1. Genetically Modified Organisms
By Bethany Frieders
Student of the Chemical Engineering Department

2. Outline What are GMOs? Genetic Engineering Techniques Who practices it
Genetically Modified Crops
Benefits of GMOs
Risk and Negative Affects of GMOs
Regulations/Labeling
The Future of GMOs
What People Think

3. What are Genetically Modified Organisms?
An organism whose genes have been altered using genetic engineering techniques
Manipulation of genetic coding that does not occur under natural conditions
DNA molecules from different sources combined to form new set of genes

4. Cross Breeding vs. Genetically Modified
Crossbreeding cannot transfer genes across species
Crossbreeding nature manages combination of DNA
Genetic engineering puts gene into host organism
Fact: Crossbreeding cannot transfer genes across species barriers. Genetic engineering transfers genes between species that could never be crossbred. Also, crossbreeding lets nature manage the delicate activity of combining the DNA of the parents to form the DNA of the child. Genetic engineering shoots the new gene into the host organism without reference to any holistic principle at all.
Dog-cross bread between lab and poodle
The larger mouse has had a gene implanted that produces a rat growth hormone. As a result it has grown to twice the size of its unmodified sibling. The egg from which this mouse developed was implanted with the modified gene, causing it to become incorporated into the mouse's DNA

5. Determining Gene Functions
Random Mutagenesis
examining extremely large populations, thousands or tens of thousands of individual organisms
Targeted Mutations
start with a particular gene and proceed to make mutations in it, creating mutant cells or organisms so as to analyze the gene's function
Compilation test
Identifying Homologous Genes
Once a gene has been identified, its function can often be predicted by identifying homologous genes whose functions are already known
In normal cells, proteins are loaded into vesicles, which fuse with the plasma membrane and secrete their contents into the extracellular medium. In secretory mutant A, proteins accumulate in the ER. In a different secretory mutant B, proteins accumulate in the Golgi. In the double mutant AB, proteins accumulate in the ER; this indicates that the gene defective in mutant A acts before the gene defective in mutant B in the secretory pathway.
Domain fusions reveal relationships between functionally linked genes. In this example, the functional interaction of genes 1 and 2 in organism A is inferred by the fusion of homologous domains into a single gene (gene 3) in organism B.

6. The Process of Gene Splicing
Isolate Gene
Prepare Target DNA
Insert DNA into Plasmid
Insert Plasmid Back into Cell
Plasmid Multiplying
Target Cells Reproduce
Cells Produce Proteins
Isolate gene you want to change or manipulate using an enzyme
Put DNA into DNA of bacterium-recombinant DNA technology. Plasmid is removed from bacteria and special proteins are used to cut the plasmid ring open
Gene is inserted into plasmid ring and closed. Gene is now recombined with bacterial DNA plasmid
Bacteria DNA now has gene wanted in bacteria. Use needle syringes to move plasmid back into cell membrane
Put plasmids into many cells and grow and proteins are produced
Protein molecules gathered and purified
Proteins now gentically compatible with human bodies

7. Bacillus thuringiensis, commonly known as Bt, is a bacterium that occurs naturally in the soil. For years, bacteriologists have known that some strains of Bt produce proteins that kill certain insects with alkaline digestive tracts. When these insects ingest the protein produced by Bt, the function of their digestive systems is disrupted, producing slow growth and, ultimately, death. First, scientists identify a strain of Bt that kills the targeted insect. Then they isolate the gene that produces the lethal protein. That gene is removed from the Bt bacterium and a gene conferring resistance to a chemical (usually antibiotic or herbicide) is attached that will prove useful in a later step. The Bt gene with the resistance gene attached is inserted into plant cells. At this point, scientists must determine which plant cells have successfully received the Bt gene and are now transformed. Any plant cell that has the Bt gene must also have the resistance gene that was attached to it. Researchers grow the plant cells in the presence of the antibiotic or herbicide and select the plant cells that are unaffected by it. These genetically transformed plant cells are then grown into whole plants by a process called tissue culture. The modified plants produce the same lethal Bt protein produced by Bt bacteria because the plants now have the same gene.
Bt insect resistance crops Corn, cotton, and potatoes Bt is very selective - different strains of the bacterium kill different insects and only those insects. Strains of Bt are effective against European corn borers and cotton bollworms (Lepidoptera), Colorado potato beetles (Coleoptera), and certain flies and mosquitoes (Diptera). Bt is not harmful to humans, other mammals, birds, fish, In 1983, the World Health Organization used Bt in West Africa to control disease-carrying blackflies. In the U.S., various strains of Bt are used to control spruce budworms and gypsy moths in forests, cabbage worms in broccoli and cauliflower, loopers or budworms in cotton and tobacco, and leaf rollers in fruits.

