Genetically Modified Animals

Genetically Modified Animals

Genetically modified animals are a part of molecular biology.

Molecular biology is the study of molecules

that are essential to life.

Genetically Modifying Animals

Is the process by which recombinant DNA is used to join a section of one animal’s DNA with another’s.

What started it all

In 1973 Stan Cohen and Herb Boyer took an antibiotic resistant gene from a frog and implanted it

into a bacterium. This produced an antibiotic resistant organism.

In 1980

There was a breakthrough in the production of

pharmaceuticals when a human gene for interferon (an

antiviral drug) was inserted into a bacterium. When the

bacterium reproduced it made billions of offspring. Now a

drug that was expensive and hard to come by was able to

be produced cheaper and in a greater quantity.

Neurons

Research is being done on mice that have been genetically altered

to not produce the hormone leptin. Without leptid the mice become obese and diabetic. A

new neuron was successfully put into the mice brains and the

connection that did not exist was formed. This could lead to the development of therapies for conditions like amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease and spinal injuries.

Salmon

Scientist have combined the genes of Atlantic and Pacific Chinook salmon in

order to increase the fish’s size and how quickly the

fish would reach maturity.

Cystic Fibrosis

Genes are being put into cattle and sheep that cause

them to make milk that contains proteins that people suffering from

cystic fibrosis are lacking. Therefore they can get it

through the milk.

Human Organs

Scientist are working on injecting animal embryo’s

with cells from human organs so the organ will

grown inside the animal.

Genetically modified animals can lead to the improvement of a lot of people’s lives, but this

process is very expensive which causes limitations on research. There is also the ethical factor, there

are people that believe changing something’s natural genetic make up is a abomination.

References

Miller, G. (2011, Nov. 25). Transplanted neurons curb obesity. Science Now, 334, Retrieved from http://news.sciencemag.org/sciencenow/2011/11/transplanted-neurons-curb-obesit.html .

Simm, G. (n.d.). Genetic modification of farm animals [Online forum comment]. Retrieved from http://www.bsas.org.uk/about_the_bsas/issue_papers/genetic_modification_of_farm_animals/.

Kaplan, Mellisa. (2010). U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Fact sheet genetically modified animals. Retrieved from website: http://www.fda.gov/AnimalVeterinary/DevelopmentApprovalProcess/GeneticEngineering/GeneticallyEngineeredAnimals/ucm113597.htm.

Vodopich, S. (2011). Biology laboratory manual. (9 ed., p. 171). New York, NY: McGrw-Hill Companies, Inc.