Impact of Biotechnology

BENCHMARK SC.912.L.16.10 (also assessed) Evaluate the impact of biotechnology on the individual, society and the environment, including medical and ethical issues.

Objectives: Evaluate the impact of biotechnology on the individual, society, and environment Also evaluate Medical issues Ethical Issues

What are the ethical implications of human cloning? Essential Question: What are the ethical implications of human cloning?

What is Biotechnology? Biotechnology is the manipulation of living organisms and organic material to serve human needs. Examples: Yeast in bread making and alcohol production Use of beneficial fungi (penicillin) to kill harmful organisms GMO (Genetically Modified Organisms) Cloning of plants and animals Artificial insemination

Selective Breeding

Selective Breeding Humans use selective breeding, which takes advantage of naturally occurring genetic variation, to pass wanted traits on to the next generation of organisms.

Hybridization Hybridization crosses dissimilar individuals to bring together certain characteristics. Mules Ligers Pros: Brings together the best of both organisms. Cons: New variations (or even species) are being formed. What if they escaped into the wild? Killer bees.

Inbreeding Inbreeding is the continued breeding of individuals with similar characteristics. Pros: Replicating desired characteristics. Cons: Tends to increase appearance of genetic defects. Examples: dog breeds and endangered animals.

Increasing Variation Breeders can increase the genetic variation in a population by introducing mutations, which are the ultimate source of biological diversity. Millions of bacteria can be treated with radiation or chemicals at the same time, which increases the chances of producing mutation. Pros: A useful mutant might be produced (such as bacteria that can help clean up oil spills) Cons: Some strains could be dangerous.

Recombinant DNA Genetic engineers can transfer certain genes at will from one organism to another, designing new living things to meet specific needs.

Copying DNA DNA is extracted from cells and cut into fragments of manageable size by using restriction enzymes. Fragments are separated using gel electrophoresis. The desired gene is found among the fragments. The gene is copied many times using PCR (polymerase chain reaction)

Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO) Recombinant DNA technology – joining together DNA from two or more sources - makes it possible to change the genetic composition of living organisms. A DNA sequence is built using desired genes which can then be joined to natural sequences. Bacterial plasmids are often used in recombinant DNA technology.

Transgenic Organisms Organisms can be produced ty the insertion of recombinant DNA from different species into the genome of a host organism.

Some examples of GM organisms: Plants with bacterial genes to produce a toxin which kills insects, but doesn’t harm humans. They don’t need pesticides and also produce a higher yields of crops. Cows that have been injected with hormones made by recombinant-DNA techniques to increase milk production. Spider genes combined into the cells of lactating goats causing the goats to manufacture silk along with their milk.

Medical examples of GMOs: Transgenic golden rice which contains increased amount of beta-carotene that is necessary for human health. Genetically-engineered bacteria used to treat diseases, such as diabetes, by producing human proteins. Gene therapy replaces an absent or faulty gene with a normal, working gene allowing the body to make the protein it needs.

Pros of GMOs: Cons of GMOs: Increase yield and/or nutrition of crops Increase resistance to insects and certain climates. Be able to grow enough salmon fast enough to not deplete wild populations. Animals that grow faster, produce less manure, etc. Treat diseases. Cons of GMOs: New species that may affect environment if allowed to escape. Safe for consumption? Concerns about unintended consequences that a shift to GM farming and ranching may have on agriculture. Possible transfer of genes found in transgenic organisms to natural populations.

Other uses of Biotechnology

Cloning can be used to make copies of organisms. Pros: Increase food supply Help save endangered species. Replace deceased pets or relatives Use clones for spare parts, military, etc. Cons: Many embryos destroyed in the process. Human experimentation unethical in many countries. Overpopulation. Human clones may not be considered fully human. Headless clones expensive to maintain.

Human stem cell research: using human stem cells to create desired cells/organs/tissues. Pros: Treatment of many medical issues, such as leukemia,, spinal cord injuries, Alzheimer’s, Multiple Sclerosis, Parkinson’s, etc. 3-D printing of organs/tissues for transplantation. Cons: Harvesting embryonic cells usually destroys embryos (although there are now techniques now that don’t) and embryonic cells are difficult to work with.

In vitro fertilization is the formation of an embryo in a petri dish. Pros: Allows infertile couples (or single women) to have children. In vitro fertilization is the formation of an embryo in a petri dish. Allows animal breeders to impregnate more females. Cons: Many embryos die in the process of in vitro and artificial implantation. Artificial insemination is the artificial insertion of sperm into a female Multiple implantations/selective abortions Surrogacy: Carrying a pregnancy of a child that is not yours. Risk of surrogates taking advantage of parents/taking the child.

Designer babies – Choosing/creating an embryo with certain desired characteristics. After in vitro, embryos are tested to determine what genes they have; or genes in eggs/sperm/embryo are genetically modified Unwanted embryos are destroyed and desired embryos are implanted into the woman. Pros: Parents get a child with characteristics they want. Cons: Same risks as in vitro with the added destruction of unwanted embryos. Ethics. Effect on human population/eugenics

Personal Identification DNA fingerprinting analyzes sections of DNA that may have little or no function but that vary widely from one individual to another. Pros: Forensic science for solving crimes. Paternity testing Tracing ancestry using mitochondrial DNA. Cons: Confidentiality of personal DNA codes. In 2008 the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act protects Americans against discrimination based on their genetic information.

Other Issues Patents on DNA sequences and lab techniques can spur discovery and advancement since patent holders may receive large financial rewards, but sometimes high fees block other scientists from exploring certain lines of research. Expense of the utilization of many biotechnology techniques Ethics Just because we have the technology to modify an organism's characteristics, are we justified in doing so? If human cells can be manipulated to cure disease, should biologists try to engineer people with certain characteristics? What will happen to the human species when we gain the opportunity to design our bodies or those of our children? What will be the consequences if biologists develop the ability to clone human beings by making identical copies of their cells?