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What is genetic engineering? (GE) |
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Genetic engineering is a radical new technology that allows scientists to move genes between different species. Using laboratory techniques scientists can create life-forms that could not occur in nature.
Genes are small lengths of DNA, the living blueprint of life found in the cells of all living things. Genetic engineers use viruses, bacteria and a device called a gene gun to randomly move genes from one organism into another. In the genetic engineering of food, these techniques are used to make plants grow differently. For example, a gene from an arctic flounder fish was added to the DNA of tomatoes in order to make the tomatoes resist the cold. Clearly, this would never happen through natural evolution.
Genetic Engineering is completely different from traditional cross-breeding. Whereas in traditional breeding methods organisms are bred within the same species, in genetic engineering genes are forced to move across species. This sort of manipulation has resulted in such things as toad genes inserted in potatoes, scorpion genes in corns and even human genes forced into pigs and into rice. By inventing new life-forms in this way chemical companies hope to find new and profitable uses for living things ? to alter nature to better suit the needs of industry.
Genetic engineering (GE) is sometimes called ?genetic manipulation? or genetic modification (GM). The resulting life-forms are often known as genetically modified organisms (GMO?s). Genetic engineering is often described as a form of ?biotechnology?. However, biotechnology also encompasses a wide range of traditional practices such as cheese-making and brewing ? practices that are not in any way like genetic engineering. ?Genetechnology? is a broad term that includes techniques such as cloning and gene therapy. These are also different from genetic engineering because they do not necessarily involve moving genes between species.
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