Genetically Modified Crops Flashcards
What is the definition of a GMO/GMM in European legislation?
An organism in which the genetic material has been altered in a way that does not occur naturally by mating and/or natural recombination
What is the status of genetically modified maize cultivation in Spain and Portugal as of 2019?
In 2019, Spain and Portugal planted nearly 276,000 acres of GM maize, mainly for livestock feed, but this area is declining.
How many EU Countries voted against GMO crops?
19 out of 27 Countries
What two EU Regulations authorize the legislation of GM crops?
The GM Food and Feed Regulation.
The Traceability and Labelling Regulation.
How many GM crops are approved for use in the EU?
about 60 crops
What are the top four GM Food Ingredients authorized in the EU?
Soya Bean
Maize
Oilseed Rape
Cotton
What percentage of GM food is required to add a GM label to an EU food product?
More than 0.9%
What percentage of feed used on Irish farms is from GM crops?
over 50%
What does transgenic mean?
An organism that has had genes from another organism inserted into its genome via recombinant DNA techniques.
What percentage of GM crops are engineered for herbicide resistance?
85%
How does glyphosate kill plants, and what role does EPSPS play?
Glyphosate blocks the enzyme EPSPS, which plants need to make important amino acids. Without EPSPS, the plant dies.
How are plants made resistant to glyphosate?
Scientists insert a glyphosate-resistant EPSPS gene from bacteria into the plant’s chloroplasts. This lets the plant survive glyphosate, while weeds without the gene die.
What is Bacillus thuringiensis?
Bt is a soil bacterium commonly used a biological pesticide.
It is used to kill the gut lining of corn borers.
What is Golden Rice and how is it made?
Golden Rice is genetically modified rice that contains genes from daffodil and bacteria to produce beta-carotene, a precursor to vitamin A.
What does cisgenic mean?
Genetic modification transferring beneficial genes from a closely related species into another organism. The genes are the same as those used in traditional breeding.
What is Genome editing?
A type of genetic engineering on which DNA is inserted, replaced, or removed from a genome using artificially engineered nucleases or “molecular scissors”.
How is the CRISPR-Cas system used in plants?
CRISPR-Cas, originally a bacterial defense system against viruses, acts like molecular scissors to cut specific parts of a plant’s DNA.
The plant’s own repair system can then make precise changes at the cut site.
What is horizontal gene transfer?
Horizontal gene transfer is when genetic information is passed between unrelated organisms, often through viruses or plasmids.
