Bio: Unit 14 Biotechnology, GMO's and GATTACA

Genoism

Discrimination (in GATTACA) based on one's genes. This is illegal, but this illegality is not taken seriously by employers.

borrowed ladder/ degenerate

when an "invalid" pretends to be a "valid" ( in GATTACA society) by using their DNA which is shaped like a ladder

clone

An organism that is genetically identical to the organism from which it was produced, Dolly the sheep first mammal to be cloned

designer baby

Babies with gender and characteristics chosen by their parents - currently illegal.

GMO (genetically modified organism)

An organism that is created when scientists take one or more specific genes from one organism and introduce them into another organism thus creating a new version

Recombinant DNA technology

New DNA that has been formed artificially by combining DNA from different organisms.

Golden Rice

Genetically modified rice that produces edible beta-carotene, which the body can turn into vitamin A, could help the 250,000 children each year who are at risk of blindness due to vitamin A deficiency.

DNA fingerprint

a representation of parts of an individual's DNA that can be used to identify a person at the molecular level

genetic engineering (gene splicing)

inserts genes of one organism into the genes of another

transgenic organism

an organism that contains genes (DNA) from another species

Bt corn

is a genetically modified crop (GMO) that is engineered to be resistant to pests/insects

round up ready crops

Crops which are resistant to the effects of the herbicide Round-Up, which can therefore be sprayed on an entire field without killing crops ( most soy beans in USA)

Cavendish banana

the type/variety of banana that we eat today in 2025

Gros Michel Banana

Previously the banana that was used for export (1940's - 1950's) until a fungal infection wiped it out so that it was only available to locals

herbicide

A substance used to destroy plants, especially weeds

Genetic Technology

utilizes laboratory techniques and instrumentation to explore the genetics of the cell

Dolly the sheep

1996 sheep (mammal) cloned by Scientists in Scotland

restriction enzyme

Enzyme that cuts DNA at a specific sequence of nucleotides

eye lash

Vincent leaves an one of his own eye lashes at GATTACA, since he is an "invalid" it makes him a suspect in the directors murder

"valid"

member of society in GATTACA that has been genetically selected for, the "invalids" are discriminated against

Teosinte and corn

people took teosinte and selectively bred it to make corn, an example of a domesticated crop

Plasmid

small, circular piece of DNA located in the cytoplasm of many bacteria

sticky ends

the uneven ends of a double-stranded DNA molecule that has been cut with a restriction enzyme, use in recombinant DNA tech

embryo

An organism in the earliest stage of development

domestication

the process of changing plants or animals ( through selective breeding) to make them more useful to humans

CRISPR

a collection of DNA sequences that tells Cas9 exactly where to cut

Vector (genetics)

A virus or plasmid used as a vehicle for carrying foreign genetic material into a cell