Genetically Modified Organisms: Crops and DNA Technology's Impact, Essays (high school) of Biology

Download Genetically Modified Organisms: Crops and DNA Technology's Impact and more Essays (high school) Biology in PDF only on Docsity! Research Article Review “Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs): Transgenic Crops and Recombinant DNA Technology” By Theresa Phillips, Ph.D. Globally, genetically modified organisms (GMOs) are being developed and cultivated. When the DNA of one living creature is inserted into the DNA of another, the desired attribute is transferred to the new modified organism. These changes have the potential to change or introduce specific features in the organism. A corn plant, for instance, can be developed to withstand herbicides that kill the weeds that compete for nutrients and light with it. Indeed, the notion of an oral vaccine generated in plants for direct intake by humans is being investigated as a potential solution to disease transmission in developing nations, one that would considerably lower the expenses involved with large-scale immunization efforts. Plant-derived vaccination candidates for Norwalk virus, enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC), and hepatitis B virus (HBV) are now being developed in lettuce and potatoes. Plants are also being studied for the synthesis of other economically useful proteins, such as spider silk protein and polymers used in surgery and tissue replacement. Individuals from the science and clinical sectors are divided on the topic, with some stating that genetically modified crops are helping to solve starvation, environmental sustainability, and an increasing world population, while others feel they are causing serious problems. GMOs in agricultural plants were some of the most commonly mentioned instances. Enhanced agricultural production, lower food drug manufacturing costs, lower pesticide use, improved nutritional content and quality of food, pest and disease resistance, greater food and nutrition security, and health care benefits to the world's rising population are just a few of the advantages of GMOs in agriculture. Crops that mature quicker and survive boron, aluminum, drought, salt, freezing, and other abiotic hazards have also been developed, allowing plants to grow in environments where they could not normally thrive. Changing an organism's natural state by foreign gene expression has uncertain effects, regardless of the fact that the genes being transferred exist naturally in other organisms. After all, such changes to the metabolism of organisms, rate of growth, and responsiveness to external environmental stimuli can all be affected. These implications have an impact not just on the GMO but also on the natural surroundings in which it is permitted to thrive. The likelihood of emerging allergies in genetically modified foods, and also the transmission of antibiotic-resistant genes to gut flora, are also both potential health dangers for humans. Horizontal gene transfer of herbicide, pesticide, or antimicrobial resistance to other species would somehow put people in danger, but this would affect environmental imbalances by enabling previously harmless plants to proliferate uncontrolled, increasing disease spread for both animals and plants. Despite the horizontal gene transfer among GMOs and other species cannot being ruled out, the danger is generally regarded as minor. Horizontal gene transfer happens at a relatively low rate in nature and, in most situations, cannot be replicated in laboratory settings without deliberate alteration of the target genome to boost susceptibility. Today, farmers and agricultural firms are the ones that gain most directly from GMOs. The nutritional qualities of the products we pick up off the shelf are likely to benefit us as customers. Furthermore, many GM crops provide secondary advantages that buyers are unlikely to notice just by looking at the goods in the store, including reduced soil erosion, cheaper costs, and reduced pesticide use. Crops were not the only sort of GMO we utilize, though. GMOs are also used to make a variety of medications and vaccines that aid in the treatment and prevention of illnesses. Many popular medications had to be derived from blood donors, animal parts, or even dead bodies before GMOs were developed. There were several issues with these drugs, such as the danger of infection transfer, uneven quality, and unstable availability. GMO drugs are more reliable and do not present the same risk of contamination. Therefore, the researcher would be open to the public consumption of genetically modified products.