Gene Therapy, GMOs and Genetic Engineering
Gene Therapy, GMOs and Genetic Engineering
Gene Therapy, GMOs and Genetic Engineering
DNA
T
Normal allele
SNP
C
Disease-causing
allele
Human Gene Therapy
• Gene therapy is an experimental technique that uses
genes to treat or prevent disease
Modification:
+ daffodil genes and a bacterium = beta-carotene
content drastically increased
+ genes from a french bean = double the iron
content.
• Society
– Increased food
security for growing
populations and
growth challenges
(Human Genome Project Information (2003),
http://www.ornl.gov/sci/techresources/Human
_Genome/elsi/gmfood.shtml)
Who Uses this technology
The Countries that Grow 99% of the
World's Transgenic Crops
7% 1%
USA
23%
Argentina
Canada
69% China
Risks associated with Genetic Modification
1. Safety
– Potential human health implications.
– Potential environmental impact.
• Out-crossing
– Inevitable out-crossing of transgenic plants with naturally occurring
ones.
– Creation of super-weeds
4. Labeling
– Not mandatory in some countries (e.g., Canada and the United States).
– Mixing GM crops with non-GM confounds labeling attempts.
5. Society
– New advances may be skewed to the interests of rich countries.
(Human Genome Project Information (2003), http://www.ornl.gov/sci/techresources/Human_Genome/elsi/gmfood.shtml)
Risks with GM
Biodiversity
• Addition of Bt gene into plants including corn, potatoes
and cotton to increase resistance to plants
Draper, D. (2002). Our Environment: A Canadian Perspective 2nd Ed. Scarborough: Thompson Canada Lmt.
• Pollen from a Bt plant was dusted on to milkweed:
- only 56% of young monarch butterfly larvae lived
or ?
What is crispr
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MnYppmstxIs
• CRISPR Cas9 - A Brief Introduction
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1aJxXWk
E3Ek
• What is crispr
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MnYppm
stxIs
The new tool in gene editing
revolution
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Ejt54GdWoAINXz3?format=jpg&name=small