Advances in Genetics

Key Concepts What are three ways of producing organisms with desired traits? What is the goal of the Human Genome Project? Advances in Genetics

Selective breeding Inbreeding Hybridization Clone Genetic engineering Gene therapy genome Key Terms

One of 3 methods used to develop organisms with desirable traits Select organisms with desirable traits to be parents of next generation Ex: Corn, dogs Two selective breeding techniques are inbreeding and hybridization Selective Breeding

Crossing 2 individuals that have similar characteristics • Ex. Crossing 2 turkeys that are both plump and grow quickly- offspring are likely to have both those desirable qualities • Inbred organisms have alleles that are very similar to parents • Inbred organisms are genetically very similar so they may inherit alleles that lead to genetic disorders Inbreeding

Breeders cross 2 genetically different individuals Hybrid that results is bred to have best traits from both parents Ex. Crossing one type of corn with large kernels with another that is resistant to disease. Result might be hybrid corn with both of the desired traits Hybridization

Clone – an organism that has exactly the same genes as the organism from which it was produced • Easy to clone many plants – cut a stem, put it in soil and water, and it will develop into a new plant – genetically the same as the parent • Researchers have been cloning animals such as sheep, cows, goats and pigs • Click and Clone Cloning

Genes from one organism are transferred into the DNA of another organism Used to produce medicines and improve food crops Genetic Engineering

Used to produce insulin • Bacteria has 1 DNA molecule in the cytoplasm • Also has small circular pieces of DNA called plasmids • Scientists insert a human gene into the plasmid • The bacteria and all its offspring will now make the protein that this gene codes for –in this case insulin • Since bacteria reproduce very quickly, large amounts of insulin can be produced Genetic Engineering in Bacteria

Can use technique to insert genes into other animals • Human genes can be inserted into the cells of cows – The cows will produce the protein for which the gene codes in their milk • This has been used to produce the blood clotting protein needed by people with hemophilia • Genes have also been inserted into plants to help them survive in cold temperatures and resist insect pests Genetic Engineering in Other Organisms

Using genetic engineering to correct genetic disorders Involves inserting copies of a gene directly into a person’s cells Ex. To treat hemophilia, doctors would replace the defective allele on the X chromosome so the person’s blood would clot normally Gene Therapy

Gene Therapy

First, scientists must find the best way to correct the genetic defect that is causing the disorder • Correct or increase the defective cell product • Make diseased cells weaker • Block operation of diseased cells • Second – scientists must find a way to carry the genetically engineered DNA to target cells • Viruses are an excellent candidate to deliver the genes because they infect living cells • Virus must be genetically engineered to render it harmless Hurdles for Gene Therapy

Some people are concerned about long-term effects of genetic engineering • Ex. Are genetically modified foods safe? • Concerns that they may harm the environment or cause health problems in humans • Scientists are trying to address these concerns and learn more about the effects of genetic engineering Concerns About Genetic Engineering

The Human Genome Project • Genome – all the DNA in one cell of an organism • Main goal of Human Genome Project has been to identify the DNA sequence of every gene in the human genome • Completed first draft - found that we have at least 30,000genes. Average gene has 3,000 bases Learning About Human Genetics

DNA technology can be used to identify people and show relationships DNA is broken down into small fragments. Selected fragments are used to produce a pattern similar to a fingerprint Except for identical twins no 2 people have the same DNA fingerprint DNA Fingerprinting

http://www.energy-dimension.com/12-bizarre-examples-of-genetic-engineering/http://www.energy-dimension.com/12-bizarre-examples-of-genetic-engineering/ Sources

Advances in Genetics