Genetic engineering applications in various fields
It is the process of using DNA modification technology to change the genetic structure of an organism. And recently, humans changed the genes and scientists modified them, which indirectly enabled them to control reproduction and introduce desirable traits that may be an increase in size or an increase in productivity.
Most often, genetic engineering involves the direct manipulation of one or more genes. Or a gene of another type is added to the genome of an organism to give it the desired trait that a person seeks. Bacteria were the first organisms that were genetically modified, then animals and plants followed.
Currently, genetic engineering is involved in many fields. We do not exaggerate if we say that it has entered all aspects of life, whether medical, pharmacy or agricultural to produce crops that resist bacteria, insects, and others.
Steps to perform genetic engineering
It is very important to know how genetic engineering is performed and the steps that go through before studying its applications and uses; Because this will help in the correct and based understanding of these applications and uses, and these steps include four steps:
- The first step: The gene required to be cloned is isolated by identifying the gene or genetic factor that we want to introduce into the target cells. DNA).
- The second step: during which the cloned gene is inserted in the first step into a suitable carrier, and it is often one of two types, either viral carriers or plasmid carriers, which are small organisms that are not visible to the naked eye, and they are quick to reproduce and produce large numbers after their reproduction, and this is very important.
- The third step: The genes that resulted from the second step are inserted into the cells to be modified.
- The fourth step: In which the genetically modified cells are isolated and separated from the normal cells, then activated and reproduced to obtain large quantities of them.
After completing the previous steps, the genetically modified cells are successfully studied, compared to normal cells, and the differences between them are known and whether these resulting differences are economically meaningful or not.
Effects of development in genetic engineering
1- Producing bacterial insulin instead of the traditional insulin extracted from pigs and cows, which may have some negative effects on diabetic patients.
2- Producing proteins of high vital value as food for livestock and poultry, which saves a lot of money in this field.
3- In the field of medicine, working on the production of pharmaceutical chemicals and antibiotics at a lower cost and at a high production rate, which provides these materials to patients.
4- Reducing the occurrence of a heart attack through the production of tissue plasminogen activating enzyme, which is used to prevent blood clotting within the circulatory system of patients with a heart attack.
5- Producing a large number of serums and vaccines against human, animal and plant diseases.
6- The production of blood plasma albumin, and this has a great impact in limiting the spread of diseases transmitted through blood from donors whose blood is contaminated to other people.
7- Producing different types of genetically modified animals and plants, which are characterized by their large body and abundance of production compared to the current species.
8- Producing special synthetic vaccines, such as the hepatitis C virus and influenza, whose production process by traditional methods involves several risks.
9- Genetic production of interferon protein, which is a very important hormone for humans that has many functions, including treating human dwarfism and slow growth.
10- Early diagnosis of some genetic diseases such as sickle cell anemia.
11- Production of milk hormone in cattle to increase milk production, which ensures the provision of this important product.
12- Production of marine bacteria that have the ability to eliminate pollution resulting from oil spills in the seas and oceans.
13- One of the very important issues that scientists currently rely on is gene therapy, such as: adding the insulin-producing gene in the human chromosome of a diabetic patient (diabetic urine), which leads to the possibility of a complete recovery for the patient, and treatment of some immunodeficiency diseases.
Methods for isolating and separating the genetics:
First: plasmids
The plasmid represents one molecule of DNA located in the form of a closed loop and carries some genes that enable bacteria to resist some antibiotics. The size of the plasmids ranges between 0.05: 20% of the size of the chromosome.
Scientists have turned their attention to it, as scientists were able to isolate these plasmids and introduce them to other bacterial cells, and these plasmids showed resistance to antibiotics.
It is from the nature of these plasmids that they have the ability to self-replicate inside new cells and be transmitted from one generation to another. For these previous characteristics, plasmids were used after transplanting the desired gene into their parts as vectors to convert the gene from one cell to another.
The number of copies of plasmids varies from cell to cell, for example, there are high copy number plasmids (PBR322-PBR345).
Plasmids are of great importance in biology, medicine and industry, as they contain genes of great importance in these fields, while in life sciences they are considered the most important vectors for genetic engineering and are used in scientific research.
Types of plasmid
The bases for classifying plasmids differ according to their types:
1- compatibility
2- Chromosome integration with bacterial
3- The ability to transfer to another bacteria
4- function
Plasmids that accompany the bacterial cell even after it has multiplied and transferred to the original cells are called compatible plasmids, while plasmids that can be lost from the original cell during division are called incompatible plasmid
Free plasmids may be found inside the cytoplasm, then they are known as nonintegrated plasmids, and they may be fused with the bacterial chromosome, and in this case they are called the episome.
Bacterial plasmid applications
1- Using it as a vector for some genes to be cloned in genetic engineering and biotechnology laboratories.
2- Plasmids are also used to manufacture large quantities of proteins.
3- Making bacteria able to decompose toxic substances to treat water waste.
4- Plasmids are used as a means to introduce the missing gene responsible for the pathological condition in the human or animal body to treat some diseases without negative effects on the patient.
Second: Bacteriophage
The bacteriophage is surrounded by protein sheaths in which there is DNA. The bacteriophage does not remain inside the host cell, but rather leaves it after the completion of its genetic material inside it. Sometimes the bacteriophage leaves a part of its genetic material inside the host to continue replication, as is the case in the M13 bacterium, but in general, everyone leaves the host cells.
Many researchers and workers in the field of genetic engineering prefer Bacteriophage over plasmids due to its great ability to multiply and give results greater and better than it by 3:4 times, as it can be synthesized in the laboratory and the availability of DNA for it.
The cycle of bacteriophage takes about 20-30 minutes inside the host cell, after which new cells are released from inside the host cell after analyzing its wall.
Bacteriophage is considered one of the most important and preferred vectors for genetic engineering due to its ease of replication and ease of handling, as well as containing single sites for many cutting enzymes.
genetically modified crops
During the year 2012 the world witnessed a great boom and a huge increase in the area of genetically modified crops that amounted to 100 times what it was previously, as it jumped from 1.7 million hectares in 1996 to 170 million hectares in 2012. What shows this huge development is that Brazil’s revenues only in 2011 amounted to 200 billion dollars in genetically modified crops.
Currently, statistics estimated that about 17 million farmers around the world are using genetically modified crops.
Benefits and resulting contributions in the agricultural field for the application of genetic engineering
1 - Introducing good desirable traits into the hybrid plant that would enable it to increase productivity.
2- Resistance to diseases, pests and insects to which the plant is exposed during its life cycle.
3- Production of heat and salinity-resistant plants and crops.
4 - Improving the nutritional value of plants, increasing the proportion of protein components within it, and increasing the productivity of these crops, which brings economic benefit to the individual and the state.
5- Producing many biopesticides that are resistant to insects and pests, and limiting the use of chemical pesticides that have significant negative effects on humans and the environment.
6- Production of hormones and enzymes to convert starch into sugar.
7- Producing natural dyes and flavoring, color and odor additives, and producing naturally colored cotton plants without the need to dye them.
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