Genetically Modified Organisms: Modifying the World’s Industries

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The founding of genetically modified organisms was extended through the course of many years. It began in 1865 when Gregor Mendel observed hereditary characteristics in pea plants. Nearly forty years later, Andrei Nikolaevitch Belozersky was the first person to isolate DNA, or “factors”, as Mendel defined it, in its pure state (Life Sciences Foundation, Purification of DNA). This revelation sparked the start to DNA innovations. After the discovery of DNA’s structure by Watson and Crick, scientists continued to crack the code, and DNA modification became possible when Professor Herbert Boyer created recombinant DNA (Chemical Heritage Foundation, Paul Berg, Herbert W. Boyer, and Stanley N. Cohen). He was able to create recombinant DNA by splicing the desired trait and inserting it into a cloning vector which would allow the gene to be transferred and expressed in organisms (HudsonAlpha Institute of Biotechnology, How are GMOs Made?). He continued this work with Keiichi Itakura, a scientist at City of Hope Medical Center, to create the first genetically modified organism. Their creation of “a plasmid that coded for human insulin” called Humulin would soon be sweeping the world with many concerns (Chemical Heritage Foundation, Paul Berg, Herbert W. Boyer, and Stanley N. Cohen). Although it has been debated about widespread health concerns, the production of genetically modified organisms does not impose health risks, but it increases benefits for the agricultural industry, medical field, and economy.
The agricultural industry faces the greatest amount of benefits. Genetically modified organisms enable farmers to produce crops that are resistant to weather conditions. Specifically, genes from the Arabidopsis, a flowering plant related...

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...013.
ISAAA. "Genetic Engineering Drought Tolerant Plants." International Service for the Acquisition of Agri-Biotech Applications. N.p., Mar. 2008. Web. 09 Nov. 2013.
Krishnamurthi, K., S. Saravana Devi, and T. Chakrabarti. "DNA Damage Caused by Pesticide-contaminated Soil." Biomedical and Environmental Sciences 19 (2006): 429. Web.
Life Sciences Foundation. "Purification of DNA." Life Sciences Foundation: Timelines. N.p., n.d. Web. 09 Nov. 2013.
Phillips, T. (2008) Genetically modified organisms (GMOs): Transgenic crops and recombinant DNA technology. Nature Education
Roos, Robert. "FDA Approves First Flu Vaccine Grown in Insect Cells." Center for Infectious Disease and Policy. N.p., 17 Jan. 2013. Web. 09 Nov. 2013.
Schmidt, Charles W. "Genetically Modified Foods: Breeding Uncertainty." Environmental Health Perspectives 113.8 (2005): 530. EBSCO. Web. 29 Sept. 2013.

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