8. Who is practicing Genetic Modification in Crops?.
In 2009, countries that grew 95% of the global transgenic crops were the United States (46%), Brazil (16%), Argentina (15%), India (6%), Canada (6%), China (3%), Paraguay (2%) and South Africa (2%).[14]
The Grocery Manufacturers of America estimate that 75% of all processed foods in the U.S. contain a GM ingredient.[32]

9. 1 hectare=2.47 acres

10. HT-Herbicide tolerance
has gene that is immune to herbicides, so can spray crops once to get rid of weeds and don’t have to again
Bt-acts as a pesticide spray would-bacterium in soil preventing insects from feeding off it

11. List of Genetically Modified Foods
Raw Materials
Processed Foods
Sugar cane
Sweet peppers
Tomatoes
Bananas
Strawberries
Soy bean
Corn
Potatoes
Pineapples
Cocoa beans
Yellow squash
Zucchini
Popcorn
Canola & Cottonseed Oil
Soy Sauce
Frozen Pizza
Canned Soups
Baby Formula
Dry Cereal
Cookies
Frozen Dinners
Aspartame Sweetener

12. Pros of Genetic Modification

13. Agricultural Benefits
Pest Resistance
Less pesticides needed in farming
Herbicide Tolerance
Disease Resistance
3rd world countries
Cold Tolerance
Antifreeze gene from cold water fish
Drought Tolerance
Pest resistance Crop losses from insect pests can be staggering, resulting in devastating financial loss for farmers and starvation in developing countries. Farmers typically use many tons of chemical pesticides annually. Consumers do not wish to eat food that has been treated with pesticides because of potential health hazards, and run-off of agricultural wastes from excessive use of pesticides and fertilizers can poison the water supply and cause harm to the environment. Growing GM foods such as B.t. corn can help eliminate the application of chemical pesticides and reduce the cost of bringing a crop to market.
More than 2.5 billion kilos of pesticides are used annually throughout the world, with developing countries accounting for 15 per cent of global pesticide use. These countries also account for about 375,000 cases-or over half the world’s total-of accidental poisoning from pesticides every year.
Herbicide tolerance For some crops, it is not cost-effective to remove weeds by physical means such as tilling, so farmers will often spray large quantities of different herbicides (weed-killer) to destroy weeds, a time-consuming and expensive process, that requires care so that the herbicide doesn't harm the crop plant or the environment. Crop plants genetically-engineered to be resistant to one very powerful herbicide could help prevent environmental damage by reducing the amount of herbicides needed. For example, Monsanto has created a strain of soybeans genetically modified to be not affected by their herbicide product Roundup ®6. A farmer grows these soybeans which then only require one application of weed-killer instead of multiple applications, reducing production cost and limiting the dangers of agricultural waste run-off7.
Disease resistance There are many viruses, fungi and bacteria that cause plant diseases. Plant biologists are working to create plants with genetically-engineered resistance to these diseases8, 9.
Cold tolerance Unexpected frost can destroy sensitive seedlings. An antifreeze gene from cold water fish has been introduced into plants such as tobacco and potato. With this antifreeze gene, these plants are able to tolerate cold temperatures that normally would kill unmodified seedlings
Drought tolerance/salinity tolerance As the world population grows and more land is utilized for housing instead of food production, farmers will need to grow crops in locations previously unsuited for plant cultivation. Creating plants that can withstand long periods of drought or high salt content in soil and groundwater will help people to grow crops in formerly inhospitable places11, 12.

