Genetically Modified Organisms

Week 11 - Bioengineering and Biotechnology

1st Semester, SY 2024-2025
Intended Learning
Outcomes At the end of this lessons, students should be able to:

1 DIFFERENT FORMS
⮚ Discussing the difference and similarities of biotechnology
and bioengineering.

2 METHODS ⮚ Cite the methods and applications of biotechnology and

bioengineering.

⮚ Assess the potential benefits and detriments to global health of

3 GMO
bioengineering such as Genetically Modified Organisms(GMOs)

4 EFFECTS ⮚ Identify the uses and effects of biotechnology and bioengineering,

particularly in the context of science, health and economy

5 FUTURE ISSUES
⮚ Discuss the moral and ethical implications of the said advancements
of science and technology and its potential future impacts.
 CONTENTS

1 Biotechnology & Bioengineering

2 Genetically Modified Organisms

3 Benefits and Detriments

4 Safeguards in GMO
1
Biotechnology & Bioengineering
❑ Biotechnology & Bioengineering
❑ Similar, Different, or Connected?
❑ Branches of Biotechnology
❑ Manipulating DNA
BIOTECHNOLOGY

• Use of living systems,

organisms, or biologically
derived materials to develop or
make products
(Sharfstein,2017).

• Fundamentally, applied biology

and increasingly, the interface
between biology and
engineering (Sharfstein,2017).
BIOENGINEERING

• The word comes from:

Biology and Engineering, or
simply, Biological Engineering.

• The application of principles of

biology and the tools of
engineering to create usable,
tangible, economically-viable
products
(Abramovitz, Melissa (2015))
SIMILAR, DIFFERENT OR CONNECTED?

• Biotechnology is focused on life science. Its aim is to create and develop products that can be
useful in various industries, such as the food and medical industries.

• Bioengineering, on the other hand, makes use of engineering principles to solve problems that
arise in medicine as well as biology. It makes use of engineering methods and scientific
concepts to find solutions.

• Although they are a bit different, the two are connected!

• Biotechnology makes use of technology when studying and using biological systems.

• On the other hand, bioengineering relates to designing and transforming the technology in
biotechnology.

• To see how this would work in real life, we can say that biotechnology creates the cells
that will develop pharmaceutical drugs. Bioengineering, on the other hand, develops a
process that will ensure those drugs can be produced faster.
WHAT IS BIOTECHNOLOGY?

• United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity

defines biotechnology as: “Any technological
application that uses biological systems, living
organisms, or derivatives thereof, to make or
modify products or processes for specific use.”

• Biotechnology is often used to refer to genetic

engineering technology of the 21st century

• Biotechnology is technology based on biology,

especially when used in agriculture, food science,
and medicine
BRANCHES OF BIOTECHNOLOGY

• Blue biotechnology
• Green biotechnology
• Red biotechnology
• White biotechnology
2
Genetically Modified Organisms
❑ What are Genes?
❑ Genes VS DNA
❑ Protein Making
❑ Genetic Engineering
❑ Manipulating DNA
❑ Genetically Modified Organisms
❑ Examples of GMO's
WHAT ARE GENES?

A gene is the basic physical

and functional unit of heredity.
This is carried on a
chromosome.

Genes are made up of

Deoxyribonucleic Acid (DNA).
GENES VS DNA ?
PROTEIN MAKING

Through the processes of transcription

and translation, information from genes
is used to make proteins. Some genes act
as instructions to make molecules called
proteins.

Encode how to make a protein:

DNA → RNA → Protein

https://www.google.com.ph/url?sa=i&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.slideshare.net%2Fc
athmh%2Fcopying-dna-and-making-proteins&psig=AOvVaw37WV1yQpc8RAE
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GENETIC ENGINEERING

Also called recombinant DNA

technology which involves the
group of techniques used to cut up
and join together genetic material,
especially DNA from different https://thumbs.gfycat.com/HonoredRelievedAfricanharrierhawk-

biological species, and to introduce size_restricted.gif

the resulting hybrid DNA into an

organism in order to form new
combinations of heritable genetic
material (Rosenberg,2017).

Source: https://allianceforscience.cornell.edu/blog/2018/02/bacteria-invented-
genetic-engineering-we-made-it-controversial/
GENETIC ENGINEERING

• Process of manipulating genes for

practical purposes.

• Process in which biologists make

changes in the DNA code of a
living organism.

