Genetic modification (GM) Changing the genes of a living thing, often by adding genes from another living thing. Gene Jury
Genetic modification (GM)
Changing the genes of a living thing, often by adding genes
from another living thing.
Gene Jury
Did scientists add a spider gene to Did scientists add a spider gene to goats to make web silk in goat’s milk?goats to make web silk in goat’s milk?
Changing Changing
Gene Gene
ChallengeChallenge TRUE or TRUE or
FALSEFALSETRUE!TRUE!
TRUE!TRUE! It is amazingly strong and It is amazingly strong and
light, it is calledlight, it is called BioSteelBioSteel..
Did scientists add genes from mice and Did scientists add genes from mice and bacteria to pigs, so the pigs poo was bacteria to pigs, so the pigs poo was
less polluting?less polluting?
Changing Changing
Gene Gene
ChallengeChallenge TRUE or FALSETRUE or FALSETRUE!TRUE!
TRUE!TRUE! The The EnviropigEnviropig is in Canada/US is in Canada/US now, its waste is much less polluting to now, its waste is much less polluting to
the environment. The meat from the the environment. The meat from the EnviropigEnviropig may be in their shops soon. may be in their shops soon.
Changing Changing
Gene Gene
ChallengeChallenge
Did scientists add a gene to make these tiny babies?
TRUE or FALSETRUE or FALSE
FALSE!FALSE! An artist called Camille An artist called Camille
Allen made the babies out of clayAllen made the babies out of clay..
FALSEFALSE
Did scientists create a GM hen that lays eggs that help fight cancer?
TRUE or TRUE or FALSEFALSE
BUT the company that funded the research went bust in 2007. Making GM animals is
very costly and time-consuming!
TRUE!TRUE!
GM hens producehuman interferon
anti-viral and anti-cancer drug.
Do you know of any medicines produced by GM creatures ?
ATryn blood clotting factor Synthetic human
insulin for diabetics
Hepatitis B vaccine made by GM yeast since 1986
Would you use a GM medicine or vaccine?
Only if it was made by a
microorganism
Only if I was seriously illYes
A B C
NoNot sure
D E
Did scientists add a jellyfish gene to fish to make them glow green?
TRUE or TRUE or FALSEFALSE
Changing Changing
Gene Gene
ChallengeChallenge
TRUE!TRUE! GloFishGloFish are sold as are sold as petspets
TRUE!TRUE!
?image from image from
GloFish.comGloFish.com
Changing Changing
Gene Gene
ChallengeChallenge
Did scientists add a gene to make this
chicken half male, half female?
TRUE or FALSETRUE or FALSE
Sam is a half female/half Sam is a half female/half male chicken that was male chicken that was
born naturally!born naturally!
FALSEFALSE
Are these FlavrSavr GM tomatoes available in US supermarkets
now?
FlavrSavr tomatoes first GM food in US shops, 1994. Taste better and US customers loved them.
.
BUT the tomatoes were soft and easily damaged.
The supermarkets stopped buying them.
They have not been grown or sold since 1998
TRUE or TRUE or FALSEFALSE
FALSE!FALSE!
Would you eat GM tomatoes if they sold them in Scotland?
A Yes
B No
C Not sure
D Only if theywere cheaper!
Half of the world’s cotton is GM.Around half of you are probably
wearing GM pants!TRUE or TRUE or FALSEFALSE
TRUE!TRUE!
GM cotton has a gene that helps it resist the bollworm pest.
Some of you are wearing GM
pants
% o
f cr
op
GM
If GM can do all these things,why are GM crops not grown in the UK?
Modified genes can escape, into wild plants
and animals
Pollen from some GM plants can harm insects
like bees
SafetyAre GM foods safe to eat? UK media plays on fears.
GM seeds and animals and genes are patented
(Copyright)
It is interfering with nature.
Do we really need it?
In the UK GM is used extensively in labs and in food
processing.
It is possible that the UK government want to try GM
crops in the future.
What do you think? When is GM ok?
GM: Changing Genes