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I/GCSE Biology: Modifying the genetic code

Modifying the genetic code

· biology,IGCSE,IGCSE Biology,igcse biology,genetics

Do you guys still remember modifying the genetic code in I/GCSE Biology?

Genetic engineering

  • Genetic information in all organisms work the same way – plant, animal or bacterium
  • Take gene from chromosome of one species and put it in other species = produce same CH
  • Genetic engineering = the process of taking genes from one organism and putting them into the cells of another so that the cells include CH of the new gene
  • When it comes to I/GCSE Biology,  Genetically modified (GM) = an organism that has been genetically engineered
  • Transgenic organism = an organism that contains genes from another organism
  • Transfer insulin (hormone) from human into bacterium – insulin needed for diabetic people
  • Bacteria fermenters grow genetically modified bacteria on large scale = human insulin cheaper + safer
  • Insulin extracted from dead animals before GM human insulin = less insulin available + not identical o human insulin = health problems
  • Insert gene into body cell of early embryo – body cells make what gene codes for = genes not passed to offspring
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Transferring genes at an early stage

  • Genes transferred into plan or animal embryo at early stage
  • Refer to I/GCSE Biology, Organism grows = all cells in body have copy of inserted gene – all develop CH
  • Used for GM food plants + research in causes + treatment of disease
  • Mice GM to study human cancers + see effect of changes to genes causing disease
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Making GM crops

Bacterium called agrobacterium used – gets gene inside nucleus of cells, then joins with cell’s DNA

Different modifications

  • Herbicide – a chemical that kills plants, used to treat weeds in crops
  • Some GM crops have gene for herbicide resistance
  • Plants compete for water + nutrients
  • Weed plants reduce amount of food harvested
  • Herbicides damage weed plant
  • Crops resistant to herbicide = crops sprayed by herbicide = kills weeds + crop not damaged
  • Crops modified with poison which kills insects that eat plants – reduces damage to crops in yield

The pros and cons of GM crops

  • GM crop seeds cost more
  • Companies producing seed for herbicide resistant crops also produce the herbicide the crop is resistant to – good for company, not for farmer
  • Concern – gene transfer through pollination – happens occasionally between close related plants, the gene for herbicide resistance could be transferred to the weed crops
  • People concerned about safety of food produced from GM crops (tested on animals)

That's all~

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I/GCSE Biology: Cloning plants and animals 
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I/GCSE Biology: Evolution of life
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