• A technology in which the genome

of a living cell is modified for
medical or industrial use.
MANIPULATING DATA

In 1973, Stanley Cohen

and Herbert Boyer
isolated a gene from DNA of
the African E. coli bacteria.
During transcription, the rRNA
the first genetically altered
organisms.

https://mybioblog-george.blogspot.com/2011/04/vocabulary-
concepts-of-chapter-13-14.html
RECOMBINANT DNA

• Genetic engineering can involve

building recombinant DNA

• DNA molecules that are

artificially made from two or
more different organisms
https://dnalc.cshl.edu/view/15476-Mechanism-of-
Recombination-3D-animation-with-with-basic-narration.html
STEPS IN GENETIC ENGINEERING

1. Cutting DNA
2. Making Recombinant DNA
3. Cloning
4. Screening

https://gideonwolfe.com/posts/bio/yeast/basicsteps/
CUTTING DNA

1. DNA from the organism containing the

gene of interest is cut by restriction
enzymes.

1. Restriction enzymes are enzymes that

destroys foreign DNA molecules by
cutting them at specific sites.

3. Restriction enzymes are bacterial

enzymes that recognize and bind to
specific short sequences of DNA, and
then cut the DNA between specific https://images.search.yahoo.com/search/images?p=cutting+dna+gi
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CUTTING DNA

• The DNA from a vector is also cut.

• Vector – is an agent that is used

to carry the gene of interest into
another cell.

Commonly used vectors include:

✔ Viruses
✔ Yeast
✔ Plasmids – from bacterial cells

Plasmid are circular DNA molecules

that can replicate independently of
the main chromosomes of bacteria
MAKING RECOMBINANT DNA

• The DNA fragments from the organism

containing the gene of interest are combined
with the DNA fragments from the vector.

• The host cells then take up the recombinant

DNA.
CLONING

• Gene Cloning – many copies of the gene of interest are

made each time the host cell reproduces

• Remember that bacteria reproduce asexually by binary fission

so it produces identically offspring.

• Cells that received the particular gene of interest are

distinguished, or separated, from the cells that did not take up
the gene of interest.

• The cells can transcribe and translate the gene of interest to

make the protein coded for in the gene.
APPLICATIONS OF GENETIC ENGINEERING

Forensics
APPLICATIONS OF GENETIC ENGINEERING

Gene
Therapy
the insertion,
alteration, or removal
of genes within an
individual's cells and
biological tissues to
treat disease
APPLICATIONS OF GENETIC ENGINEERING

Vaccines
Through the recombinant-DNA procedure,
it is now possible to transfer the genes
that stimulate antibody formation to a
harmless microorganism and use it as a
vaccine against the particular disease.
Vaccines have been successfully created
using the harmless cowpox virus, the
herpes simplex type I virus (cold sores),
the influenza virus, and the hepatitis B
virus through gene splicing.
APPLICATIONS OF GENETIC ENGINEERING

Cloning
A clone is a member of a
population of genetically identical
cells produced from a single cell.

In 1997, Ian Wilmut cloned a sheep

called Dolly.
APPLICATIONS OF GENETIC ENGINEERING

Transgenic Organisms
• An organism described as transgenic, contains genes from
other species.

• Transgenic bacteria produce important substances useful

for health and industry. Transgenic bacteria have been used
to produce:
✔ insulin
✔ growth hormone
✔ clotting factor
APPLICATIONS OF GENETIC ENGINEERING

Transgenic Organisms
Transgenic Plants
• Transgenic plants are now an important part
of our food supply.

• Many of these plants contain a gene that

produces a natural insecticide, so plants
don’t have to be sprayed with pesticides.
APPLICATIONS OF GENETIC ENGINEERING

Transgenic Organisms
Transgenic Animals
• Transgenic animals have been used to study
genes and to improve the food supply.

• Mice have been produced with human genes that

make their immune systems act similarly to those
of humans. This allows scientists to study the
effects of diseases on the human immune system.

• Researchers are trying to produce transgenic

chickens that will be resistant to the bacterial
infections that can cause food poisoning.
APPLICATIONS OF GENETIC ENGINEERING

Genetically Modified
Crops
GMO are organisms in which the genetic material has
been altered in a way that does not occur naturally by
mating and/or natural recombination (Bleotuetal.,2018).
Example of GMOs

⮚ Genetically Modified Maize

• using Bt (Bacillus thuringiensis)

which is a bacterium found in
soils

• Naturally produces crystal-like

proteins (Cry proteins) that
selectively kill a few specific
insect species.
Example of GMOs

⮚ Genetically Modified Maize

• to express agriculturally
desirable traits such as
resistance to pests and to
herbicides.

