Genetic engineering, often known as genetic modification or genetic manipulation, is the engineering and technological change of an organism's genes. It is a collection of technologies used to alter cells' genetic make-up, including the movement of genes between and within species to create better or entirely new organisms. Recombinant DNA techniques are used to isolate and copy the genetic material of interest, while artificial DNA synthesis is used to create new DNA. This DNA is often inserted into the host organism via a construct. Paul Berg combined DNA from the lambda virus and the SV40 monkey virus in 1972 to create the first recombinant DNA molecule.The procedure can also be used to "knock out," or remove, genes in addition to putting them in. The new DNA may be inserted at random or specifically intended for a certain region of the genome.
The term "genetically modified" (GM) refers to an organism created through genetic engineering, and the resulting thing is a "genetically modified organism" (GMO). Herbert Boyer and Stanley Cohen created the first GMO in 1973 using a microbe. When Rudolf Jaenisch put foreign DNA into a mouse in 1974, he produced the first GM animal. Genentech, the first business to concentrate on genetic engineering, was established in 1976 and began producing human proteins. Human insulin that had been genetically modified was created in 1978, and microorganisms that generate insulin were commercialized in 1982. Since the introduction of the Flavr Savr tomato in 1994, genetically modified food has been available for purchase. The Flavr Savr was created to last longer, whereas the majority of modern GM crops have been altered to become more resistant to pesticides and herbicides. The first GMO created specifically as a pet, called GloFish, went on sale in the US in December 2003. Growth hormone-modified fish were sold in 2016.
Several industries, including science, health, industrial biotechnology, and agriculture, have used genetic engineering. In tests involving tracking, expression, gain of function, and loss of function, GMOs are utilized in research to study gene function and expression. It is feasible to generate animal models of human diseases by deleting the genes causing specific ailments.Genetic engineering offers the potential to treat hereditary illnesses through gene therapy in addition to manufacturing hormones, vaccinations, and other medications. The same methods used to make pharmaceuticals can also be utilized in industrial settings to make enzymes for cheese, laundry detergent, and other items.
Commercialization of genetically modified crops has helped farmers in many nations economically, but it has also been at the center of much of the debate over the technology. The earliest field trials were destroyed by anti-GM protestors, thus this has been a problem since it was first used. GM food safety is a major concern for some, despite the fact that there is scientific agreement that currently available food made from GM crops does not represent a greater danger to human health than conventional food.Gene flow, effects on creatures other than the intended targets, regulation of the food supply, and intellectual property rights have all been mentioned as potential problems. A regulatory framework was created as a result of these worries and began to be implemented in 1975. The Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety, which was adopted in 2000, is a result of it. Various nations have created their own GMO regulatory frameworks, with the US and Europe having the most pronounced distinctions.
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