RTW: Wed. Feb. 5 th What do you think malnutrition is? Read the last paragraph on page 374.

RTW: Wed. Feb. 5th

• What do you think malnutrition is?

• Read the last paragraph on page 374.

GENETICALLY MODIFIED FOODS

Case Study!

How can we prevent malnutrition?

Hunger isn't just a stomach thing | World Vision

Golden Rice

What are genetically modified foods?

• Also called genetically modified organisms (GMO).

• Involves the insertion of DNA from one organism into another OR modification of an organism’s DNA in order to achieve a desired trait.

Glowing Sheep With UV Light

Examples of GMO’s

Frost Resistant Strawberries

Long Lasting Tomatoes

Examples of GMO’s

Examples of GMO’s

Bt corn – corn that contains a chemical normally found in a bacterium (Bacillus thuringiensis) that is toxic to insects but not to humans.

How is it done?

• By Recombinant DNA technology1. Restriction enzymes are used to “cut” DNA

segments from one genome.2. DNA ligases are used to “paste” them into

another genome.

Foreign DNA

How are plants targeted?

• A particle gun is used to shoot small bits of metal coated with the gene into the plant.

7

Video Analysis

1. Work with the person sitting next to you.1. One look for examples of benefits of GMO’s

2. One evaluate how bias the video is

Monsanto Advertisement

Video Analysis

1. Work with the person sitting next to you.1. One look for examples of risks of GMO’s

2. One evaluate how bias the video is

GMO A Go Go!

Potential Environmental Hazards

Reduced effectiveness of pesticides as insects become resistant to engineered toxins.

Loss of biodiversity

Harm to other organismsPollen from Bt corn was shown to

cause high mortality rates in monarch butterfly larvae(9). BUT

follow-up studies have shown that the exposure levels in the

fields are negligible(10).

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Potential Environmental Hazards

Gene Transfer to non-target species– Herbicide resistant plants and weeds could

cross breed and create “superweeds”– To address this one could:

• Create sterile male plants that don’t produce pollen• Engineer the plants so that pollen doesn’t contain

the foreign genes• Create buffer zones of non-GM crops around GM

crops. The buffer crops would not be harvested.

Potential Human Health Risks

Allergens– Genetic engineering could potential introduce or

create allergens– For example, inserting genes from a nut into another

plant could be dangerous for people who are allergic to nuts

Unknown health risks– Biological processes involve a lot of INTERACTIONS– It is often difficult to identify every possible interaction.

Economic Hazards

• Elimination of competition– GM seeds are patented

• Suicide seeds– Plants with sterile seeds that are infertile are

created– Farmers are forced to buy seeds every year

• However, some companies have reduced costs or donated GM seeds to impoverished nations.

Creating a balance

• So are GM foods a good or bad thing?

• It depend on each individual case.

• Consumers, the government and scientists should be responsible for weighing the benefits against the costs.

Improved Nutrition

Resistance to disease

Reduced use of chemicals

Environmental risks

Health risks

Economic risks

In your notebook…

Complete the following sentences:

1.“GMO’s are a risk to society because….”

2.“GMO’s are a risk to the environment because…”

3.GMO’s are a risk to me because…”

Be sure to support your answer with examples!

In your notebook…

Complete the following sentences:

1.“GMO’s are beneficial to society because….”

2.“GMO’s are beneficial to the environment because…”

3.GMO’s are beneficial to me because…”

Be sure to support your answer with examples!

GMO Awareness CampaignYou are hired as a marketing agent

to raise awareness of GMO’s

1. PICK A SIDE (GMO’s are beneficial to society OR GMO’s are a risk to society)

2. Create a bumper sticker to educate others on your point of view

1. You need a catchy slogan

2. Pictures AND color!

3. On the back, provide three examples (evidence) supporting your cause. List where you found your evidence.

Sources

1. www.enn.com2. www.propanefl.com/ images/corn.jpg3. www.columbia.edu/cu/ opg/images/dna.jpg4. www.arctictravel.com/ GJOA/haven.html5. www.foodsubs.com/ Fruitber.html6. www2.utmb.edu/scccb/mouse/ images/microinjection.jpg7. ss.jircas.affrc.go.jp/engpage/ jarq/32-4/hagio/fig4.htm8. www.enn.com9. Transgenic pollen harms monarch larvae (Nature, Vol 399, No 6733, p 214, May

1999)10. GM corn poses little threat to monarch (Nature Biotechnology, Vol 17, p 1154, Dec

1999) 11. www.vme.net/dvm/ARNHA/ monarch.html12. http://www.csa.com/hottopics/gmfood/overview.html13. www.greenpeace.org14. www.biotechknowledge.monsanto.com15. http://www.inspection.gc.ca/english/ppc/biotech/labeti/response.shtml