Agricultural uses of DNA technology 4.4.9 – State two examples of the current uses of genetically modified crops or animals Agricultural uses of DNA technology Animal Husbandry – many farm animals are treated with products made by recombinant DNA methods (examples include vaccines, antibodies, and growth hormones) Some milk cows are injected with bovine growth hormone (BGH) made by E. coli, in order to increase milk production BGH also improves weight gain in beef cattle

4.4.9 – State two examples of the current uses of genetically modified crops or animals Transgenic animals – animals that contain genes from another species have been developed for agricultural use Examples: beef and dairy cattle, hogs, sheep and several species of commercially raised fishes Modified DNA can be introduced into dairy cows and sheep so that they produce human proteins in their milk Rainbow trout and salmon that are given a foreign growth hormone can reach in one year a size that usually requires 2 to 3 years of growth

4.4.9 – State two examples of the current uses of genetically modified crops or animals Examples of medically important proteins that have been produced in transgenic mammals include: Blood clotting Factor VIII to treat hemophilia Transgenic sheep have the human gene coding for clotting factor VIII These sheep produce the clotting factor protein in their milk The clotting factor protein can be used to treat hemophiliacs See page 125 in textbook 

4.4.9 – State two examples of the current uses of genetically modified crops or animals Transgenic sheep have also been generated to have the human Alpha-1 antitrypsin gene Alpha-1 antitrypsin (AAT protein) protects lungs, without it the alveoli are susceptible to damage and can lead to lung disease. Patients are given weekly injections of the protein to help slow progression of the disease. http://learn.genetics.utah.edu/content/disorders/singlegene/a1ad/

4.4.9 – State two examples of the current uses of genetically modified crops or animals Transgenic plants Plants have been genetically altered to receive herbicide resistance (several strains of cotton) Makes them resistant to herbicides used to kill weeds Some crop plants are being engineered to resist infectious pathogens and pest insects – reduces need to apply chemical insecticides

4.4.9 – State two examples of the current uses of genetically modified crops or animals First genetically engineered fruits approved by the FDA for human consumption were tomatoes engineered with antisense genes that retard spoilage Researchers isolated gene responsible for ripening They prepared a gene who's template strand had a base sequence complementary to the normal gene – an antisense version of the gene When spliced into the DNA of a tomato plant, the antisense gene is transcribed into RNA that is complementary to the ripening gene’s mRNA the antisense RNA binds to the normal mRNA, blocking the synthesis of the enzyme causing ripening and spoilage