Genetic Engineering, also called Genetic modification or Genetic manipulation, is to use technology to modify and manipulate an organism's genes . This set of technologies are used to change genetic makeup of cells, including the transfer of genes within and across species boundaries to produce improved or novel organisms.
This is how a new DNA is obtained by either isolating or copying the genetic material of interest using recombinant DNA methods or by artificially synthesising the DNA. GM is an organism that is generated through genetic engineering which is genetically modified and the resulting entity is a genetically modified organism which is the GMO.
Genetic engineering has been applied in numerous fields including.
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Research
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Medicine
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Industrial Biotechnology
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Agriculture
Loss of function, gain of function and by tracking and expression experiments GMOs are used to study gene function, expression. It is certainly possible to create an animal model organisms of human diseases by eliminating the genes responsible for certain diseases. Gene therapy is used in the production of vaccines, hormones and finding a cure for rare diseases. Production of enzymes for laundry detergent, cheeses and many other products can be made in the industrial application.
The farmers have been economically benefited through the genetically modified commercial crops. Gene flow, impact on non-target organisms, control of the food supply and intellectual property rights have also been raised as potential issues.
Research
Without any doubt, Genetic engineering is an important tool for scientists as it can be used for the
- Creation of transgenic organisms
- Genetically Modified Bacteria has an unlimited scope for research
- Genetically Engineered Organisms to find out the functions of certain genes
- Scanning Mutagenesis
- Gain of Function Experiments to determine whether or not the protein is required for a function
- Addition of Small Sequences to the gene to function as binding motifs to monoclonal antibodies
- Reintroducing a Gene’s Promoter to observe the time and place where the particular protein is observed