Genetic Engineering The processes.

Selective Breeding Selective breeding is also known as artificial selection. Humans use the phenotypic characteristics, which takes advantage of naturally occurring genetic variation in plants, animals, and other organisms, to pass desired traits on to the next generation of organisms.

Artificial selection in action. Nearly all domestic animals—including horses, cats, and farm animals—and most crop plants have been produced by selective breeding.

Hybridization Hybrids are created to maximize the “best” characteristics of two individuals. Traits such as fast growth and large litters would be good characteristics to combine in domestic dogs.

Inbreeding Humans have inbred several domesticated animals and plants to develop “breeds” and “varieties.” Researchers use inbred strains to assure genetic similarities in their experiments. Inbreeding can have drawbacks because it increases the chance of negative recessive traits showing up.

Transgenic animals Placing the genes of the same or different animals into the genome of another. Researchers use this method to create study models of human genes in other species. Can give resistance to infection. Allows for faster growth.

ANDi The Glow in the dark Monkey The first primate to have genes inserted into their genome. ANDi = “inserted DNA” backwards

Transgenic plants Placing the genes of different plants, animals or bacteria into the genome of the plant. Also called genetically modified food (GM) Gives resistance to disease. Gives resistance to insects. Gives resistance to herbicides Gives better nutritional quality. Allows them to produce human products cheaply: Biopharmaceuticals

Putting bacteria to work for us. Recombinant DNA The human gene for insulin is inserted into the bacterial genome. The bacteria now produces human insulin at a much faster pace and cheaper than animals can.

Cutting up the DNA Restriction enzymes Discovered in 1960s Evolved in bacteria to cut up foreign DNA (“restriction”) protection against viruses & other bacteria bacteria protect their own DNA by methylation & by not using the base sequences recognized by the enzymes in their own DNA

Restriction enzymes Action of enzyme cut DNA at specific sequences restriction site produces protruding ends sticky ends Many different enzymes named after organism they are found in EcoRI, HindIII, BamHI, SmaI CTGAATTCCG GACTTAAGGC CTG|AATTCCG GACTTAA|GGC  

Gene therapy A new gene is inserted into a virus vector, which is used to introduce the modified DNA into a human cell. DNA If the treatment is successful, the new gene will replace the faulty or absent gene. The cell can now make a functional proteinprotein

Genetic Engineering video