What is the first impression you get when you hear genetically modified foods?
Is it
1
? or
Also called genetically modified organisms (GMO). Involves the insertion of DNA from one organism into another OR modification of an organisms DNA in order to achieve a desired trait.
+
strawberry
Selective breading -slow -imprecise -modification of genes that naturally occur in the organism GM -very fast -precise -can introduce genes into an organism that would not occur naturally!
Examples of GMOs
Golden rice rice that contains beta-carotene (Vitamin A), which is not found in regular rice. Bt corn corn that contains a chemical normally found in a bacterium (Bacillus thuringiensis) that is toxic to insects but not to humans. Herbicide resistant plants.
Common GM Food
Tomato Maize
Cabbage Pasta
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Why do it?
Rice- not high in essential nutrients
Modification: + daffodil genes and a bacterium = beta-carotene content drastically increased + genes from a french bean = double the iron content.
Worldwide, 40 % of our food production depends on irrigation. Depletion of aquifers is occurring at twice the re-charge rate. Salinization is a major consequence of irrigation
What are some of the benefits and some of the disadvantages of GM foods?
Many of the same techniques are used to make a genetic modifications as to detect one
Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) Restriction enzymes Gel electrophoresis Transformation
Sequences that code for proteins can be moved from one organism to another.
REALLY!!!
Isolate the gene sequence that codes for the desired trait
Insert the gene sequence into the genome of the plant cell
Genetic Engineering
Genetic Engineers can alter the DNA code of living organisms. Selective Breeding Recombinant DNA
PCR
Gel Electrophoresis Transgenic Organisms
Selective Breeding
Breed only those plants or animals with desirable traits People have been using selective breeding for 1000s of years with farm crops and domesticated animals.
Recombinant DNA
The ability to combine the DNA of one organism with the DNA of another organism. Recombinant DNA technology was first used in the 1970s with bacteria.
Recombinant Bacteria
1. 2. 3. Remove bacterial DNA (plasmid). Cut the Bacterial DNA with restriction enzymes. Cut the DNA from another organism with restriction enzymes.
4.
Combine the cut pieces of DNA together with another enzyme and insert them into bacteria.
Reproduce the recombinant bacteria.
5.
6.
Restriction Enzymes
Restriction Enzymes
Restriction enzymes are also called restriction endonucleases
They cut double stranded DNA at sequence specific sites They can produce sticky ends or blunt ends depending on the enzyme
Restriction Enzymes
1978 Nobel Prize in Medicine was awarded to Daniel Nathans and Hamilton Smith for the discovery of restriction endonucleases
Restriction enzymes were discovered in E.coli as a defense mechanism against bacterial viruses (bacteriophages)
Restriction Enzymes
PCR
Invented in 1983 by Kary Mullis (Nobel Prize in 1993 for its discovery) Uses primers to exponentially amplify a specific region of DNA Components needed for the reaction:
DNA Primers to region of interest DNA polymerase (Taq used to synthesize the DNA) dNTPS (the building blocks of the copied DNA) Buffer (with appropriate salts to ensure the enzyme works properly)
PCR
Three steps of the reaction:
Denaturation: High heat (94-98o) to separate the strands of DNA Annealing: (50-60o depends on the primers) this step allows the primers to bind to the denatured DNA strands Elongation (74o) DNA polymerase synthesizes the new strand
This step is dependant on the length of the product to be amplified (1min/1kb of DNA)
PCR: Cycles
PCR: Thermocycler
Gel Electrophoresis
This technology allows scientists to identify someones DNA!
Gel Electrophoresis
Gel electrophoresis is used to separate nucleic acids (DNA and RNA) or proteins for analytical use
DNA and RNA are separated using agarose Proteins are separated using polyacrylamide The gel is a matrix (cross-linked polymers) that allow products to be separated
Separation is based on the size (based on charge) of a product as it moves through a charged field
Gel Electrophoresis
The negative charge is at the top (closest to the samples) and the positive charge is at the bottom
Samples are negatively charged and will travel towards the positive charge
DNA and RNA are negative because of their sugarphosphate backbone Proteins are denatured to give a constant shape and given a charge through the negative loading buffer used
Samples are diluted in a loading buffer that helps the samples stay in the wells
Gel Electrophoresis
Applications Separating restriction digests Analyzing/purifying PCR products Sequencing Protein analysis
Gel Electrophoresis
Gel Electrophoresis
PLANTS
1. disease-resistant and insect-resistant crops 2. Hardier fruit
2.
3.
Transgenic Goat
. This goat contains a human gene that codes for a blood clotting agent. The blood clotting agent can be harvested in the goats milk.
Peas (on the left) that make a genetically engineered bean protein are insect-resistant and do not need to be sprayed with pesticides.
Ha Ha Ha!
Herbicide Resistance
Herbicides, like glyphosate and glufosinate, are used to eliminate weeds to maintain nutrient content in the soil but they decrease the yield. Scientists insert the herbicide resistance genes via agrobacterium into food plants so that they will not be affected by the herbicide.
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Pest resistance
Scientists insert the toxin producing gene from Bacillus thuringienus, a kind of soil bacterium, into maize. Destructive insects will be killed when eating the crop. The loss due to destructive insects is greatly reduced.
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Other applications
Potato - modified to produce a beetle killing toxin Yellow squash modified to contain to viral genes that resistant the most common viral diseases Develop foods that contain vaccines and antibodies that offer valuable protection against diseases such as cholera, hepatitis, and malaria Canola modified to resist one type of herbicide or pesticide
GM Canola
Canadian-Australian Relations
Bayer CropScience produces genetically modified canola in Australia for the Canadian market. It is produced to resist the herbicide Liberty and can yield up to 20% higher than conventional canola.
Importance of GM crops
Worldwide, 9 percent the global primary crop production from genetically modified crops 2006: over 100 million hectares in 22 countries 64% of total soya crop and 24% of the global maize crop
Importance (2)
Many processed foods contain Soybean oil and/or glucose syrup (from corn) Difficult to avoid food containing genetically modified material, especially in the USA
Animal feeds
Likewise animal feeds commonly contain corn and soybean meal from GM crops Also in Europe GM material was found in milk and meat
Some GM crops will improve the nutritional quality of foods. Such foods are now in the pipeline.
How to Label?
Conventionally grown
Pesticides, twice a week
GMO
Pesticide free
The US takes the view that if foods are substantially equivalent, the method of producing them need not be on the label.
Farmers use a variety of techniques, and keeping production streams separate from plow to plate costs money. Such separation is called identity preservation. Who should pay for this?
Labeling of GM foods is not mandatory unless if there is a health or safety concern (Health Canada/Canadian Food Inspection Agency)
Harm to other organisms Pollen from Bt corn was shown to cause high mortality rates in monarch butterfly larvae(9). BUT follow-up studies have shown that the exposure levels in the fields are negligible(10).
Economic Hazards
Elimination of competition
GM seeds are patented
Suicide seeds
Plants with sterile seeds that are infertile are created Farmers are forced to buy seeds every year
However, some companies have reduced costs or donated GM seeds to impoverished nations.
Creating a balance
So are GM foods a good or bad thing? It depend on each individual case. Consumers, the government and scientists should be responsible for weighing the benefits against the costs.
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Solutions
Add labels to the packages Improve genetic modification technology Food tests
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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 - whereas pollen from organic plants dusted on the milkweed produced a survival rate of 100%. Approximately half of the monarch butterfly population live in the corn belt of the USA = this new gene could have serious repercussions for this organism