Genetic Engineering Flashcards
All 6 cards in this deck
What is genetic engineering?
A process in which the genome of an organism is modified by introducing a gene from another organism to give a desired characteristic.
Give one use of genetic engineering in medicine.
Bacterial cells are genetically engineered to produce useful substances such as human insulin to treat diabetes.
What are GM crops, and what characteristics are they given?
Crops whose genes have been modified by genetic engineering; examples are resistance to insect attack or to herbicides. GM crops generally show increased yields.
What are the main steps in the process of genetic engineering?
e.g. making bacteria that produce human insulin
- Enzymes are used to isolate the required gene: the human insulin gene.
- The gene is inserted into a vector, usually a bacterial plasmid or a virus.
- The vector puts the gene into the cells of the other organism: the bacteria then make human insulin.
What is a vector in genetic engineering?
Something used to carry the required gene into the cells of another organism - usually a bacterial plasmid or a virus.
Give two concerns people have about GM crops.
The effect on populations of wild flowers and insects (reduced biodiversity), and that the effects of eating GM crops on human health have not been fully explored. The inserted gene may also transfer to wild plants.