Chapter 9: Genetic Engineering

1. Chapter 9:Genetic Engineering Section 9-3: Engineering New Organisms

2. Manipulating New Genes • Genetic engineering is the cutting and splicing of DNA from different sources • A transgenic organism has been transformed with genes from another organism. • Transgenic animals and plants are complete organisms grown from transgenic animal and plant cells

3. Genetically Engineered Proteins • Transgenic bacteria and yeasts have been “tricked” into producing large amounts of proteins from inserted genes • Bacteria are now used to produce human insulin inexpensively for diabetics, as well as other disease-treating proteins

4. Transgenic Animals and Plants • Transgenic plants include those resulting in tomatoes that stay fresh longer, soybeans that are resistant to weed-killing chemicals, tobacco plants that glow in the dark (p. 206)

5. Transgenic Plants and Animals • In order to produce a transgenic animal, scientists must: • Transform an animal’s egg cell • Allow the transformed egg to be fertilized and mature • This technique could be very useful, like creating transgenic cattle that produce more milk

6. Human Gene Therapy • Scientists are working on experimental treatments for genetic disorders, like cystic fibrosis, by transforming viruses to make them carry healthy alleles for the CF gene • These viruses were able to transform cells in the air passageways of CF patients, and improve symptoms, but the symptoms reappear over time