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The Most Fascinating Examples of Genetic Engineering
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Cats that glow in the dark? It may sound like a bad science fiction movie, but they are around us for several years. Cabbage that produce scorpion poison? Another thing, when you next need a vaccine, a physician may prescribe a banana - do not be surprised.

These and many other genetically modified organisms exist today as a result of DNA hybridization technique that uses DNA material from different organisms to create a completely new combination of genes. Maybe you didn’t pay enough attention, but many of these genetically modified organisms are part of our everyday lives. Today, 45% of U.S. corn and 85% soybeans are genetically altered, while 70-75% of the food on the shelves in supermarkets contains at least one such ingredient.

Just take a look at some of the strangest products of genetic engineering that exist today. Keep in mind that this is only the beginning. Many other products are probably already on the way.

Cats That Glow in The Dark

South Korean scientists created in 2007 cat that glows in the dark using genetic engineering, then took her DNA, cloned it, and created a number of fluorescent kittens.

Here's how they did it: They took skin cells from Turkish Angora female cat (species that were originally tamed by Tatars, but was later transferred to Turkey and is now considered the country's national treasure), and using the virus they inserted the genetic code for the production of red fluorescent protein. Then they put genetically modified nuclei into eggs for cloning and such cloned embryos are returned to the donor cat. It thus became the surrogate mother's own clones.

What’s the point of creating pets that can serve as a night lamp, people will ask. "These are the sick scientists. They have nothing better to do, then acting God, "some will say. However, the possibility of implanting the fluorescent properties in the genetic code of animals is a precursor to the possibility of creating animals with human diseases caused by genetic disorders, such as hemophilia, Down syndrome, Prader-Willie Syndrome and Turner, and many others, in order to make their research and experimentation much easier. So this definitely has potential to be a major milestone in medicine and can save many lives in the future.

Ecopigs

Ecopig is the pig genetically modified for more efficient digestion of phosphorus. The swine manure is rich in phytates, one of the main forms of phosphorus storage in plants. Pigs, like all non-ruminants, are unable to digest phytate, so they excrete it in the basic form which is later used as fertilizer. This situation can cause problems, because this matter is, if it enters the water, causing the multiplication of algae to the point where those take enormous surface of lakes, using up all the oxygen, preventing the light to pass into the deeper parts, and thus indirectly killing all the wildlife that of ecosystem.

To prevent this serious problem, scientists have added E.Coli bacteria and DNA of normal mouse in pig embryos. This modification has a direct effect on the processing of phosphorus through the digestive tract of pigs - reduces the presence of phytate and phosphorus in the feces for up to 70%. Admittedly, these pigs will actually deserve the prefix “-eco”.

Plants Fighters Against Pollution

Scientists at the University of Washington were able to create genetically engineered poplar, which is able to clean up contaminated land by absorbing contaminants from groundwater through its root system, and then through a series of chemical reactions, turning it into harmless substances stored in the roots and leaves or released in gaseous form through pores in the environment.

In laboratory tests, those modified plants have been able to remove 91% of trichloroethylene (the most common groundwater contaminants) from aqueous solution. Plain poplar manages to remove only 3%. Good statistics, one must admit.

Toxic Cabbage

Toxic cabbage? Does not sound like something you'd like to see in your salad. However, not everything is the way it appears at a first glance. In fact, scientists have recently succeeded to transfer the gene that is responsible for creating the scorpion toxins to cabbage. Why? The aim is to limit use of pesticides, and at the same time to prevent the destruction of this vegetable by a centipede and similar pests.

These genetically modified Cabbage is creating scorpion poison powerful enough to kill the average centipede or insect as soon as it bites one leaf. Best of all is that this poison, carefully synthesized and changed, is not dangerous to humans.

Goats That Make a Web

Strong, stretchable spider web is one of the strongest natural materials, stronger even than steel. Theoretically, it could have wide use - from the production of artificial ligaments to the ropes for parachutes. If only we were able to produce it in sufficient quantities. Nexia Biotechnologies Company said it has a solution: goat milk contains proteins of spider web!

The researchers inserted the gene from spider DNA gene into goats’ DNA in such a way that it secretes in their milk the protein for building the net. This milk can be used to produce biosteel, material with characteristics similar to spider webs.

Previous attempts of this material have failed because it is extremely difficult to create long protein chains as found in nature. This technique works because the way mammals produce milk is very similar to the way a spider creates its network.

Commercialization of this process has the potential to improve the quality of life for many people.

Bananas Vaccines

There are indications that in the foreseeable future, people could be vaccinated against hepatitis B, cholera and similar diseases simply by taking bites of banana. Scientists have successfully created bananas, potatoes, carrots and tobacco with the characteristics of the vaccine, but they say that bananas are still the best "vehicle" for the drug.

When inserted into a young banana, the modified form of the virus quickly releases its genetic material and becomes the part of the plant cell. Along with the growth of the plant, its cells produce proteins of the virus, but they are not contagious and dangerous. When people eat pieces of such genetically modified bananas, full of viral proteins, their immune system begins to produce antibodies to fight the disease - just l
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The Most Fascinating Examples of Genetic Engineering - by sale0303 - 02-19-2013, 10:35 PM
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