Biology11- PlantsDay18– TheLastNoteSet!

GeneticallyModifiedOrganisms

(Definitelygeneticallymodifiedplants)

WhatisGMO?

• GeneticallyModifiedOrganism• Anyorganismthathashaditsgenomemodifiedbyhumans.

Howcanwegeneticallymodifyanorganism?

• Genesarecodeforproteins:genesdeterminewhatanorganismwilllooklikeandhowitwillfunction.

• Allthegeneticinformationinanorganismiscalledthegenome.

• Itispossibletoremoveageneoranumberofgenesfromoneorganismandinsertthemintothegenomeofanother.Thisiscalled“splicing”.

Howcanwegeneticallymodifyanorganism?

• Forexample,youtrytogrowtomatoesbutfindthattheyusuallydieduetofunkyketchupdisease.• Youalsohappentoknowthatpumpkinsarenotsusceptibletofunkyketchupdisease.• Withyourmadscientistskills,youisolatethegenethatcodesfortheproteinthatallowspumpkinstobesoresilientandyouspliceitintothetomatoes.• Voila!Yourtomatoescansurvivefunkyketchupdisease,thankstoageneborrowedfromapumpkin.• (Notarealexample,buttheconceptisthere).

Whousesgeneticallymodifiedorganisms?

• Humanshavedomesticatedcertainplantsandanimalsasasourceoffoodforthousandsofyears.• Therehavebeenmanydevelopmentsinthescienceoffarming:croprotation,plows,seedsaving,pesticides,machinery,climate-controlledgreenhouses,nowGMO.• Farmerscanusegeneticallymodifiedseedstogrowcropsthataremoreresistanttodiseaseandenvironmentalfactors.

Why?

• Reducesneedforpesticides.• Cropsgivegreateryieldtofeedmorepeople.• Cancreatefoodthatismorenutritious.• Soilturnedlessoftenàhealthiercommunitiesofsoilbacteria(theoretically).

Whynot?

• Unknownconsequences.• Possiblethreattobiodiversity.• HowdoGMOsaffectourbodies?Possibilities:allergies,toxicity,organdamage,genetransfer.Generalconsensusofscientistsisthattheyarenotathreat.• IsthereenoughresearchtoprovethatGMO’saresafe?IsthereenoughresearchtoprovethatGMO’saredangerous?Dependswhoyouask.• Ethicsof“playingGod”.

FoodsecurityandBiodiversity(ImportanttermstoknowwhendiscussingGMO)• Youhavefoodsecurityifyouareabletoacquireenoughfoodforyourselfwithoutoutsidehelp.People,communities,countries,andtheglobalcommunitycanhavefoodsecurity.

• Biodiversity referstothevarietyoflifepresentinanarea.Howmanyspeciesarethere?Howmanygenesareavailabletotal,amongALLspecies?

• WhatdofoodsecurityandbiodiversityhavetodowithGMO?