Genetic Engineering Genetic engineering simply manipulates the chromosome number of gene frequencies in a population of organisms – Used to select for desired traits – May create a new species

Selective Breeding Artificially determining which individuals leave offspring – Done in virtually every domesticated animal Decreases genetic variation within a species May eventually lead to speciation

Inbreeding Maintains desired trait – Only allows individuals with desired traits to breed – Increases incidence of recessive alleles (gene types) to be expressed

Hybridization New individuals are produced by crossing or “blending” chromosomes and genes – Many of the foods we are eat have been produced in this manner Luther Burbank developed a disease resistant potato that was exported to Ireland to fight famine caused by potato blight (type of fungus)

Inducing Mutations to Increase Variation Polyploidy – Makes use of drugs that prevent separation of chromosomes during meiosis – Useful in creating new plant lines

Inducing Mutations to Increase Variation Bacteria can be made to mutate rapidly through external mutagens and quickly harvested and separated to grow cultures with desired traits – Bacteria can digest oil and trash – Grow human gene products – Produce disease resistance in plants – …