1. Controversial Technologies:
Genetic Engineering, Cloning, Gene Therapy, & Stem Cells

2. Question:
If you had a population of animals, how would you increase the frequency of a certain trait in the population?

3. Selective Breeding Mate only the animals that have the trait you want
offspring would have the desirable trait
Example: cows
Problems?
Takes time (have to wait for animals to reproduce and the offspring to grow)
Desirable trait may not show up in all offspring

4. Genetic Engineering
Direct manipulation of an organism’s genome (DNA) via biotechnology
Faster and more reliable way for increasing the frequency of a specific trait in a population
Any organism who has had their DNA genetically engineered is known as a GMO (genetically modified organism)

5. Transgenic Organisms
Organism that contains genes from other species

6. Transgenic Animals How is this rabbit transgenic?
Makes a green fluorescent protein

7. Other examples…

8. Other examples…

9. Other examples…

10. What is wrong with this picture?
Mouse is growing a human ear on its back

11. What is wrong with this picture?
Chicken engineered without feathers

13. Involves:
Cutting (cleaving) DNA from one organism into small fragments and inserting the fragments into a host organism of the same or different species.

14. Process of Genetic Engineering
Step 1: Cut the DNA using Restriction enzymes

15. Each Restriction enzyme cuts the DNA at a specific nucleotide sequence
Sticky Ends- Key to Recombinant DNA

16. Sticky ends between two different DNA sources join together to form Recombinant DNA.

17. Vectors are used to transfer DNA sequences from one organism into another.
Mechanical- micropipette or gene gun
Biological- viruses or plasmids

18. Is all genetic engineering bad?
No, there are a lot of benefits to genetic engineering.

19. Transgenic Microorganisms
Bacteria
Produce human proteins for medical use (insulin, growth hormone, clotting factors)
Done by inserting human gene into bacteria who produces compound quickly, cheaply and abundantly

20. In the future, bacteria may be used to…
Produce materials for plastics
Produce substances to fight cancer

21. Transgenic Animals Used to: Study genes Improve food supply
Study effects of disease
Increase the food supply
Resistance to bacterial infections
Produce human proteins

22. Transgenic Plants Increase food supply Produce natural insecticide
Resistance to weed killing chemicals
Resistance to rot and spoilage
Produce human antibodies to fight disease
Rice with Vitamin A

23. Is genetic engineering always a good thing?
Can increase food supplies, produce better vaccines and medicines, and are possible cures for genetic disorders,
but it is not always a good thing.
can also be very harmful to humans through biochemical warfare and doing things like creating viruses that are indestructible.

24. Are genetically altered foods healthy?
Absolutely!
There is no proven downfall to eating genetically modified foods.
Eating plants and animals that have been given growth hormones or other genes will not affect your health in any way.

25. Gene Therapy Use of DNA as a pharmaceutical agent to treat diseases
How it works:
DNA is inserted into cells to supplement or alter genes within an individual’s cells to treat diseases

26. Most commonly to treat/correct mutated genes
Gene codes for a therapeutic protein drug (rather than a natural human gene) that encodes for nonfunctional protein in the individual
Genes packaged in a vector that is used to get inside the cells of the body
Once inside the cell, the cell expresses the DNA and produces the protein which treats the person’s disease

27. Cloning
Clone- a member of a population of genetically identical cells produced from a single cell
1st clone- 1997
DOLLY

29. How Dolly was Cloned? A body cell is taken from a donor animal
An egg cell is taken from a different animal
The nucleus is removed from the egg
Body cell and egg are fused by electric shock
Fused cell begins dividing, becoming an embryo
Embryo is implanted into the uterus of a foster mother
The embryo develops into a cloned animal

30. Uses of Cloning Help save endangered species
Make copies of transgenic organisms
Technology is controversial
Genetic defects & health problems in clones
Serious ethical & moral issues

31. Gene Cloning
Bacteria commonly used to clone (or produce identical copies) genes
Plasmids inserted into the bacteria cell replicate separate from the bacterial chromosome
Plasmids inserted into plant or animal cells are copied each time the cell divides (mitosis)

32. Stem Cells
Primitive, undifferentiated cell that gives rise to other types of cells
Can be used to replace diseased, damaged, or dead cells in the body that cannot repair themselves.
It’s analogous to the concept of an organ transplant, except this time scientists are transplanting stem cells, not organs.

33. Stem cell characteristics
The ability of differentiate into specialized cells.
The ability to regenerate an infinite number of times.
The ability to be relocated and differentiate where needed.

34. 3 types of stem cells Totipotent Cells zygote
has the genetic potential to create every cell of the body and the nourishing placenta and extra-embryonic tissues
can form a human being
This one totipotent cell divides into multiple totipotent cells for up to five days (three to four cellular divisions) after fertilization.

35. 2. Pluripotent Cells (aka Embryonic Stem Cells):
have the potential to create every cell of the body but not the necessary placenta and extra-embryonic tissues,
cannot form a human being
can be isolated from embryos as well as the sex cells of fetuses.

36. How it works:

37. 3. Multipotent Cells: (aka adult stem cells)
give rise to a limited number of other particular types of cells
found in both developing fetuses and fully developed human beings

38. Limitations to Multipotent Cells
have not identified multipotent cells for every type of mature body cell
often in minute quantities and their numbers can decrease with age.
take time to mature in culture in order to produce adequate amounts for treatment.
Often contain DNA damage due to aging, sunlight (radiation), toxins, and random DNA mutation during replication.

39. Potential Uses of Pluripotent Stem Cells
Regenetrate damaged organs
fix organ donation shortage issue
determine the specific causes of diseases
(cannot always use animals to determine human causes of disease)
can be used to do drug tests on instead of individuals
Replace damaged cells in body