[ExpertScie]

Man is not only the one to have performed Genetic Engineering on our planet! This is because genetic changes occurred during the course of evolution in such a way that it not only changed the phenotype but also helped to survive in competitions. As Charles Darwin rightly said that” whenever there is a race of existence, there is a survival of the fittest” and these fitness resulted with changes in genes during the course of evolution. This means that apart from man the one who had performed genetic changes or genetic engineering in plants, animals and microbes for their own benefit was nature itself!
A change that is either addition or deletion in the Genetic material is called Genetic Engineering, and this is being used by nature from the time when living organisms & plants came in existence. Now various techniques & development of knowledge had helped modern science to make the changes in DNA of any organism for the desire purposes like, Inhibiting the genes of cells to prevent cancer, to get monoclonal antibodies from the genetically altered microbes, adding the insulin gene to the cells of bacteria to produce insulin which can then be extracted for its use in treating Diabetes etc. Biotechnology & applications of genetic engineering had open new ways in producing many important medicines like modified antibiotics which are more specificity towards target and alt the same time has low side effects, producing Human growth hormones, vaccines productions which helps in improving immunity against various pathogens, Gene therapy now used to treat many disorders like, immune deficiencies (Severe combined immunodeficiency), to correct altered gene by adding functional gene at targeted site of somatic cells. Genetic engineering played great role in plants development and green revolutions. Many crops have been improved to increase the yield or production with all required nutrients.
Therefore what genetic engineering is doing is applying the concept of evolution which is the basis of continuity of life on earth. To remain alive all living animals, plants, microbes use one simple principle of adaptation with the nature, and to adapt with nature they need phenotypic changes. To have phenotypic change genetic material has to modify itself in such a way that special character should help species to survive in nature. All living organisms, plants, microbes are today also adapting themselves to extreme conditions with the help of mutation in genome. So in my view mutation of genetic material in nature for improvement of species is natural genetic engineering and what we do by using technology is artificial genetic engineering! In short, nature has been using mutation as a tool to make certain changes in DNA of all living organism for better survival of different species of the earth.