What is Transgenics

what is transgenics

1. TRANSGENICS By Usman Arshad

2. Biotechnology is The application of the technology to improve the biological function of an organism by adding genes from another organisms Transgenics Biotechnology

3. Isolating genes Modifying genes so they function better Preparing genes to be inserted into a new species Developing transgenes Contin … Genetic engineering is the basic tool set of biotechnology Genetic engineering involves:

4. Transgenic – an organism containing a transgene introduced by technological (not breeding) methods What is a Transgenic ? Concept Based on the Term Transgene Transgene – the genetically engineered gene added to a species

5. To develop the organisms that express a “novel” trait not normally found in the species Why are transgenics important? Extended shelf-life tomato ( Flavr-Savr ) Herbicide resistant soybean (Roundup Ready)

6. Study gene function and regulation Generate new organismic tools for other fields of research. Cure genetic diseases. Improve agriculture and related raw materials. Generate new systems or sources for bioengineered drugs (e.g., use plants instead of animals or bacteria). Contin …

7. Agriculture Transgenics On the Market Insect resistant cotton – Bt toxin kills the cotton boll worm transgene = Bt protein Insect resistant corn – Bt toxin kills the European corn borer transgene = Bt protein

8. Herbicide resistant crops Now : soybean, corn, canola Coming : sugarbeet , lettuce, strawberry alfalfa, potato, wheat transgene = phosphinothricin -N- acetyltransferase Virus resistance - papya resistant to papaya ringspot virus transgene = virus coat protein

9. Biotech chymosin ; the enzyme used to curdle milk products transgene = genetically engineered enzyme bST ; bovin somatotropin ; used to increase milk production transgene = genetically engineered enzyme

10. Future Aspects Sunflower – white mold resistance transgene = oxalate oxidase from wheat Golden Rice – increased Vitamin A content (but not without controversy) transgene = three pathway enzymes

11. Turfgrass – herbicide resistance; slower growing --- reduced mowing Bio Steel – spider silk expressed in goats; used to make soft-body bullet proof vests ( Nexia )

12. Works like any vaccine A transgenic plant with a pathogen protein gene is developed Potato, banana, and tomato are targets Humans eat the plant The body produces antibodies against pathogen protein Humans are “immunized” against the pathogen Examples: Diarrhea Hepatitis B Measles Edible Vaccines Transgenic Plants Serving Human Health Needs

13. Steps Create transformation cassette Introduce and select for transformants Developing Transgenics

14. Contains 1. Gene of interest The coding region and its controlling elements 2. Selectable marker Distinguishes transformed/untransformed plants 3. Insertion sequences Aids Agrobacterium insertion Transformation Cassettes

15. Prepare tissue for transformation Tissue must be capable of developing into normal plants Leaf, germinating seed, immature embryos Introduce DNA Agrobacterium or gene gun Culture plant tissue Develop shoots Root the shoots Field test the plants Multiple sites, multiple years Transformation Steps

16. Transformation cassettes are developed in the lab They are then introduced into a plant Two major delivery methods Delivering the Gene to the Plant Tissue culture required to generate transgenic plants Agrobacterium Gene Gun

17. Agrobacterium Mediated Transfer

18. Gene Gun

19. The Lab Steps

20. Herbicide Resistance FIELD TEST Transgenics Non- transgenics

21. Consumer acceptence Flavr Savr tomatoes----poor quality FINAL TEST

22. TRANSGENIC PLANTS OF PAKISTAN Bt cotton Rice

23. Important cash crop for Pakistan known as “White Gold” Contribute to 8.2 percent of the value added in agriculture and about 3.2 percent to GDP Fourth-largest cotton producer and the third largest exporter of raw cotton Bt COTTON

24. H igh price of agriculture inputs Higher intensity of insects and pests attack, Shortage of good quality and varieties of seeds, Water deficiency Lack of advance technologies, Lack of awareness and agro-professionalism, Adulterations in pesticides, fertilizers and seeds Reasons of low cotton yield

25. Two major types of pests are damaging our cotton crops Sucking Chewing Easy to cure the sucking pests but difficult to cure the chewing ones. Bollworms known as “ Sundies ” Cause major devastations So overall both quality of lint and production of cotton have declined substantially Insect attack on cotton

26. Bt gene introduction Bacillus thuringiensis --- bacterium that is pathogenic for a number of insect pests Lethal due to protein toxin it produces If that gene is introduced in plant genome then its expression provides protection from pests. Solution

27. Bt cotton was widely planted first time in 1996 on large scale In Pakistan, PAEC in 1997 In 2005 different varieties are introduced IR-FH-901 IR-NIBGE-2 IR-CIM-448 and IR-CIM-443 Bt Rice and Corn are under trilas in china Contin …

28. For the resistance of bacterial leaf blight. Rice varieties transgened Basmati -370 DR - 82 IR – 6 Gene:- Xa21 Done by an Agrobacterium mediated transformation. Rice

29. All PCR positive transgenic plants DR – 82 Basmati - 370 were resistant with lesion areas less than 5% of the inoculated leaf area Results

30. Genetically Modified (GM) food is as safe or even safer than conventionally produced food GM foods represent a very minor, precise and known change GM foods are subject to intense pre-market testing GM foods are subject to stringent regulatory oversight Are TRANSGENICS Safe?