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Human Gene Therapy- gene therapy involves inserting a “normal” gene into an organism’s body to correct a genetic disorder. “Severe combined immune deficiency” (SCID) leaves some people with almost no functioning immune system. Inserting copies of a gene coding for the enzyme adenosine deaminase (ADA) into the blood cells of sufferers as been used to “cure” the symptoms of SCID. (2)(text book)
- Medicines- for some anti-biotic nowadays are using gene tech to produce the desired microorganism for curing specific disease.
- Production of useful product e.g. insulin or protein- gene that code for producing specific insulin or protein could now be “cloned” or produced by culturing the desired gene by putting them in bacterial plasmid.
Agriculture- the technology aimed to farm crops good quality crops quickly and efficiently. The UN food & agriculture organization estimated by 2025the global population is forecast to in crease by 2.6 billion, which means feeding approximately “two more China”. We are facing the problem of scarce of food, we must use some modern technology to solve the problem we are now facing and the problem of our next generation facing i.e., GM crops would be one of the quickest and simplest method. By genetically modifying the plants (or crops), we could benefits in the following ways:
- Desirable genes can be transferred from an organism to a crop plant
- Crops could be more resistance to pests
- Enhance resistance to bacterial, fungal or viral diseases
- Improve resistance to herbicides, so that crop plants are unaffected by herbicides used to control weeds
- Enable plants to resist cold or drought
- Prolong the storage time of crops, e.g. by slowing the sprouting of potatoes
- Enable plants to produce pharmaceutical substances, such as edible vaccines
- Creating better quality crops, e.g. more juicy and tasty
- Speed up the growing time
Table 1 Area of generically modified crops by trait (%) (3)(Biological Science Review #16)
Little fact: The above table shows the global trend of GM crop are having more herbicides tolerant crops than others.
Food processing- by gene tech, we could meet our consumer demand more easily. We could tailor our food product with greater nutrition value and health benefits; food that afford cardiovascular protection, assist digestion, protect against cancers and reduce allergenicity. Nevertheless, gene tech could be used to breed animals with certain desired characteristic, i.e., better food texture, producing more milk, grow larger in size, all of these characteristic are wanted by human for better food quality.
Environmental protection- we could also use gene tech to improve the efficiency of using scarce resources or non-renewable resource, therefore to protect the globe. For example, using fertilizers that contain GM plants or animals, which would defiantly be more efficient in farming, then we could use less water and land. Further more fertilizer after genetic modification would surely causes less pollution.
Although there seems to be a lots of advantage in recombinant gene technology, but there are certain problem that arose due to the technology. These problems are mainly divided into two categories, ethical & moral and scientific.
Ethical & Moral- 1.Objection to specific transgenic organisms- Many religious groups could not use products from specific organisms, e.g. to Hindus, cows are sacred animals and to Jews and Muslims, pig are unclean. The use of products from these organisms might be unacceptable to people from these religions. (2)
2. Eugenics- Genetic engineering could be used to insert genes into human (or their eggs and sperm). In some cases, for example SCID, this process could prevent an early death. However it could be used give individuals characteristic that are considered to be desirable. This is unacceptable to many people and it is also reminds people of some of the programmes that have been used throughout modern history to eradicate less powerful ethnic group. (2)
3. Screening could lead to discrimination against individuals- When foetuses are screened for genetic disorders, parents often face a dilemma about aborting the affected fetuses. It will become possible to screen adults for genes that predispose them to genetic disorder. This might lead to insurance companies discriminating against people with these disorders, even tough they have perfect health. (2)
4. Playing God?- Mankind are not the creator, if we edit what the creator has done, is this a sense of playing against God’s, the creator’s, will?
5. Are we going to suffer? Or our heir going to suffer?- In fact up till now scientist haven’t knew everything about DNA and genetic technology, there are still much unknown area. If anything goes wrong in the future, the sufferer would be our next generation rather than us. This is apparently not fair for them, because it wasn’t their fault to do the cause of the catastrophe.
Scientific-1. Maturation of transgenic bacteria or viruses- If they mature, these transgenic organisms could become new pathogens. The danger is that we might not be able to control these new pathogens. (2)
2. Genetically modified crops could “escape”- If pollen or seeds were carried from test pots, they might result in genetically modified populations elsewhere. Since the genetic modifications could involve resistance to herbicides, these plants could become “superweeds” that we could not control. (2)
3. Population of transgenic organisms could upset the balance of nature- Populations or transgenic salmon have been produced in which individuals grow rapidly. These transgenic fish could compete for food with other fish species. The latter could become extinct and natural food web could change. (2)
4. Potential loss of gene- If GM plants or animal technology, if only the desirable gene is being reproduced, after a few generation, there will be a loss of gene, which lead to a less variation in offspring.
5. Potential loss of balanced Eco System- If GM plants are modified for pests resistance, where plants suppose to be producer in food chain. If pests, 1st consumer, lose its food source and decrease it number, the 2nd consumer would lack of food and decrease in number too. This would create a domino effect along the food chain, and lead to a lost of balance in Eco System.
To conclude, recombinant gene technology does benefit us in much aspect, but we have to remember that the technology could harm us very seriously too. We have to be very careful with the use of it, and should not abuse it. There be could law set to regulate the use of the technology to protect mankind from the unimaginable catastrophe.