14. Properties of the genetically modified variety
Crop
Properties of the genetically modified variety
Modification
Soybeans
Resistant to glyphosate or glufosinate herbicides
Herbicide resistant gene taken from bacteria inserted into soybean
Cotton
Pest-resistant cotton
Bt crystal protein gene added/transferred into plant genome
Rice
Genetically modified to contain high amounts of Vitamin A (beta-carotene)
Three new genes implanted: two from daffodils and the third from a bacterium
Tomatoes
production of the enzyme polygalacturonase (PG) is suppressed, retarding fruit softening after harvesting.
A reverse copy of the gene responsible for the production of PG enzyme added into plant genome
Sweet Peppers
Resistance to virus
Contains coat protein genes of the virus.
HT soybeans-resistant to weed killer
Rice- Golden Rice, projected to be on market in 2012
For example, blindness due to vitamin A deficiency is a common problem in third world countries. Researchers at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Institute for Plant Sciences have created a strain of "golden" rice containing an unusually high content of beta-carotene (vitamin A)13. Since this rice was funded by the Rockefeller Foundation14, a non-profit organization, the Institute hopes to offer the golden rice seed free to any third world country that requests it. Plans were underway to develop a golden rice that also has increased iron content. However, the grant that funded the creation of these two rice strains was not renewed, perhaps because of the vigorous anti-GM food protesting in Europe, and so this nutritionally-enhanced rice may not come to market at all15.

15. Do costs outweigh benefits?
Number of times a field is sprayed with insectide each season

16. Benefits to/from Animals
Improved animal health and diagnostic methods
Cows-compound against udder infections and Mad Cow Disease
Better yields and production efficiency
Fast growing salmon
Pigs muscles enriched with omega-3s
The first transgenic animals were produced by injecting DNA into eggs, implanting the eggs in animals and then waiting weeks or months to see if any offspring had incorporated the extra DNA. Often fewer than 1 in 100 had, making this a long, expensive process. “That’s just really inefficient,” says Scott Fahrenkrug, a geneticist at the University of Minnesota in St Paul.
In mice, geneticists found a way round this problem: producing cells with the desired modification first, before growing entire animals. The researchers alter the DNA in embryonic stem cells growing in a dish, then inject successfully modified cells into embryos. This yields chimeras with a mixture of cells that can be bred to produce mice in which all the cells are modified. It has become cheap and easy: there are now many millions of GM mice in labs worldwide, including extraordinary creations like the “supermouse” capable of running twice as far as normal, “brainbow” mice whose neurons light up in different colours and even mice that do not fear cats.
The US Food and Drug Administration, which regulates GM animals, has yet to approve one for agricultural use. The first candidate, a fast-growing salmon, has been under review for more than a decade, in part because of fears it could affect wild populations. Such concerns would not apply to most farm animals or pets, and last year, the FDA appeared to be preparing the ground for commercial production of GM animals when it published guidance on the steps a company would have to take to obtain FDA approval. The European Union is working on a similar statement, but this is not expected to be finalised until 2012
Pigs whose muscles are enriched with omega-3s have already been created, and researchers are exploring similar options with milk. Meanwhile, a team at the University of Guelph in Ontario, Canada, has developed a pig that contains a gene for a bacterial enzyme that enables them to absorb more phosphorus from their feed. These “Enviropigs” excrete less than half as much phosphorus as ordinary pigs, thus reducing the pollution problem from intensively reared animals. The pigs have not yet been approved for human consumption, but China has begun importing them for testing. “They’re obviously very interested – they consume half of the world’s pork,” says Scott Fahrenkrug of the University of Minnesota. A similar effort under way in fish could reduce pollution from fish farms.
Animals could also be modified to reduce disease risk. Hematech of Sioux Falls, South Dakota, has created a cow that can’t get BSE because it lacks the protein that turns rogue and triggers mad cow disease. Other ideas being tried or considered include making pigs and chickens less susceptible to influenza, and chicken eggs that produce human antibodies to rotavirus, protecting people who eat the eggs against this common gastrointestinal pathogen.
Welfare could be improved, too. Cows have been modified to produce a compound that protects them against udder infections, for example. Engineering could also end the quick slaughter of half of all offspring of dairy cattle and laying hens, whose owners have little use for male animals. This could perhaps be done by inserting genes on a bull’s Y chromosome to cripple male-producing sperm. “The idea has been around for 15 years, but now the efficiency of making transgenics is so high that this problem will be solved within the next couple of years,” says Fahrenkrug, whose group is one of about 10 worldwide working on the issue.

