1. 3.5 Genetic Modification and Biotechnology
Cloning
3.5 Genetic Modification and Biotechnology

2. Cloning
the process of producing one individual that is genetically identical to another, using a single cell or tissue.
CLONE: genetically identical organisms or cells derived from a single parent cell
Remember: Cloning is a type of asexual reproduction.

3. Cloning
Cloning occurs naturally in nature by both plants and animals (though is less common in animals)

4. Spore Formation Occurs in bacteria and mold
The parent organism produces smaller cells called “spores” that can detach from the parent, land in another area and grow

5. Vegetative Propogation
Occurs in many plants such as strawberries
The plant produces a long stem-like feature called a “runner” that can detach from the plant and grow roots easily.

6. Budding
Occurs in yeast and some multicellular organisms such as hydra.
The organism grows and extensions, a “bud”, that eventually breaks off the parent.

7. Aphids
In the spring female aphids can produce more female aphids that are essentially clones of themselves.
In the fall, changes in their hormone levels causes them to produce males.
Then male and female aphids can reproduce sexually.

8. Identical Twins
They are an example of natural clones

9. Cloning Cloning can occur unnaturally as well.
Humans have cloned plants for centuries and have recently begun cloning animals.

10. Plant Cloning
WHY?
Plants with favourable traits could be cloned (using vegetative propagation) to get: better tasting crops, better looking crops, larger crop yields, etc.

11. Animal Cloning It’s important to remember what cloning CANNOT do.
Many people think that cloning a person will produce an individual of the same age. If humans were to be cloned, they would only reproduce a zygote, which then needs to be carried in a womb for nine months.

12. Cloning animals have traditionally been done by taking a fertilized egg (a zygote) and splitting it in half.
This will produce a clone of the zygote (not of the parent). In this case, scientists have been able to create identical twins.

13. Cloning an adult mammal is MUCH more difficult
In adults, all your cells are specialized to do specific jobs (for example: red blood cells, stomach cells, skin cells).
It is very difficult to take a specialized cell and turn it back into a cell that is unspecialized (like those in zygotes).

14. Animal Cloning
In July 1996, Ian Wilmut, a Scottish scientist, cloned the first mammal from an adult body cell – a sheep he named Dolly.

16. He first obtained an udder cell from a Finn Dorset sheep and removed the nucleus
How did he do it?

17. He then obtained an egg cell from a Poll Dorset Sheep and removed the nucleus from the egg cell.

18. He placed the nucleus from the 1st cell (the Finn Dorset cell) into the egg cell of the Poll Dorset

19. To get this new cell to undergo cell division, he shocked it with electricity. He had to do this process ~277 times until it finally worked

20. Once the cell began dividing it formed an embryo.
He implanted the embryo into the uterus of a Scottish Blackface Sheep
The clone grew in the uterus of it until it was born.
Dolly the sheep was a clone of the Finn Dorset Sheep.

21. Unfortunately, Dolly died prematurely at the age of 6 (half her lifespan)
She displayed symptoms of premature aging, and such as arthritis and lung disease which is present in older sheep.

23. Many more species have been successfully cloned since Dolly, including goats, cows, mice, pigs, dogs, cats, rabbits, horses and camels, however, there are still many problems.

24. Why Clone Mammals?
Cows that produce the most milk, hens that lay the most eggs, Cattle that produces the best tasting and beef can be cloned to make more organisms with the same desirable traits and create more financial profits.

25. If we could develop technologies to clone organs, it could solve problems related to lack of organ donors for sick individuals

26. Theraputic Cloning Involves stem cell research
Aims at cell therapy – where diseased cells are replaced with health ones.
Human embryos are produced (in vitro) and allowed to grow for a few days into a small ball of the cells.
These cells are not yet specialised (they’re stem cells/ pluripotent)

27. Stem cells can also be obtained from umbilical cords or aborted fetuses.
PURPOSE:
Treat people suffereing from Parkinson’s
Treat spinal cord injuries
BONE MARROW – transplants for leukemia patients

28. Ethics of Therapeutic Cloning
PRO: can cure and treat diseases with cell therapy

29. Ethics of Therapeutic Cloning
CONS:
Fear it can lead to reproductive cloning
Creation and destruction of human embyros (“playing GOD”?)
Embryonic stem cells are capable of many division and may turn into tumours.

30. GMOs: Genetically Modified Organisms
Organisms whose genetic material has been altered to include specific genes, often from another species.
If the GMO displays favourable characteristics it can be cloned to mass produce these favourable organisms.

31. Purpose of GMOs? Increase crop yields Increase shelf life
Make disease and parasite resistant crops
More nutritious crops
Others?

32. Ex: Insulin
Commercial Insulin (for diabetics) is produced by bacteria that has the gene for insulin inserted into its DNA

34. Flavr Savr 1994, the first GMO food do be sold commercially
A tomato altered to stay fresh longer
Contained a gene that blocked the production of an enzyme responsible for rotting

35. Golden Rice

36. Golden Rice Modified by adding genes from daffodils and bacterium
Modified Rice now contains Vitamin A
Many people in developing nations rely on rice as a major staple in their diet.
Golden Rice provides more nutrition.

37. Bt Corn Inserted gene from the soil bacteria, Bacillus thuringiensis
Causes the corn crops to produce a toxin making it resistant to insects.

38. Bt corn

39. Benefits of Bt Corn
Reduces damage caused by the European Corn Borer (ECB)
Less expensive than insecticide
Less checking for effects of ECB
Less insecticide – better for environment
Less fungal infections

40. Harmful effects of Bt corn
May kill other insects – influence food webs and ecosystems
Insects may develop resistance to Bt toxin
Which would make BT spray (insect repellent) ineffective for human use
Pollen may get into another crop field, infiltrating organic crops and putting other ecosystems in jeopardy.

41. Cloning Endangered Species???

42. Problems with Clones lack of diversity/variation!
The population of clones would be vulnerable to environmental changes and disease.

43. GM Crops Homework
Read page about the Risks and Benefits of GM crops
Read “Analysing risks of monarch butterflies of Bt corn” on pg 194 and answer the corresponding data base question on page 195