Pros and Cons of Transgenesis
Zoë Zegers
05/06/10
Richetelli 3/4
Transgenic Organisms
Transgenic organism is an organism that has been engineered to carry genes from another species. In this way organism can be made to produce different protein than it normally would. The reason why Transgenesis is possible is because DNA in all organisms is the same if a scientist removes a segment of DNA from one organism and injects it into another then the cell of the second organism will read and use the new DNA as if it was its own. Transgenic organisms, as well as all genetically modified organisms (GMO), are highly debatable because although uses are infinite there are environmental and ethical issues that question the use of GMOs.
In 1973, a little less than 100 years after Mendel first formulated the laws of hereditary, Herbert Boyer created the first transgenic organism. He combined one bacterium with a virus and then injected that virus into an E. coli bacterium. This method is similar to the retrovirus-mediated gene transfer. Boyer then went on to create the Genentech in 1976. A year later Genentech used this technology to create a bacteria that produced insulin. In 1974 the first transgenic animal, a mouse, was created. Since then many companies have been using transgenesis to create unique products with desirable qualities.
There are three different methods to go about transgenesis DNA microinjection, retrovirus-mediated gene transfer, and embryonic stem cell-mediated gene transfer. The most of common of the 3 for the creation of transgenic animals is microinjection. The advantage of microinjection is that it is applicable to many different species. However, the disadvantage is a low success rate “only 0.6% of transgenic pigs were born with a desired gene after 7,000 eggs were injected with a specific transgene” (Endang Tri Margawati). The process of microinjection involves a direction injection of a gene from one organism into the pronucleus of a zygote. The new
05/06/10
Richetelli 3/4
Transgenic Organisms
Transgenic organism is an organism that has been engineered to carry genes from another species. In this way organism can be made to produce different protein than it normally would. The reason why Transgenesis is possible is because DNA in all organisms is the same if a scientist removes a segment of DNA from one organism and injects it into another then the cell of the second organism will read and use the new DNA as if it was its own. Transgenic organisms, as well as all genetically modified organisms (GMO), are highly debatable because although uses are infinite there are environmental and ethical issues that question the use of GMOs.
In 1973, a little less than 100 years after Mendel first formulated the laws of hereditary, Herbert Boyer created the first transgenic organism. He combined one bacterium with a virus and then injected that virus into an E. coli bacterium. This method is similar to the retrovirus-mediated gene transfer. Boyer then went on to create the Genentech in 1976. A year later Genentech used this technology to create a bacteria that produced insulin. In 1974 the first transgenic animal, a mouse, was created. Since then many companies have been using transgenesis to create unique products with desirable qualities.
There are three different methods to go about transgenesis DNA microinjection, retrovirus-mediated gene transfer, and embryonic stem cell-mediated gene transfer. The most of common of the 3 for the creation of transgenic animals is microinjection. The advantage of microinjection is that it is applicable to many different species. However, the disadvantage is a low success rate “only 0.6% of transgenic pigs were born with a desired gene after 7,000 eggs were injected with a specific transgene” (Endang Tri Margawati). The process of microinjection involves a direction injection of a gene from one organism into the pronucleus of a zygote. The new