1. Mutations and Genetic Engineering

2. Mutations Types of mutations
Point Mutations or Substitutions: causes the replacement of a single base nucleotide with another nucleotide
Missense- code for a different amino acid
Nonsense- code for a stop, which can shorten the protein
Silent- code for the same amino acid (AA)

4. Mutations
Example: Sickle Cell Anemia

5. Mutations Types of mutations
Frame Shift Mutations: the number of nucleotides inserted or deleted is not a multiple of three, so that every codon beyond the point of insertion or deletion is read incorrectly during translation.
Ex.: Crohn’s disease

6. Insertion
Deletion

7. Mutations Types of mutations
Chromosomal Inversions: an entire section of DNA is reversed.
Ex.: hemophilia,
a bleeding disorder

9. Wrap-Up

10. Gene Therapy
Gene therapy is a technique for correcting defective genes responsible for disease development.
Possible cures for:
diabetes
cardiovascular disease
cystic fibrosis
Alzheimer's
Parkinson’s
and many other diseases are possible.

11. Genetic Engineering
The human manipulation of the genetic material of a cell.
Recombinant DNA- Genetically engineered DNA prepared by splicing genes from one species into the cells of a different species. Such DNA becomes part of the host's genetic makeup and is replicated.

12. A Brief History of Genetic Engineering
The name is new, the practice is not.
Plants and animals have been bred for thousands of years.
Human breeding has also been done now and then.
All of this has worked by trying to enhance desired characteristics, without knowing how they are transmitted.

13. Prospects for Genetic Engineering
Designing plants & animals “from scratch”
This is not going to happen anytime soon
Transgenic Engineering
Putting genetic information from one type of plant or animal into another
Cloning
Making genetic copies of an existing plant or animal
Let’s look at the latter two of these.

14. Transgenic Organisms
An organism is called “transgenic” if it has genetic information added to it from a different type of organism.
Viruses do something of this sort when they infect plants, animals or humans.
Humans have begun to do this with plants and animals.

15. Advantages of Transgenic Engineering
Plants:
More disease-resistant
Larger yields
More transportable
More nutritious
Animals:
Make proteins for medicinal purposes
Make organs for transplant to humans

16. Concerns about Transgenic Engineering
Plants:
Are they safe to eat?
Will they harm wildlife?
Will some become super-pest weeds?
Replace or contaminate natural plants?
Animals:
Will they be harmful?
Replace or contaminate natural animals?

17. Cloning A “clone” is a copy of something.
Computers that mimic IBMs are called “clones.”
In genetics, a clone is a genetic copy of another organism.
Clones occur naturally:
Asexual breeding in plants & lower animals
Identical twins (triplets) in higher animals

18. A Brief History of Cloning
For centuries it has been known that simple animals – worms & starfish – can be cloned by cutting them in half.
This doesn’t work for higher animals!
Part of the problem is cell specialization:
Nerve
Bone
Muscle, etc.
We now realize that each specialized cell has all the genetic information, but much of it is turned off.

19. Cloning in the 20th Century
We now realize that each specialized cell has all the genetic information, but much of it is turned off.

20. Dolly
Clone from an adult sheep cell by Scots researchers under Ian Wilmut
Had only one success in 300 tries.
Dolly grew to maturity, and successfully had a lamb by natural means in 1998.
But Dolly seems to be prematurely old.

21. Genetic Engineering
Genetic engineering techniques are used in a variety of industries, in agriculture, in basic research, and in medicine.
This genetically engineered cow resists infections of the udders and can help to increase dairy production.

22. Genetic Engineering
There is great potential for the development of useful products through genetic engineering
EX., human growth hormone, insulin, and pest- and disease-resistant fruits and vegetables
Seedless watermelons are genetically engineered

23. Genetic Engineering
We can now grow new body parts and soon donating blood will be a thing of the past, but will we go too far?
Photo of a mouse growing a "human ear"