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Genetically Modified Organism




A genetically modified organism (GMO) is an Organism whose Gene tic material has been Altered using the Genetic Engineering techniques generally known as Recombinant DNA Technology . With recombinant DNA technology DNA Molecule s from different sources are combined '' In Vitro '' to one molecule to create a new gene. This modified DNA is then transferred into an organism causing the expression of modified or novel traits. The product is also known as an Genetically Engineered Organism or GEO

The term "GMO" has historically been defined as organisms whose genetic makeup has been altered by conventional Cross Breeding or by " Mutagenesis " breeding, as these methods predate the discovery of the recombinant DNA techniques. However, this term is now interchangeable with Genetically Engineered Organism.


HISTORY


The general principle of producing a GMO is to add genetic material into an organism's Genome to generate new Trait s - Genetic Engineering - was made possible through a series of scientific advances including the discovery of DNA and the creation of the first recombinant Bacteria in 1973, i.e., ''E .coli'' expressing a salmonella gene.Cohen, S., Chang, A., Boyer, H. & Helling, R. (1973) Construction of Biologically Functional Bacterial Plasmids In Vitro. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 70, 3240-3244 This led to concerns in the scientific community about potential risks from genetic engineering which have been thoroughly discussed at the Asilomar Conference in Pacific Grove, California. The recommendations laid out from this meeting were that government oversight of recombinant DNA research should be established until the technology was deemed safe.Berg, P., Baltimore, D., Brenner, S., Roblin, R.O. III, Singer, M.F., "Summary statement of the Asilomar Conference on recombinant DNA molecules," Proc. Nat. Acad. Sci. USA 72, pp. 1981-1984 (1975), also Science 188, p. 991 (1975)."Guidelines for research involving recombinant DNA molecules," Federal Register 41, no. 131, pp. 27911-27943 (1976). Herbert Boyer then founded the first company to use recombinant DNA technology, Genentech , and in 1978 the company announced the creation of an '' E. Coli '' strain producing the human protein Insulin .Genentech: Press Releases - News Release September 6, 1978
The insulin synthesis is the first laboratory production DNA technology.

In 1986, field tests of a bacterium genetically engineered to protect plants from frost damage ( Ice-minus Bacteria ) at a small biotechnology company called Advanced Genetic Sciences of Oakland , California , were repeatedly delayed by opponents of biotechnology. In the same year, a proposed field test of a microbe genetically engineered for a pest resistance protein by Monsanto was dropped. {Link without Title}


USES OF GMOS


Examples of GMOs are highly diverse, and include transgenic (genetically modified by recombinant DNA methods) s, or various Microbe s, such as fungi and Bacteria . The generation and use of GMOs has many reasons, chief among them are their use in research that addresses fundamental or applied questions in biology or medicine, for the production of Pharmaceutical s and industrial enzymes, and for direct, and often controversial, applications aimed at improving human health (e.g., Gene Therapy ) or agriculture (e.g., Golden Rice ). The term "genetically modified organism" does not always imply, but can include, targeted insertions of genes from one into another Species . For example, a gene from a jellyfish, encoding a Fluorescent protein called GFP , can be physically linked and thus co-expressed with mammalian genes to identify the location of the protein encoded by the GFP-tagged gene in the mammalian cell. These and other methods are useful and indispensable tools for Biologist s in many areas of research, including those that study the mechanisms of human and other diseases or fundamental biological processes in Eukaryotic or Prokaryotic cells.


Transgenic animals


Transgenic animals are used as experimental models to perform Phenotypic tests with genes whose function is unknown or to generate animals that are susceptible to certain compounds or stresses for testing in cosmetics and biomedical research. Other applications include the production of human hormones, such as Insulin .

Frequently used in genetic research are transgenic fruit flies (''.


Transgenic plants

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