GMO’s & Their Effect on the 21 st Century

1. GMO’s & Their Effect on the 21st Century By: Sean Speers

2. What are GMO’s? GMO’s, otherwise known as genetically modified organisms are single organisms that have either specifically selected genes from other organisms inserted into their DNA or certain genes removed from their DNA sequence in order to gain desired benefits.

3. How are GMO’s Made? • GMO’s can be modified in several ways, the most popular being through bacterial plasmids and particle guns. • With the use of bacterial plasmids the gene coding for the desired trait from a donor cell is spliced into the plasmid by the use of restriction enzymes. • The “particle gun” uses pellets of gold or tungsten, which are coated with the desired DNA and fired through the plant cell walls, while passing through, some of the DNA is left behind and introduced into the plants DNA creating a new genetically modified plant cell, which contains the new desired traits.

4. What is Being Genetically Modified in the 21st Century? • Plants • Crops • Animals • Livestock

5. Benefits & Side Effects to Genetic Engineering of Plants & Crops • Benefits and side effects to genetically engineering plants and crops: • Increase plants resistance to pesticides and herbicides, lessening the need for dangerous pollutant chemicals • Allow plants to manufacture their own pesticides to preserve themselves from insects • Increase the yields for many main crops, (i.e. corn, rice, soybeans, cotton) therefore assisting with feeding the increasing population • Allow plants to grow under adverse weather conditions or in poor soil, thereby increasing the amount of arable land on the planet • Engineered to be much healthier, more nutritional, and overall much better for humans and animals • However, GM foods can also bring negative side affects: • Consumption of unknown allergens that can be harmful to living animals and humans through the foods • Harmful pollutants as a result of cross breeding plants and the formation of “superweeds”

6. New GM Plants and Crops that Can be Useful in the Future • The 21st century gains hope for the production of essential crops with the transcribed DNA of the sorghum plant • sorghum is a tropical grass that’s able to thrive in hot, dry conditions • The DNA of this plant can provide drought-resistant capabilities for plants and crops • With less and less arable land becoming available and side effects from weather extremes predicted by global warming, the sorghum grass DNA might be a solution thanks to genetic engineering

7. Cont… • An ordinary tomato was modified with two genes form a snapdragon flower, altering its colour to a dark purple • The reason for this is that the dark pigment is created from an antioxidant pigment that protects against disease such as cancer, heart disease and diabetes • It contains high concentrations of anthocyanins which are chemicals called flavonoids that cleanse potentially harmful oxygen molecules in the body • British scientists believe these tomatoes can be the face of GM foods and gather a respectable image for GM foods

8. Benefits & Side Effects to Genetic Engineering of Animals & Livestock • Like plants and crops there are also reasons for genetic modification of animals that consist of: • Research of medicines • Research for disease • “pharming”, which is the production of medicines through genetically modified animal traits • xenotransplantion • Hypoallergenic pets • However, the genetic modification of animals raises major controversy with their side effects including: • Violating animal rights • The idea of “playing god” and who are humans to control how life is created and for what purpose

9. Genetically Engineered Mice • Genetically engineered mice were created created to produce medicines in their milk • (CFTR) or Cystic Fibrosis Transmembrane Regulator is needed for strategies to cure cystic fibrosis and these mice are engineered as a reliable source to produce this regulator • The CFTR was programmed with signals to allow CFTR to be expressed in mammary cells and put into the milk of lactating mice • It is thought that someday, eventually, glands of farm animals will be used as medicinal factories for pharmaceuticals in milk (“pharming”)

10. Impact on the 21st Century There are certain and evident impacts that arise based on the creation and effects of GMO’s. The impact is of a wide variety and extends economically, socially, morally and globally for humans as life and a functioning society, creating dilemmas with both benefits and consequences. Economically, GMO’s are an expensive and tedious process but in the long wrong they help feed the majority of the worlds population in the 21st century and they are great for the stability of the economy.

11. Impacts Cont… GMO’s are a huge cause for many social and morale dilemmas. Some people believe it is society’s moral duty to pursue advancements that have such great positive implications for humanity; since we are blessed with the ability to think and discover such processes we must use it for our healthy benefits. However, critics believe genetic engineering is a moral horror based on the treatment of animals, human embryos and possible dangers of plants and crops. They believe playing God is not the answer to any problem.

12. Final Thoughts on Impacts Perhaps the most compelling impact of GMO’s in the 21st century may be the possible solution or prevention of the world’s starving population that will undoubtedly swell to nearly 10.5 billion people in the mid 21st century. With this becoming a fact GMO’s have the capability of providing more nutrition, becoming arable in once unarable weather and land conditions and therefore giving hope to the stabilization of society and the maintenance of humanity. This compiled with the critics only able to presume side effects because there is little to no evidence supporting their claims, GMO’s are without a doubt more so beneficial based on the real facts.

13. Bibliography Barry, Patrick. (September 19th, 2008). FDA Releases Guidelines for Genetically Modified Animals, Retrieved May 2 2009. <http://www.sciencenews.org/view/generic/ id/36614/title/FDA_releases_guidelines_for_genetically_modified_animals> Christopher, David. (2001). Opposing Viewpoints: Genetic Engineering. Pg. 22. Greenhaven Press Inc. Derbyshire, David. (October 27th, 2008). Purple Super Tomato that can fight against cancer, Retrieved April 27th 2009. <http://www.daily.co.uk/sciencetech/article-1080695/Purple-super-tomato-fight-cancer.html> Dowswell, Paul. (2005). 21st Century Issues: Genetic Engineering. 4: Food and Farming- Not so Simple pg. 35-37. World Almanac. Goldberg, Bob. Super Plants for the 21st Century, Retrieved May 2, 2009. <http://www.esm.ucsb.edu/news/events/SuperPlantsAbstract_Goldberg_5-04.htm> Keim, Brandon. (January 29, 2009). Drought Resistant grass genes could spur 21st century crops, Retrieved April 26, 2009. <http://greenbio.checkbiotech.org/news/ drought_grass_genes_could_spur_21st_century_crops> Shere, Jeremy. (Fall 2007). Research and Creative Activity: 21st Century Food,Vol. 30, Iss. 1, Retrieved April 27, 2009. <http://www.indiana.edu/~+capub/v30n1/ soybeans.shtml> Siedler, Maurya. Mackey, Maureen. (2005). At Issue: The Ethics of Genetic Engineering. Pg. 8, 44-45. Greenhaven Press.

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