20.5 gene technology and ethics

uses of genetic manipulation of microorganisms

• produce insulin/vaccines

• store genetic information in DNA libraries

• development of new medical treatments

• development of new industrial processes

ethical concerns of genetic manipulation of microorganisms

• the benefits of the same use of GM micro-organisms largely overcome any ethical concerns

• some concern about manipulation of pathogenic microorganisms for potential uses in biological warefare

uses of GM plants

• insect resistance

• disease resistance

• herbicide resistance

• extended shelf life

• growing conditions

• nutritional value

• medicinal uses

pros of GM crops

• extended shelf life reduces food waste

• crops can grow in adverse conditions

• nutritional value can be increased

• plants could produce human medicines

issues with GM plants

• extended shelf life may reduce commercial value for crops

• GM technologies are covered by legal patents and poor people may be unable to afford them

• people may be allergic to the different proteins made in GM crops

uses of GM animals

• creating swine fever resistant pigs

• creating faster growing salmon

• pharming - creating animals models and adding or deleting genes so that animals develop certain illnesses. also creating a medically required human protein in something like milk of a cow

ethical issues of genetically modifying animals

• should animals be genetically engineered to act as models of human diseases

• is it right to put humans genes into animals

• is it acceptable to put genes from another species into an animals

• does genetically modifying them reduce them to commodities

what is somatic gene therapy

replacing the mutant allele with a healthy alleles in the affected somatic cells

how has somatic gene therapy been used

to help retinal diseases, immune diseases, leukaemias, myelomas and haemophilia

why is somatic gene therapy only a temporary solution

the healthy allele will be passed on each time a cell divides by mitosis but somatic cells have a limited life and are replaced by stem cells which still have the faulty allele

what is germ line therapy

inserting a healthy allele into the germ cells of an egg or embryo immediantly after fertilisation and the individual would be born healthy with the normal allele in place

why is germ line cell therapy illegal in humans

• the affects of manipulating germ cells are unknown

• this would be carried out without the consent of the individual

• this process is not reversible

• this technology could be used to choose desired characteristics