1. GMOs

2. Modifying Organisms Throughout Human History
humans have altered genomes of organisms throughout history
this has led to the domestication of plants and animals through selective breeding (also called artificial selection)
selective breeding – process by which humans use animal and plant breeding to develop characteristics by choosing which typically animal or plant males and females will sexually reproduce and have offspring

3. Modifying Organisms Throughout Human History
Plants
Wild mustard

4. Modifying Organisms Throughout Human History
Plants
Bananas

5. Modifying Organisms Throughout Human History
Plants
Corn

6. Modifying Organisms Throughout Human History
Plants
Carrots

7. Modifying Organisms Throughout Human History
Animals
Cattle

8. Modifying Organisms Throughout Human History
Animals
Dogs

9. Modifying Organisms Throughout Human History
these changes developed because of natural mutations
once humans identified a beneficial mutation in an individual, the mutated organisms were bred to further develop those desired characteristics

10. Modifying Organisms Throughout Human History
Plants
Wild mustard

11. Click on the picture or here to watch the video
What's a GMO?
Click on the picture or here to watch the video

12. What are GMOs? Genetically Modified Organisms
a.k.a. genetically engineered organisms or transgenic organisms
organisms (animals, plants, bacteria, etc.) who have a gene inserted from another organism
Remember…a gene is just a section of DNA on a chromosome that provides instructions for making a protein

13. What are GMOs?
instead of waiting for naturally occurring mutations to create new desirable genes (and traits), scientists and engineers specifically choose which genes (and) traits they would like to be expressed

14. Selectively bred plants and animals are NOT genetically engineered.

15. How are genes transferred?
attaching the genes to a harmless virus

16. How are genes transferred?
use enzymes to cut apart and reattach DNA pieces

17. How are genes transferred?
firing small DNA-coated particles from a gene gun

18. How are genes transferred?
using natural forms of gene transfer
some bacteria and viruses are able to insert genes into organisms

19. Why does the gene of one organism work in another organism?
all organisms use the same instructions to build proteins

20. Why does the gene of one organism work in another organism?
all organisms use the same instructions to build proteins
when new “instructions” (DNA) enter a cell, the cell will make the proteins coded in those instructions just like it makes its own proteins

21. Uses of GMOs medicine gene therapy (mostly in trial stages for humans)
replace defective genes (i.e. Tay-Sachs, sickle cell)
produce drugs and other pharmaceuticals (i.e. insulin)

22. Uses of GMOs pets – add new characteristics and remove allergens
food – produce higher yields (amounts) of food and make more nutritious food

23. Are GMOs Good or Bad? Genetic Engineering & Our Food
Click on the picture or here to watch the video

24. Current Common Genetically Modified (GM) Foods
19 plants are currently approved for use in the U.S.A.
most common are alfalfa, canola, corn, cotton, soybean and sugar beet
94% of cotton is GM
94% of soybeans is GM
92% of corn is GM

25. Current Common Genetically Modified (GM) Foods
currently, no GM animals are available
however, many livestock are fed GM crops
a salmon has been approved by the FDA but is not yet available to buy

26. GMOs and Organic Food
the use of GMOs is prohibited in organic products
an organic farmer can’t plant GM seeds, feed their animals GM crops, and organic food producers can’t use any GM ingredients

27. GMOs and Organic Food
to meet organic regulations, farmers and other food producers must show they aren’t using GMOs and that they are protecting their products from contact with prohibited substances

28. What happens when you (or anything else) consumes a GMO?
Nothing…other than digestion
The organic molecules (carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, and nucleic acids) in GM foods are broken down by organisms’ digestive methods just like the organic molecules from naturally occurring organisms.

29. What happens when you (or anything else) consumes a GMO?
UC Davis (Sept 2014), “detected no differences in the nutritional makeup of the meat, milk or other food products derived from animals that ate [GM] feed”
30 years of feeding studies that represented more than 100 billion animals
Click on the picture to read the article.

30. Why are GMOs bad?...They’re not. …at least not for your health.
Click on the picture or here to watch the video

31. Controversies with GMOs
Environmental Concerns
GMOs could crossbreed with natural creatures
GMOs could become “invasive” preying on or outcompeting native species
herbicide (plant-killing substances) use increases on some types of GM crops

32. Controversies with GMOs
Economic Concerns
GMOs are considered “intellectual property”
farmers can’t plants seeds they keep from GMOs
must buy new seeds from producers (though most farmers already do this)
this places a small number of companies in control of a large portion of the food supply

33. Controversies with GMOs
Political Concerns
misunderstanding of the biology behind GMOs causes many people to fear GM food consumption
environmental and economic concerns also cause political controversy

34. Labeling and Banning of GMOs
because of some of the concerns regarding GM foods, some states and other countries have banned them or required their food products to be labeled

35. Labeling and Banning of GMOs
Labels
in 2014, 64 countries required labeling of all GM foods including all of the European Union, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, Russia, China, and India
some US states (Vermont, Maine, and Connecticut) are or have considered requiring labeling of GM foods though there are ongoing legal battles

36. Labeling and Banning of GMOs
some countries have banned GM foods permanently
some countries have banned GM foods for a set period of time and will revisit the topic in future years

37. Labeling and Banning of GMOs
Should public option decide?
some areas have considered having voting decide whether or not label or ban GMO production
Oklahoma State University conducted a poll:
It found that, “over 80 percent of Americans support ‘mandatory labels on foods containing DNA,’ about the same number as support mandatory labeling of GMO foods ‘produced with genetic engineering’”.
Click on the picture to read the article.