Genetic Engineering

Biotechnology

Refers to any technology used to change the genetic makeup of living things to make products.

ex: production of antibiotics, vaccines, synthetic hormones, biofuels, food production

Genetic Engineering

Direct manipulation of an organisms genome using biotechnology

• the process of replacing specific genes in an organism in order to ensure that the organism expresses a desired trait

Recombinant DNA

Artificially made DNA from 2 or more different sources

• can only occur when we know where genes occur on specific chromosomes

Genome

an organism’s complete set of DNA (all of its genes)

Gene map

Shows the location of genes on a chromosome

(How?) Restriction Enzymes

Used to cut strands of DNA at specific locations (restriction sites)

• resulting fragments have at least 1 sticky end and can be joined with other DNA fragments by DNA ligase

• used to create recombinant DNA

(How?) Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR)

A technique that allows you to copy a piece of DNA without a cell (aka DNA amplification)

• can make many copies of a short DNA sequence in a test tube

Gel Electrophoresis

A laboratory method that uses an electric current to separate DNA fragments based on their molecular size

• useful for DNA fingerprinting

Personal Genome Sequencing (Types)

Using DNA sequencing technologies to have YOUR personal genome sequenced

• provides info about your physiology and susceptibility to certain diseases

• could be especially useful for couples who carry genes for genetic disorders to reproduce via IVF

Gene Cloning (Types)

Produce multiple identical copies of a gene

• transformation

Transformation (Gene Cloning)

Process of inserting recombinant DNA into host cells

Bacterial Transformation (Types)

A process where bacteria acquire foreign DNA from their environment, leading to phenotypic changes.

Gene Therapy (Types)

Inserting a normal gene (or editing an existing gene) to fix an absent or an abnormal gene

• CRISPR

CRISPR (Gene Therapy)

A gene editing technique that helps us understand the genetics behind many diseases

• doesn’t just introduce normal genes, repairs existing abnormal genes

Stem Cells (Types)

Undifferentiated cells that have the potential to become anything

• mostly found in embryos, but can also be found in adult bone marrow

• can be genetically manipulated and then introduced to replace tissue that is deficient due to disease or damage

Selective Breeding (Types)

Artificially breeding organisms with a desired trait

• how “pharm” animals are made

• almost all domestic animals + crops are the result of selective breeding

Pharming (Selective Breeding)

Producing pharmaceuticals in farm animals or plants

Genetically Modified Organisms (Selective Breeding)

Organisms altered by recombinant DNA technology for desired traits

Inbreeding (Selective Breeding)

Crossing individuals that are closely related

• can cause health problems

Hybridization (Selective Breeding)

A type of selective breeding between unrelated organisms\

• occurs between 2 different species

• offspring are often hardier than either of the parents

Societal Implications

• better diagnose + treat diseases (and potentially prevent them)

• alter affected genes through gene therapy

• produce pharmaceuticals and pharm animals + plants

• using microorganisms for environmental cleanup

• forensics

• agriculture (GMOs)