• however, may have possible

health effects, impact on other
insects and impact on other
plants viagene flow.
Example of GMOs

⮚ Genetically Modified Papaya

• Papaya orchards throughout most

of the world are severely damaged
by the destructive disease caused
by the papaya ringspot virus
(Suzuki and Gonsalves, 2007)
Example of GMOs

⮚ Roundup Ready Soy Bean

• a genetically engineered crop

resistant to glyphosate gene
allowing resistance to
glyphosate was taken from a
type of bacteria called
Agrobacteria
Example of GMOs

⮚ Roundup Ready Soy Bean

• Roundup contains glyphosate

which is toxic to standard plants
that contain its target protein
The plants containing this protein
are destroyed upon exposure to
glyphosate, indicated by the red
X. Roundup Ready crops have
been engineered to contain a
gene from Agrobacteria, making
them immune to the herbicide
Example of GMOs

⮚ Golden Rice

• It is intended to be used in
combination with existing
approaches to overcome VAD such
as eating foods that are naturally
high in vitamin A or beta carotene,
eating foods fortified with vitamin A,
taking vitamin A supplements, and
optimal breastfeeding practices
Example of GMOs

⮚ Golden Rice

• Golden rice is a genetically

modified, biofortified crop.
• Biofortification increases the nutritional
value in crops.
• Golden rice is genetically modified in
order to produce beta carotene, which
is not normally produced in rice.
• Beta carotene is converted into Vitamin
A when metabolized by the human body
Example of GMOs

⮚ AquAdvantage Salmon

• typical growth hormone

regulating gene in the Atlantic
salmon was replaced with the
growth hormone regulating
gene from Pacific Chinook
salmon.

• gene enables the GM salmon

to grow year round instead of
only during spring and summer
(Yaskowiak et al 2006
Example of GMOs

⮚ Arctic Apple

• trademark for a group of patented apples that

contain a non-browning trait (when the apples
are subjected to mechanical damage, such as
slicing or bruising, the apple flesh remains as its
original color) (USDA APHIS 2012)

• gene silencing reduces the expression of

polyphenol oxidase (thus delaying the onset
of browning (Vincent, 2017)
Concerns of the Society

⮚ Arctic Apple

• Is this food safe?

• Should food be labeled?
• Are there adverse environmental effects?
• Patenting of seeds?
• Discrimination against the poor
• Who benefits?

ALL OF THESE CONCERNS APPLY TO FOOD AND AGRICULTURE IN

GENERAL
3
Benefits and Detriments
❑ The Benefits
❑ Potential Risks
❑ Genetically Modified Organisms
❑ Examples of GMO’s
The Benefits (Bleotu et al., 2018)

1. Increased productivity through effective combating of weeds,

diseases and pests;
The Benefits (Bleotu et al., 2018)

2. Positive impact on biodiversity, contributing to environmental

protection through overall reduction of the quantities of pesticides;
The Benefits (Bleotu et al., 2018)

3. Improved consumer health through reducing adverse effects based

on reducing dependence on conventional pesticides;
The Benefits (Bleotu et al., 2018)

5. Higher profits for producers by reducing the cost of production;

and
The Benefits (Bleotu et al., 2018)

4. Improving ground water and surface water based on reducing

pesticide residues;
Potential Risks of GMO

1. In adequate studies on the effects of GMO to humans and the environment

The Benefits (Bleotu et al., 2018)

6. Lower prices for consumers.

Potential Risks of GMO

2. Promotes mutation in organisms, which the long-term effects are still

unknown
Potential Risks of GMO

3. Human consumption might have the following effects more allergic reactions,
gene mutation, antibiotic resistance and change in nutritional value
Examples

LONG LASTING TOMATOES

Advantages:

• GM Tomatoes can remain fresh longer

• GM tomatoes can tolerate lengthier
transport time

Disadvantages:

• Tomatoes are resistant to antibiotics

4
Safeguards in GMO
❑ Biosafety
BIOSAFETY ON GMOs

1. Codex Alimentarius Commission (Codex) –

responsible for the development of standards, codes of practices,
guidelines, and recommendations on food safety (has developed
principles for the human health risk analysis of GM food products)

2. Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety –

international environmental treaty that regulates the transboundary
movements of GMOs

3. International Trade Agreement on Labeling of GM food and food products

–an agreement that requires exporters of GM food and food products to
label their products and give rights to importing parties to rejector accept
the GM products (consumers have the right to know and the freedom to
choose)
REFERENCES

▪ https://www.worldwildlife.org/pages/what-is-biodiversity
https://australianmuseum.net.au/l earn/science/biodiversity/what-is-
biodiversity/
▪ http://sitn.hms.harvard.edu/signal-to-noise-special-edition-gmos-
and-our-food/
▪ https://www.irri.org/golden-rice
▪ https://med.nyu.edu
▪ https://biotechhealth.com/biotechnology-and-bioengineering/
THANK YOU