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Dangers of gmos
Genetic engineering pro con
Arguments on genetic engineering
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Ever wish chocolate was healthy and could have the same nutrients and vitamins as fruit and vegetables? Food, one of three necessities of life, affects every living organism on Earth. Although some foods are disliked because of taste or health issues, recent discovery will open up new prosperities and growth in agriculture. Genetic engineering has the capability to make foods taste better, increase nutrient value, and even engineer plants to produce aids for deadly health issues. Every day the progress, understanding, and development of genetic engineering is digging deeper and with this knowledge virtually anything is possible.
Genetic engineering is a growing, prosperous industry and strikes interest in many people, some positive and others negative. Foods that have had foreign genes, genes from other plants or animals, inserted into their genetic codes would be a simple way of explaining genetic engineering. When it is broken down into a more scientific explanation, a plant’s genetic makeup has been altered through a process of recombinant DNA, or gene splicing, to give the plant desirable traits. Recombinant DNA uses bacterial plasmids and viruses to transport the new genes into the host cells. Plasmids are circular DNA found in bacteria that can effectively have the selected genes added to their genetic code, and then inserted into the host. Viruses, which would normally infect the host plant cells, are instead disabled and carrying the new genes, are implanted into the plant cells, without infection. Bioballistics brings forth another approach of genetic engineering where, “the use of tiny slivers of metal that are coated with the genetic material are shot into the host cells using a gene gun” (Bren 1). Once these sliver...
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...ran, Rakesh S. “Genetic Engineering- Part 2: Pros and cons of genetically engineering crops.” West Virginia Extension Service. West Virginia Farm Bureau News, February 2001. Web. 23 February 2011.
Franchino, Jen, Winnie Verruto, and Allison Zuckerbrow. “The Cons of Genetic Engineering of Plants, Crops, and Genetically Engineered Food.” University of Delaware, 8 May 2000. Web. 23 February 2011.
Heit, Jeffrey. “Genetically Engineered Foods.” U.S. National Library of Medicine. MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia, 12 May 2010. Web. 23 February 2011.
McAfee, Kathleen. “Geographies of Risk and Difference in Crop Genetic Engineering.” Geographical Review 94.1 (January 2004): 80-106. JSTOR. Web. 23 February 2011.
“Genetically Modified Foods and Organisms.” Office of Biological and Environmental Research. The Human Genome Program, 05 November 2008. Web. 23 February 2011.
Modern biotechnology was born at the hands of American scientists Herb Boyer and Stain Cohen, when they developed “recombinant deoxyribonucleotide, (rDNA), [1] for medicinal purposes. Subsequently, biotechnologists started genetically engineering agricultural plants using this technology. A single gene responsible for a certain trait, from one organism (usually a bacterium) is selected altered and then ‘spliced” into the DNA of a plant to create an agricultural crop consisting of that...
Pamela Ronald, a plant geneticist, presented a Ted Talk “The case for engineering our food”, Ronald points out that engineered genetics for our plants is not harmful, yet better for our environment and health. “Now, genetic modification is not new; virtually everything we eat has been genetically modified in some manner”(Ronald).
Whitman, Deborah. "Genetically Modified Foods: Harmful or Helpful?". Cambridge Scientific Abstracts. Available online at http://www.csa.com/hottopics/gmfood/overview.html. Accessed November 9, 2003.
18 Apr. 2013. . "Genetically engineered foods: MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia." U.S National Library of Medicine. U.S. National Library of Medicine, 5 July 2012.
Herrick, Clare B. “‘Cultures Of GM’: Discourses Of Risk And Labelling Of Gmos In The UK And EU.” Area 37.3 (2005): 286-294. Academic Search Premier. Web. 2 Nov. 2011.
Genes are, basically, the blueprints of our body which are passed down from generation to generation. Through the exploration of these inherited materials, scientists have ventured into the recent, and rather controversial, field of genetic engineering. It is described as the "artificial modification of the genetic code of a living organism", and involves the "manipulation and alteration of inborn characteristics" by humans (Lanza). Like many other issues, genetic engineering has sparked a heated debate. Some people believe that it has the potential to become the new "miracle tool" of medicine. To others, this new technology borders on the realm of immorality, and is an omen of the danger to come, and are firmly convinced that this human intervention into nature is unethical, and will bring about the destruction of mankind (Lanza).
The term ‘genetic engineering’ covers several methods of manipulating genetic material, otherwise known as genetic manipulation; recombinant DNA technology and gene therapy in humans (Atkinson, 1998). This technique is not only used for genetic transfer between plants but, genes from non-plant organisms can be used as well. A known example of this is the transfer of the B.t gene found in corn and other crops. The B.t gene, or otherwise known as ‘Bacillus thurngiensis (Bt)’; is a naturally occurring bacterium that creates proteins with crystals that are fatal to insect larvae (Whitman, 2000). These B.t genes have been transferred into the corn, allowing the corn to effectively produce its own pesticides against insects.
Genetically modified organisms (GMOs) are a cause of continuous debate. What would be the purpose of producing genetically altered food? Many argue that GMOs could prove to be very beneficial, the use of GMOs could lead to advances in medicine, and agriculture, and they could also prevent famine in poor underdeveloped countries. Genetic modification offers many benefits: pest control, disease resistant crops, drought resistant crops, no use of insecticides, nutritional beneficial foods, and less contamination. This is only a short list of the many benefits offered by the used of GMOs. With so many benefits why are we opposed to such a miracle? (NERC 2005)
The Benefits of Genetically Modified Crops. 2 April 2010. 1 May 2014. Schurig, Casey. Pros and Cons of Conventional Farming?
Okigbo, R., Iwube, J., & Putheti, R. (2011). An extensive review on genetically modified (GM) foods
Human genetic engineering can provide humanity with the capability to construct “designer babies” as well as cure multiple hereditary diseases. This can be accomplished by changing a human’s genotype to produce a desired phenotype. The outcome could cure both birth defects and hereditary diseases such as cancer and AIDS. Human genetic engineering can also allow mankind to permanently remove a mutated gene through embryo screening as well as allow parents to choose the desired traits for their children. Negative outcomes of this technology may include the transmission of harmful diseases and the production of genetic mutations. The benefits of human genetic engineering outweigh the risks by providing mankind with cures to multiple deadly diseases.
GM crops also benefit the economy and assist in feeding more people. While we struggle with feeding our population, “The population will continue to grow” (Calandrelli 1) For instance, genetic engineering in agriculture can minimize the cost of producing food. Thus, GMO’s in crops can result ...
Lemaux, P.G. (2006). Introduction to genetic modification. Agricultural Biotechnology in California Series, 8178. Retrieved from http://ucanr.org/freepubs/docs/8178.pdf
LEISA Magazine, January 17, 2014. Retrieved March 9, 2011, from http://www.agriculturenetwork.org/. magazines/global/genetic-engineering-not-the-only-option/genetic-engineering-not-the-only-option-editorial. Pelletier, C. (2010). The 'Paleter'. The future evolution of genetic engineering.