17. Medical Benefits
Gene therapy-Replacing defective genes with functional genes
Huntington’s disease
Emphysema
Diabetes
Add Additional Vitamins and minerals
Research working on developing edible vaccines in tomatoes and potatoes
Nutrition Malnutrition is common in third world countries where impoverished peoples rely on a single crop such as rice for the main staple of their diet. If rice could be genetically engineered to contain additional vitamins and minerals, nutrient deficiencies could be alleviated.
Pharmaceuticals Medicines and vaccines often are costly to produce and sometimes require special storage conditions not readily available in third world countries. Researchers are working to develop edible vaccines in tomatoes and potatoes16, 17. These vaccines will be much easier to ship, store and administer than traditional injectable vaccines.
Certain diseases like the Huntington’s disease, ALS and cystic fibrosis is caused by defective genes. There is hope that a cure for such diseases can be found by either inserting the corrected gene or modifying the defective gene. Eventually, the hope is to completely eliminate genetic diseases and also treat non-genetic diseases with appropriate gene therapy.
produce protein pharmaceuticals. The structural gene for an important human protein (such as α1-antitrypsin; AAT) is linked to the regulatory region (promoter) of a sheep milk protein gene (such as that for casein or lactalbumin). This recombinant gene is injected into the pronucleus of a newly fertilized sheep egg, and the egg is implanted into a foster mother. Newborn sheep are screened for the presence of the human gene. When the transgenic sheep mature, the human gene should be expressed in the mammary gland and the protein secreted into the milk. From the milk one can then isolate large amounts of the protein for pharmaceutical use. Used for people with emphasima who are missing the gene that produces the enzyme in the liver to make AAT to repair damaged lung tissue.
Hungtingtons-cognitive decline and dimensia, mutation in gene code
Cystic fibrosis (CF) is caused by a defective gene which causes the body to produce abnormally thick and sticky fluid, called mucus.
Diabetes-lack of gene that provides enzyme to produce insulin

18. Poverty and Food Shortages
Each year, the world population increases by more than 90 million, while the amount of topsoil decreases by more than 20 billion tons. It is estimated that by the year 2050, global demand for food will be three times what it is today.
Increased food security for growing populations

19. Cons of Genetic Modification

20. Morals and Ethics Violation of natural organisms' intrinsic values
Activist Groups
Tampering with nature
Playing God
Religious Beliefs

