Exploring Genetic Engineering

Exploring Genetic Engineering

Biotechnology is the use of biological systems; living things - to

make or change products. It has been used for centuries in traditional

activities like baking bread and making cheese. Traditional

biotechnology involved for example, developing a new wheat variety

with early ripening characteristics by crossbreeding different types

of wheat until the desired characteristics and only those

characteristics were present in the new wheat variety. The terms 'gene

technology', and 'genetic engineering' mean the same thing, and refer

to one type of modern biotechnology. Since the 1950s scientists have

learned that DNA in the cells of all living things is like a blueprint

that is passed from one generation to another. DNA contains genes;

messages coded with information that gives living things their

particular characteristics like hair and eye colour. Scientists also

discovered that all living things use the same genetic message code.

This was the beginning of modern biotechnology. Genetic engineering

includes a range of techniques used by scientists to control or modify

genes, switch them off or move them between two unrelated species.

Using genetic engineering, scientists aim to introduce, enhance or

delete particular characteristics of a living thing, depending on

whether they are considered desirable or undesirable.

The possible impact genetic engineering will have

· We will be able to solve the problem of food shortage. We can

develop species of rice plants, which will be produced in large

amounts, overcome diseases and extreme temperatures.

· Repair of a genetic defect (as with trials of gene ther...

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...ly when it involves playing around with sperm and

ovaries of animals. In the matter of control I believe that there

should be a worldwide council including scientists, executives of

large companies and also members of the public from around the world.

The amount of each group should be proportional to total amount of

each in the entire world. Then they can make decisions on what is and

isn't acceptable

BIBLIOGRAPHY

http://dmoz.org/Society/Philosophy/Ethics/Applied/Bioethics/Genetic_Engineering/

Engineering genesis by Donald Bruce & Ann Bruce

http://archive.greenpeace.org/~geneng/

http://www.icgeb.trieste.it/SERVICES/BDG.htm

http://www.geneticengineering.org/

C lones, Genes, and Immortality: Ethics and the Genetic Revolution

by John Harris

http://www.woodrow.org/teachers/bi/1994/jurassic.html