Genetic Engineering

Genetic Engineering Then  Agriculture – Study of Heredity Picking the best plants and using those seeds.  Animal Breeding Artificial Selection: Humans determine what animals get to breed

Genetic Engineering Now  Identifying and Manipulating DNA changing gene function or expression  Add, Delete, Change, or Turn Genes On/Off  Genomics Testing for Medical Purposes.

What is a gene  A series of nucleotides that code for a function or structure within the body. Humans have:  3 billion nucleotide pairs  30-40,000 Genes.  Only a small part of DNA codes for proteins  The other parts are still being studied

Current History  Started with the discovery of DNA Andrei Nikolaevitch Belozersky isolated DNA in the pure state James Watson, Francis Crick, and Rosalind Franklin identified the structure.

Current History  The genetic code was "cracked". Marshall Nirenberg, Heinrich Mathaei, and Severo Ochoa Discovered that three nucleotide bases (codon) determines each of 20 amino acids.

Current History 1972 – 1 st Cloning (Twinning) Dolly the sheep 1996  cloning/whatiscloning/

CC the cloned cat (carbon copy) Egg Mom CC Surrogate Mom

Current History  1973 –Transfer of DNA to another organism Recombinant DNA  Scientists placed human genes into bacteria to make medicines Ex. Insulin, thyroid hormones

Current History  1984 – Alec Jeffreys introduced technique for DNA fingerprinting.  1985 – 1 st court room use of DNA fingerprinting.  

Current History  Human Genome Research Center formed $3 billion to map the human genome  1990 – International effort for the Human Genome $13 billion  1997 – Dolly the Sheep 1 st nuclear transfer clone

Genetic Engineering Focus  5 major areas of Genetic Engineering today Stem Cell Research Genetically Modified Organisms  animals and plants for consumption Gene Therapy Cloning – Nuclear Transfer Human Genomics and Medicine

How do scientists manipulate genes?  Stem Cells Basics 2 Types  Embryonic: Can become any cell in the body  Adult: More specific and harder to manipulate  This is becoming easier to do Can insert into the body to replace or repair cells that have been damaged

GMO Manipulation of Plant or Crop DNA  Numbers vary but estimates are 50% to 80% of all crop seeds have been genetically altered:  Increased food production  Immunity to pests  Make the plants more suited to a specific environment

Food Production  Cloning Multiply “ideal” stock Approved by FDA

Putting genes in other animals such as cows – Transgenic Organisms Produces and secretes hormones into milk

Manipulating Genes  Gene Therapy  Using a virus Virus injects the DNA into the cell Becomes part of the host cells DNA Injected into somatic (will affect person only) or sex cells (germ cells) which will be passed on

Genetically modified Glo fish

How do scientists manipulate genes?  Cloning Uses a body cell (Somatic Cell) and an egg cell DNA is extracted from the egg cell The body cell’s DNA is placed into the egg cell This will trigger the cell to start to divide and create a new organism based on the new DNA

How do scientists manipulate genes?  How to clone

Therapeutic Cloning  Creating a clone of an already living individual to be used for embryonic stem cells  In theory could grow any tissue in the individual which would be an exact genetic match.

Mapping of the DNA sequence of the human DNA – Finished April Includes finding and identifying all genes and functions – Working in (NHGRI) Purpose: Identify genetic problems early so treatment or prevention can start. Human Genome Project

National Human Genome Research Institute  Division of the National Institute of Health (NIH). Mission is to understanding the structure and function of the human genome and how it plays a role in human disease.

The Human Genome Mapping Cost is being reduced exponentially Today around $1000

Embryo Identification  Doctors can now screen embryos before or after they are inserted for genetic disorders or certain traits. Example – sex, disorders

Genomes for All  “Next-generation technologies that make reading DNA fast, cheap and widely accessible are coming in less than a decade. Their potential to revolutionize research and bring about the era of truly personalized medicine means the time to start preparing is now” By George M. Church Scientific American – January 2006

Future  Develop organs without bodies for transplants  Mouse with human ear scaffold – not genetic, just a mold but mice can grow and then transplant on human.  Rat Heart – grown in University of Michigan Lab without another body  Neo-Bladder – grown in Tengion Lab in Pennsylvania – Replace the human bladder.

Future  Used by insurance companies to identify problems To insure or not?  Identify those with “ideal” genes  Currently there are several laws to attempt to protect, But will they always protect people?

Future  Cloning Clone endangered species

Future Extinct species?

Todays News  Science News dicine/stem_cells/

Summary  Genetic engineering is the future of medical and scientific discovery.  It is up to society to decide what is acceptable and what is going beyond our ethical and moral boundaries.