2. What is a Transgenic Organism?
A transgenic organism or TO is an
organism whose genome has been
modified by the introduction of a
new gene.
3. How to create a Transgenic
Organism
To make a TO one must have the following
three main things: a gene that they want
to transfer, an organism to put it in (target
organism), and a vector or plasmid that
has the ability to transfer the gene.
4. A gene that you want to transfer
The first step is getting the gene that is needed to put in
the target organism. In order to get that gene one must
first replicate the DNA that contains that gene. The DNA
is replicated with a PCR machine.
Once one has the DNA, the strand of DNA containing
the gene wanted can be cut out using a restriction
enzyme specific to that gene.
5. Put it in a transposon
Once the gene has been cut out one can then place it in
a transposon. A transposon is used to carry the gene as
the vector.
There are many different transposons out there that one
can get. A specific one that is patented is the
“piggyBAC” transposon. This is very useful because it
can be put into the embryo and insert itself into the cells
genetic material into another chromosome or plasmid
6. Contributions to Science and Society
Transgenic organism contributes to science work by
letting people be able to make different organisms
contain traits they might not usually have.
An example is that they have made a trout that has
around 25 percent more muscle mass without the fish
eating more amounts of food. This will also contribute to
society by giving one a fish that they can catch and
make a bigger profit on because of the extra amounts of
meat it carries.
7. Advantages
Using them to create products that wouldn’t be able to
be produced under normal conditions,
Changing a species so that it can be more resistant to
diseases,
Increased preferred traits in breeding,
Better quality in the byproducts of animals.
Medical benefits: there are products such as
insulin, growth hormone, and blood anti-clotting factors
may soon be or have already been obtained from the
milk of transgenic cows, sheep, or goats.
8. Disadvantages
The unknown.
Some scientists say that adding genetically modified
genes may have an irreversible effect.
Ethical contradictions that come with TO’s that mainly
involve with religion and moral issues. Some of which
are questions on whether or not man has the right to
manipulate the laws and courses of nature.
9. The Future!
Biomedicine and the making of
therapeutic proteins.
Modeling diseases
Make functional foods.
Improve the quality of food that we eat.
Animal health and environmental
sustainability by reducing the impact
some farms may have on our environment
when it comes to pollutants.
