Biology 11 - Plants Day 18 – The Last Note Set! Genetically Modified Organisms
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Biology11- PlantsDay18– TheLastNoteSet!
GeneticallyModifiedOrganisms
(Definitelygeneticallymodifiedplants)
WhatisGMO?
• GeneticallyModifiedOrganism• Anyorganismthathashaditsgenomemodifiedbyhumans.
Howcanwegeneticallymodifyanorganism?
• Genesarecodeforproteins:genesdeterminewhatanorganismwilllooklikeandhowitwillfunction.
• Allthegeneticinformationinanorganismiscalledthegenome.
• Itispossibletoremoveageneoranumberofgenesfromoneorganismandinsertthemintothegenomeofanother.Thisiscalled“splicing”.
Howcanwegeneticallymodifyanorganism?
• Forexample,youtrytogrowtomatoesbutfindthattheyusuallydieduetofunkyketchupdisease.• Youalsohappentoknowthatpumpkinsarenotsusceptibletofunkyketchupdisease.• Withyourmadscientistskills,youisolatethegenethatcodesfortheproteinthatallowspumpkinstobesoresilientandyouspliceitintothetomatoes.• Voila!Yourtomatoescansurvivefunkyketchupdisease,thankstoageneborrowedfromapumpkin.• (Notarealexample,buttheconceptisthere).
Whousesgeneticallymodifiedorganisms?
• Humanshavedomesticatedcertainplantsandanimalsasasourceoffoodforthousandsofyears.• Therehavebeenmanydevelopmentsinthescienceoffarming:croprotation,plows,seedsaving,pesticides,machinery,climate-controlledgreenhouses,nowGMO.• Farmerscanusegeneticallymodifiedseedstogrowcropsthataremoreresistanttodiseaseandenvironmentalfactors.
Why?
• Reducesneedforpesticides.• Cropsgivegreateryieldtofeedmorepeople.• Cancreatefoodthatismorenutritious.• Soilturnedlessoftenàhealthiercommunitiesofsoilbacteria(theoretically).
Whynot?
• Unknownconsequences.• Possiblethreattobiodiversity.• HowdoGMOsaffectourbodies?Possibilities:allergies,toxicity,organdamage,genetransfer.Generalconsensusofscientistsisthattheyarenotathreat.• IsthereenoughresearchtoprovethatGMO’saresafe?IsthereenoughresearchtoprovethatGMO’saredangerous?Dependswhoyouask.• Ethicsof“playingGod”.
FoodsecurityandBiodiversity(ImportanttermstoknowwhendiscussingGMO)• Youhavefoodsecurityifyouareabletoacquireenoughfoodforyourselfwithoutoutsidehelp.People,communities,countries,andtheglobalcommunitycanhavefoodsecurity.
• Biodiversity referstothevarietyoflifepresentinanarea.Howmanyspeciesarethere?Howmanygenesareavailabletotal,amongALLspecies?
• WhatdofoodsecurityandbiodiversityhavetodowithGMO?
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