21. Health Effects Creating new allergens Soybeans with Brazil nut
Antibiotic resistance
Bt developing resistance to antibiotic ampicillin
Outcrossing
Movement of genes from GM plants into unmodified crops
Indirect effect on food safety
Unknown long term health effects
Fertillity-rat experiment
DNA breakdown in digestion track
Allergenicity A proposal to incorporate a gene from Brazil nuts into soybeans was abandoned because of the fear of causing unexpected allergic reactions31. Extensive testing of GM foods may be required to avoid the possibility of harm to consumers with food allergies.
Unknown effects on human health There is a growing concern that introducing foreign genes into food plants may have an unexpected and negative impact on human health. A recent article published in Lancet examined the effects of GM potatoes on the digestive tract in rats32, 33. This study claimed that there were appreciable differences in the intestines of rats fed GM potatoes and rats fed unmodified potatoes. Yet critics say that this paper, like the monarch butterfly data, is flawed and does not hold up to scientific scrutiny34. Moreover, the gene introduced into the potatoes was a snowdrop flower lectin, a substance known to be toxic to mammals. The scientists who created this variety of potato chose to use the lectin gene simply to test the methodology, and these potatoes were never intended for human or animal consumption.On the whole, with the exception of possible allergenicity, scientists believe that GM foods do not present a risk to human health.
Outcrossing. The movement of genes from GM plants into conventional crops or related species in the wild (referred to as “outcrossing”), as well as the mixing of crops derived from conventional seeds with those grown using GM crops, may have an indirect effect on food safety and food security. This risk is real, as was shown when traces of a maize type which was only approved for feed use appeared in maize products for human consumption in the United States of America. Several countries have adopted strategies to reduce mixing, including a clear separation of the fields within which GM crops and conventional crops are grown.
DNA does not always fully break down in the alimentary tract.3,4 Gut bacteria can take up genes and GM plasmids5 and this opens up the possibility of the spread of antibiotic resistance.
Insertion of genes into the genome can also result in unintended effects, which need to be reduced/eliminated by selection, since some of the ways the inserted genes express themselves in the host or the way they affect the functioning of the crop’s own genes are unpredictable. This may lead to the development of unknown toxic/allergenic components, which we cannot analyze for and seriously limiting the selection criteria.
Genetically modified foods affect the human physiology. A study of people in the Philippines reported that their bodies developed antibodies to Bt toxin. What this means is that, the human body processed these engineered traits into their guts and reacted to them. These same consumers of the GMO corn in the Philippines also developed a resistance to the antibiotic ampicillin.
This antibiotic resistance is something that science hadn't foreseen-which is indicative of questionable experimentation and not enough testing. And it makes me wonder if there is a bigger picture at hand. Maybe to create more illness and sell you more pharmaceuticals?
When male rats were fed GM soy, their testicles changed from the normal pink color to dark blue.[4] Mice testicles also showed changes, including damaged young sperm cells.[5] Baby rats from moms that ate GM soy were smaller than those fed natural soy. More than half the GM soy group died within three weeks. Irina Ermakova,
The DNA in mice embryos functioned differently when their parents ate GM soy.[6] And an Austrian government study reported that mice fed GM corn had fewer and smaller babies.[7]
About two dozen US farmers say that thousands of their pigs became sterile after consuming certain GM corn varieties. Some had false pregnancies, others gave birth to bags of water.
Cows and bulls also became infertile when fed the same corn.[8] Investigators in the state of Haryana, India, report that most buffalo that ate GM cottonseed had reproductive complications such as premature deliveries, abortions, infertility, and prolapsed uteruses. Many calves died.[9]

22. Economic Downfalls Lengthy and costly process Patent infringement
Higher cost of seeds
Small farmers and 3rd world countries
Suicide Genes
Viable one growing season
Manipulate genes to have buy other chemicals from company providing GM seeds
Crops
Non-GM GM
Soybean seed
Price from 1975 to 2000 rose 63%
Prices from 2000 to 2010 rose 230%
Cotton Seed
$117 per bag
$700 per bag
Economic concerns
Bringing a GM food to market is a lengthy and costly process, and of course agri-biotech companies wish to ensure a profitable return on their investment. Many new plant genetic engineering technologies and GM plants have been patented, and patent infringement is a big concern of agribusiness. Yet consumer advocates are worried that patenting these new plant varieties will raise the price of seeds so high that small farmers and third world countries will not be able to afford seeds for GM crops, thus widening the gap between the wealthy and the poor. It is hoped that in a humanitarian gesture, more companies and non-profits will follow the lead of the Rockefeller Foundation and offer their products at reduced cost to impoverished nations.
Patent enforcement may also be difficult, as the contention of the farmers that they involuntarily grew Monsanto-engineered strains when their crops were cross-pollinated shows. One way to combat possible patent infringement is to introduce a "suicide gene" into GM plants. These plants would be viable for only one growing season and would produce sterile seeds that do not germinate. Farmers would need to buy a fresh supply of seeds each year. However, this would be financially disastrous for farmers in third world countries who cannot afford to buy seed each year and traditionally set aside a portion of their harvest to plant in the next growing season. In an open letter to the public, Monsanto has pledged to abandon all research using this suicide gene technology35.

