Genetics Topic Assignment

           

Genetics Topic Assignment

Genetic engineering has been around for about fifty years and has made many advancements within biotechnology; some in which are still advancing. In the year of 1973, two biochemists who go by the names of Herbert Boyer and Stanley Cohen, placed DNA from one organism into another organism: thus, resulting in genetic engineering. Genetic engineering consists of the alteration of DNA makeup within an organism, which is usually taken place in scientific laboratories. Such engineering can result in replacing, removing, or changing a nucleotide base pair that is found within DNA; or even deleting or adding a new segment of DNA within a sequence. The main purpose of this process is to modify genes and lead to enhancements within organisms’ capabilities.

            Genetic Engineering has many benefits that are helpful to humanity. Over the past several years, genetic engineering has been more than beneficial to the production of vaccines, hormones allergens, and even immunoglobins. This specific type of engineering has had the opportunity to create such needed medical products as human insulin and human growth hormones. In the year of 1986, research began and resulted in the first vaccine being created by genetic engineering, the Recombivax HB Vaccine. This virus was used as prevention for Hepatitis B, a liver disease that can either be very mild or fatal.

            Although genetic engineering does have many benefits and has been a significant advancement to such treatments, there are still some disadvantages to this process. Because transferring DNA from one organism to another can be very tedious, it can put many organisms or plants at risk, as well as pose potential harm to us humans.

            Not only is this type of engineering used to create such vaccines and hormones, but it is also a powerful tool for plants because the process can make pathogen-resisting plants. Familiar crops such as potatoes and bananas can undergo genetic engineering and as a result, the plant cells can grow without being affected by such infections or diseases.

            The process of genetic engineering takes places in three simple steps. DNA fragments first must be isolated from a donor organism; from there, the fragments that were removed will then be inserted into the organism that is receiving the DNA. Leading to the last step, the growth of the cells within the vector organism is an important step because it will test to see if survival is succeeded. 

            To succeed in the removal of DNA fragments from a donor organism, a method called gel electrophoresis will need to be carried out. Gel electrophoresis is a method that takes place in a laboratory and is a key component to successfully separating DNA, RNA and/or proteins. Within this method, DNA fragments are moved and pushed apart by an electrical field that contains a gel with very small pores. During this process, it is very typical that the DNA fragments that were obtained meet some complications, which leads to such enrichment procedures to be done. Certain RNA species will be reversed in transcription to produce DNA fragments that are ready to be genetically engineered.

            After the DNA fragments are successfully removed from a donor organism, the insertion of the fragments will need to be placed in a vector genome. A vector is seen as a DNA molecule that is used to transfer or carry DNA fragments or a specific sequence to a host cell, this system is most times used as a part of cloning. Within this transfer, multiple acts need to be met. The vector DNA must be capable of infection, able to decode foreign genetic information, and must be able to code for a property that enables cells. When inserting DNA fragments, it must always leave with a production of viability.

            Ultimately, researchers and scientists cannot be sure of their DNA transfer if the growth of the DNA fragment is unsuccessful. A vector is used as a piece of DNA that carries the wanted genes needed for that specific genetic transfer. The vector is then used as a plasmid, that is inserted into a host cell, resulting in a production of multiple copies of the host cell. Given the correct and healthy conditions, these cells can continue to multiple thus creating such hormone cells or macrophages that can fight off viruses or hormones that one’s body may lack.

            Now that genetic engineering has been discovered, this process holds many more advancements for the future. Each and everyday researchers and scientists have new findings when it comes to genetic engineering. With the study of gene functions, it is possible to produce more vaccines, as well as reduce the need for pesticides. Genetically engineered plants are also under experimentation to see if it is possible for genetically engineered crops to improve digestibility and nutrition for living organisms.

            As of December 2022, there has been an ongoing case study taking place that may prove the hypothesis that gene editing can help save or lower poor cholesterol. According to an article, written by Markham Heid, the number one cause of death in the United States is currently due to Cardiovascular diseases. Some common cardiovascular diseases include coronary heart disease, heart attacks, strokes, and aortic disease.

            With using a new technology classified as CRISPR, a specific or wanted fragment or sequence of DNA can be found within a cell, and later undergo gene editing to be altered. Clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats, also known as CRISPR technology, was discovered by two women, Jennifer Dounda and Emmanuelle Charpentier, who were also awarded the 2020 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for the discovery and invention. Wit using this technology, the hopes that scientists have within this experiment is to successfully perform a mutation that binds a protein, PCSK9, to receptors that could potentially remove LDL cholesterol from an organism’s blood stream. But unfortunately, just as stated before there are some disadvantages when it comes to this process.

            Many researchers and scientists are still questioning this case considering that there are many challenges that can arise. Questions such as, “Will this be relatively safe for humans?” and “Will this mutation be successful every time?” have arose when discussing this case. Overall, the advancement of the CRISPR technology has not seen any improvement, but it is a key component to future task when considering gene engineering and editing.

            After researching and analyzing the current progress of genetic engineering, it is safe to say that this is only the beginning. From creating vaccines and hormones for those individuals who are in need to producing pathogen-resistance plants and crops, genetic engineering and editing has been a great advancement to the medical field. Learning that it is a very tedious task to carry out in a laboratory, credit is given to those who have discovered this advancement, as well as scientists, journalists, and researchers who have successful made a tribute to science.

Genetics Assignment Outline

  1. Introduction
  2. What is Genetic engineering? When was it discovered, etc.)
  3. Background: (When was it discovered, who discovered it, etc)
  4. What are the advantages/disadvantages of genetic engineering?
  1. The three steps of genetic Engineering
  2. Removing DNA fragments from donor organism
  3. Inserting DNA to vector genome
  4. Growth of recombinant vector
  1. Advancements to genetic engineering
  2. What does the future hold?
  3. Are there any current advancements being made or experimented on?
  1. Conclusion

References

Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition. Science and history of gmos and other food modification processes. U.S. Food and Drug Administration Available at: https://www.fda.gov/food/agricultural-biotechnology/science-and-history-gmos-and-other-food-modification-processes#:~:text=1973%3A%20Biochemists%20Herbert%20Boyer%20and,human%20insulin%20to%20treat%20diabetes. (Accessed: 8th December 2022)

Greenaway, P. J. “Basic Steps in Genetic Engineering.” International Journal of Environmental Studies 15.1 (1980): 11-24. Web.

Heid, M. HOW CRISPR could help solve the problem of poor cholesterol. Time (2022). Available at: https://time.com/6239076/high-cholesterol-crispr-gene-editing/. (Accessed: 8th December 2022)

Zegeye, Workie Anley, Mesfin Tsegaw, Yingxin Zhang, and Liyong Cao. “CRISPR-Based Genome Editing: Advancements and Opportunities for Rice Improvement.” International Journal of Molecular Sciences 23.8 (2022): 4454. Web.