Recognizing the Agricultural Applications of Biotechnology

Next Generation Science/Common Core Standards Addressed! MS‐LS1‐1. Conduct an investigation to provide evidence that living things are made of cells; either one cell or many different numbers and types of cells. [Clarification Statement: Emphasis is on developing evidence that living things are made of cells, distinguishing between living and non-living cells, and understanding that living things may be made of one cell or many and varied cells.] MS-LS1-3 Use argument supported by evidence for how the body is a system of interacting subsystems composed of groups of cells. [Clarification Statement: Emphasis is on the conceptual understanding that cells form tissues and tissues form organs specialized for particular body functions. Examples could include the interaction of subsystems within a system and the normal functioning of those systems.] [Assessment Boundary: Assessment does not include the mechanism of one body system independent of others. Assessment is limited to the circulatory, excretory, digestive, respiratory, muscular, and nervous systems.]

Agriculture, Food and Natural Resource Standards Addressed! BS.01. NCAE Standard: Assess factors that have influenced the evolution of biotechnology in agriculture (e.g., historical events, societal trends, ethical and legal implications, etc.). BS.01.01. Investigate and explain the relationship between past, current and emerging applications of biotechnology in agriculture (e.g., major innovators, historical developments, potential applications of biotechnology, etc.). Sample Measurement: The following sample measurement strands are provided to guide the development of measurable activities (at different levels of proficiency) to assess students’ attainment of knowledge and skills related to the above performance indicator. The topic represented by each strand are not all-encompassing. BS.01.01.01.a. Research and summarize the evolution of biotechnology in agriculture.

Bell Work! How does biotechnology affect reproduction in animals? Do you believe cloning is ethical? Should we pre-determine the sex of an Animal?

Lesson Objectives Objective 1: Explain the latest applications of biotechnology in plant, animal, and food science research. Objective 2: Describe the basic processes of genetic engineering. Objective 3: Explain the basic steps of recombinant DNA technology. Objective 4: Define and describe DNA fingerprinting. Objective 5: Explain the steps in basic plant tissue culture.

Scientific developments in agriculture have resulted in rapid changes. Science has resulted in advanced methods of cloning or reproducing organisms genetically identical to the parents.

Plant tissue culture is a cloning process in which single plant cells or groups of cells are grown in an artificial medium under sterile conditions.

Embryo splitting involves removing an embryo from its mother, splitting the embryo, and placing each half into a different animal’s uterus for development.

Asexual reproduction of plants by seed without fertilization that results in plants identical to the female plant is known as apomixis.

The reproductive capacities of animals have been improved as a result of scientific research.

Superovulation is a practice in which animals are induced to produce many more eggs than normal during their estrus cycle.

Superovulation Results!

The method of removing embryos from a mother and placing them in other females for development is called embryo transfer.

Genetic engineering involves the manipulation of genetic material within the cell. Recombinant DNA technology involves removing tiny amounts of DNA from one organism and inserting them into the DNA of another organism. Recombinant DNA technology is also known as gene splicing.

The process of moving DNA fragments from one cell to another is transformation. Transgenic organisms are those that have been altered through transformation.

Basic challenges of recombinant DNA technology locating genetic material removing the material transferring the material into the DNA of another organism.

Gene coding for specific functions needs to be located on the DNA before recombinant DNA technology is applied. 1. A complete complement of genetic material in an organism is the genome. 2. Locating and recording the site of specific genes within the chromosomes is gene mapping. Selected portions of DNA containing the desired gene are cut with a restriction enzyme.

The DNA fragments are fused or attached through a ligation process to form a recombinant molecule. A vector is an agent, commonly bacteria or viruses, that transfers the DNA into a cell. Small pieces of DNA in bacteria known as plasmids are the principal vector used to insert genetic material into cells.

DNA Fingerprinting DNA fingerprinting is a genetic tool which identifies like a fingerprint because comparisons produce a unique pattern that can identify an individual.

How does it work? Electrophoresis is the process by which DNA fragments are drawn through an agarose gel from a negative to a positive charge due to the negative charge of the phosphate group on the single strand DNA. The technique used to transfer DNA patterns for reading is called Southern blotting.

Southern Blotting Technique Matching fingerprints: Compare each line of the one that you know to the lines in the same position on each of the possible matching fingerprints. If there is one line that does not match in location or size, that one is eliminated from the process. A match must have all lines in the same position and of the same size.

Parental disputes: Identify the bands of the known parent in the offspring. Remaining bands in offspring must come from the other parent. If remaining bands in offspring do not match, paternity is disproved.

Tissue culture is a very technical form of asexual reproduction. Steps in successful tissue culture require aseptic or sterile conditions. Small pieces of plant material or individual cells, explants, are removed from the mother plant. Explants are cleaned and grown on an agar media in test tubes or other glass laboratory containers, a process known as in vitro.

Callous or a group of undifferentiated cells form. The cells are transferred to a media with appropriate hormones where they differentiate and form plantlets.

The End!

Student Learning Activities Sample tests are available in the Lesson Plan tab.

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