23. Impacts on Ecosystem Unintended harm to other animals
Bt corn killing monarch butterflies from pollen
Immune and Digestive system effects
Unintended transfer of GM genes through cross-pollination
Weeds inheriting tolerance to herbicides
Unintended harm to other organisms Last year a laboratory study was published in Nature21 showing that pollen from B.t. corn caused high mortality rates in monarch butterfly caterpillars. Monarch caterpillars consume milkweed plants, not corn, but the fear is that if pollen from B.t. corn is blown by the wind onto milkweed plants in neighboring fields, the caterpillars could eat the pollen and perish. Although the Nature study was not conducted under natural field conditions, the results seemed to support this viewpoint. Unfortunately, B.t. toxins kill many species of insect larvae indiscriminately; it is not possible to design a B.t. toxin that would only kill crop-damaging pests and remain harmless to all other insects. This study is being reexamined by the USDA, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and other non-government research groups, and preliminary data from new studies suggests that the original study may have been flawed22, 23. This topic is the subject of acrimonious debate, and both sides of the argument are defending their data vigorously. Currently, there is no agreement about the results of these studies, and the potential risk of harm to non-target organisms will need to be evaluated further.
GM soy drastically reduces digestive enzymes in mice.[25] If your digestive ability is also impaired, you could become allergic to many types of food.
Gene transfer to non-target species Another concern is that crop plants engineered for herbicide tolerance and weeds will cross-breed, resulting in the transfer of the herbicide resistance genes from the crops into the weeds. These "superweeds" would then be herbicide tolerant as well. Other introduced genes may cross over into non-modified crops planted next to GM crops. The possibility of interbreeding is shown by the defense of farmers against lawsuits filed by Monsanto. The company has filed patent infringement lawsuits against farmers who may have harvested GM crops. Monsanto claims that the farmers obtained Monsanto-licensed GM seeds from an unknown source and did not pay royalties to Monsanto. The farmers claim that their unmodified crops were cross-pollinated from someone else's GM crops planted a field or two away. More investigation is needed to resolve this issue.There are several possible solutions to the three problems mentioned above. Genes are exchanged between plants via pollen. Two ways to ensure that non-target species will not receive introduced genes from GM plants are to create GM plants that are male sterile (do not produce pollen) or to modify the GM plant so that the pollen does not contain the introduced gene24, 25, 26. Cross-pollination would not occur, and if harmless insects such as monarch caterpillars were to eat pollen from GM plants, the caterpillars would survive.
Another possible solution is to create buffer zones around fields of GM crops27, 28, 29. For example, non-GM corn would be planted to surround a field of B.t. GM corn, and the non-GM corn would not be harvested. Beneficial or harmless insects would have a refuge in the non-GM corn, and insect pests could be allowed to destroy the non-GM corn and would not develop resistance to B.t. pesticides. Gene transfer to weeds and other crops would not occur because the wind-blown pollen would not travel beyond the buffer zone. Estimates of the necessary width of buffer zones range from 6 meters to 30 meters or more30. This planting method may not be feasible if too much acreage is required for the buffer zones.

24. Regulations in the U.S.
Foods developed in biotechnology are regulated in the same way as foods developed through conventional processes
Creator assumes liability
No Food Labeling Required
3 Federal Agencies monitor GMO regulations
Food and Drug Administration
Department of Agriculture
Environmental Protection Agency
In the United States, the regulatory process is confused because there are three different government agencies that have jurisdiction over GM foods. To put it very simply, the EPA evaluates GM plants for environmental safety, the USDA evaluates whether the plant is safe to grow, and the FDA evaluates whether the plant is safe to eat. The EPA is responsible for regulating substances such as pesticides or toxins that may cause harm to the environment. GM crops such as B.t. pesticide-laced corn or herbicide-tolerant crops but not foods modified for their nutritional value fall under the purview of the EPA. The USDA is responsible for GM crops that do not fall under the umbrella of the EPA such as drought-tolerant or disease-tolerant crops, crops grown for animal feeds, or whole fruits, vegetables and grains for human consumption. The FDA historically has been concerned with pharmaceuticals, cosmetics and food products and additives, not whole foods. Under current guidelines, a genetically-modified ear of corn sold at a produce stand is not regulated by the FDA because it is a whole food, but a box of cornflakes is regulated because it is a food product.

