically modifying crops, including soya, maize and rice

Answer 4

Advantages
* Herbicide and insect resistant crops have improved yields.
Crops can be modified to grow in poor conditions = improves yield.
* Crops with additional nutritional value could be valuable in places where there isn’t enough food to eat.

Disadvantages
* transplated genes may be passed onto other organisms (weed becoming herbicide resistant)
* changing organisms genes could create problems getting passed on to offspring
* affects food chain and human health
* crops become more expensive