What are Genetically Modified Organisms?Genetically modified organisms (GMOs) are organisms that have been altered by the insertion of a modified gene or a gene from another organism by using the techniques of genetic engineering. They are oftentimes used in order to improve the genetic makeup of one organism, enable that organism to produce the preferred genes continuously, and enable that organism to possess certain traits.
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The Process
Creating GMOs is a lengthy and, sometimes, challenging engineering process. First, the gene being transferred, or trans-gene, must be "cut out" of the organism's genome where it was located. The gene is normally separated employing a method which uses a specific enzyme, restriction endonuclease, which is specifically built for scanning, recognizing, and isolating a strand of DNA. The separated gene is then placed inside a vector. Portions of the harmful genetic makeup are removed while the remaining genes are inserted into the target gene and left to find their way into the host cells. Once in the host cell, they will work their way into the host's genome. As a result, each time the genome is duplicated, the trans-gene will be found in all of the organism's genetic makeup.
History
There are several significant discoveries that contributed to the development of genetically modified organisms; the recognition of genes (1865); the idea of DNA (1868); and the description of DNA's double helix (1953). At that time, it was incredible to discover and explain things like genetic makeup, but it was extraordinary to create different sequences and alter living organisms' genes. In 1972, Stanley Cohen and Herbert Boyer invented gene splicing, and they discovered the process of using restriction enzymes. This opened a gateway for a healthcare company, Genentech, to begin using genetic engineering to produce insulin and human growth hormone.
About ten years later, GMOs entered the food industry when the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) allowed Pfizer to genetically modify rennet, a substance containing many enzymes found in the stomach of mammals used to curdle milk and produce cheese. Rennet is grown from bacteria and was used to make 67% of cheese produced in the United State that year. Then, farmers began to inject bovine growth hormone into cows so they would produce more milk, and people started to fear that this genetically modified hormone would have a negative effect on the cow and the meat people would consume from it. The largest biotechnological agriculture company, Monsanto, developed a way to incorporate genetic engineering into our simple crops. Now, abundant percentages of our nation's crops contain GMOs. It is safe to say the use of GMOs is controversial. While it has helped make some significant discoveries in medicine, it has shown some harmful effects in the environment and in food products.