25. How are GM foods labeled?
Labeling of GM foods and food products is also a contentious issue. On the whole, agribusiness industries believe that labeling should be voluntary and influenced by the demands of the free market. If consumers show preference for labeled foods over non-labeled foods, then industry will have the incentive to regulate itself or risk alienating the customer. Consumer interest groups, on the other hand, are demanding mandatory labeling. People have the right to know what they are eating, argue the interest groups, and historically industry has proven itself to be unreliable at self-compliance with existing safety regulations. The FDA's current position on food labeling is governed by the Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act which is only concerned with food additives, not whole foods or food products that are considered "GRAS" - generally recognized as safe. The FDA contends that GM foods are substantially equivalent to non-GM foods, and therefore not subject to more stringent labeling.
In Europe, a series of unrelated food crises during the 1990s created consumer apprehension about food safety in general, eroded public trust in government oversight of the food industry.

26. What GMOs hold for the Future
bananas that produce human vaccines
hepatitis B
fish that mature more quickly
Gene therapy- cures for cancers and other diseases
cows that are resistant to bovine spongiform encephalopathy (mad cow disease)
fruit and nut trees that yield years earlier
plants that produce new plastics with unique properties
Ethanol corn
Produce α-amylase-rapidly breaks down starch into sugar
contain four added genes from bacteria that naturally produce a biodegradable plastic called PHBV. Inserting the genes and manipulating the plants' metabolism was "a considerable feat of genetic engineering" They managed this by inserting 4 genes from a plastic-producing bacteria into varieties of oilseed rape (Eurasian plant) and cress. Conventional plastics are made from oil and do not degrade easily, but the plant plastic is biodegradable. But it is expensive, at this costing five times more than petroleum-derived plastic.
Concern over ethanol corn-if crossbreads with corn humans eat, but claims enzyme is only activated under certain conditions
The first enzyme, alpha amylase, helps break down the large corn starch molecules into short sections. The second enzyme, gluco amylase, breaks the shorter sections into glucose sugar molecules. Once you've got the sugar, you can then add yeast, ferment and, voilà, alchohol!

27. The Controversy Risks of GMOs Benefits of GMOs
human and environmental safety
labeling and consumer choice
Morals and ethics
Food security
Unknown effects
Ecosystem Imbalance
Unintended effects on other organisms
Cures for diseases
Agricultural advancements
Reduction in Food Shortages and Poverty
Aid animals to resistances of diseases and infections
Production of vacines
Higher nutrient and vitamin value in foods
Genetically-modified foods have the potential to solve many of the world's hunger and malnutrition problems, and to help protect and preserve the environment by increasing yield and reducing reliance upon chemical pesticides and herbicides. Yet there are many challenges ahead for governments, especially in the areas of safety testing, regulation, international policy and food labeling. Many people feel that genetic engineering is the inevitable wave of the future and that we cannot afford to ignore a technology that has such enormous potential benefits. However, we must proceed with caution to avoid causing unintended harm to human health and the environment as a result of our enthusiasm for this powerful technology.

28. What people think

29. Questions?

30. References
Applications, International Service for the Acquisition of Agri-biotech. Tracking the global spread of GM crops. 15 December April 2011 <
ecokvetch. Genetically Engineered Right to Know Act. 19 July April 2011 <
Energy, U.S. Department of. Genetically Modified Foods and Organisms. 5 November April 2011 <
Glenda D. Webber, Office of Biotechnology, Iowa State University. Insect Resistant Crops through Biotechnology. January April 2011 <
LabSpace. Gene Therapy. 3 April 2011 <
Madrigal, Alexis. Have You Eaten Your Genetically Modified Food Today? 11 September April 2011 <
Organization, World Health. 20 questions on genetically modified foods April 2011 <
Project, B-Fair. Key Facts: Agriculture and GMO. November April 2011 <
Rogers, George C. Genetically Engineered Foods. 10 March April 2011 <
Whitman, Deborah B. Genetically Modified Foods: Harmful or Helpful? April 2011 <