L/O/G/O Unit 8 Is Biotechnology our Friend or Enemy?

L/O/G/OL/O/G/O

Unit 8 Unit 8 Is Biotechnology our Friend or Is Biotechnology our Friend or

EnemyEnemy??

I. Lead-in

• interfere with nature• manipulate “what is natural”• take on the role of God the Creator

biotech生物科技• genetic map

genetic mapping

• nucleus• genome 全部基因 ，基因组，染色体组

(gene + chromosome)• chromosome(s)

(chromatic 彩色的 )• gene(s)• DNA:

GM foods

• genetically modified/engineered foods

• advantages• productivity• price• global problem

GM foods

• can better resist cold, drought, flood and pestsare more nutritious, have less fat, taste better or stay fresher

• are more productive and higher-yieldingincrease crop output

• are cheaper• resolve food shortage/starvation/

hunger/malnutrition for the expanding population

• Are GM foods safe to eat? • Will GM plants affect ecological balance?• Should GM foods be labeled so that

consumers can make ______ choices?

• Are GM foods safe to eat? • Will GM plants affect ecological balance?• Should GM foods be labeled so that

consumers can make informed choices?

CloningBBC1. 卵子2. 取出细胞核3. 注入4. 激活

电击 , 化学试剂5. 胚胎6. 培养皿7. 植入8. 子宫

CloningBBC• remove its nucleus 细胞核• hollow egg• biopsy: 组织切片检查• insert … into• stimulate:

electric shock, chemicals• embryo• dish 培养皿• implant … into• womb

Cloning

• Dolly is a clone. She was not created out of the union of a sperm and an egg. Wilmut fused the udder cell with an egg from another sheep, after first removing all genetic material from the egg. The udder cell’s genes took up residence in the egg and directed it to grow and develop.

• adult cell, egg cell, genetic material/nucleus, embryo

Reproductive cloning Replacement cloning Therapeutic cloning (rejection)

Stem cell research

Should they be forbidden by law/be legally prohibited/be regulated?

What is the medical potential?

【科大新闻】中国科大在胚胎干细胞研究中取得新进展2015-06-04• 近日，中科院天然免疫与慢性疾病重点实验室、中国科大生命科学学院吴缅教授研究组和安徽医科大学第二附属医院缪琳副教授合作，揭示了March5线粒体蛋白参与胚胎干细胞干性维持的新机制。相关研究成果以“Mitochondrial E3 ligase March5 maintains stemness of mouse ES cells via suppression of ERK signalling”为题发表于《自然 -通讯》（Nature Communications 2015, 6月 2日  doi: 10.1038/ncomms8112）。 

Human cloning

• a deceased family member• great people• ancient people• yourself

Pros and Cons

• Can we go back to the way things were? Curiosity • What if a couple are infertile 不育 or have lost a

child? • Freedom and rights• After all, it doesn’t hurt anyone.

• Play God?! Interfere with nature?• Risky and inefficient: damaged pregnancies,

deformity, premature aging• Uniqueness: identical• Ethics: Twins? Mother and father of a clone?• Discrimination against clones• Who will control who gets cloned?