Through deep investigation of science, we have explored endless possibilities and unlocked so much information to steer our lives into a more advanced era. Genetic engineering is a groundbreaking area of biotechnology, and it has opened a span of unbelievable breakthroughs thought to be unachievable a few decades ago.
Have you heard of glow-in-the-dark animals or cabbages that produce scorpion poison? Although these bizarrely amazing scientific advancements may sound like science fiction, they have been around for years!
Genetic engineering exists today because scientists have explored the possibility of getting an organism’s DNA and altering and combining it with other DNA to create an entirely new set of genes. Genetic engineering involves laboratory-based technologies that alter an organism’s DNA sequence. Whether changing a single base pair, deleting a region of DNA, or adding a new region of DNA to transfer a specific trait from one organism to another, genetic engineering demonstrates the sheer brilliance that occurs when scientists work with the basic building blocks of life!
Let’s explore some astonishing ways genetic engineering has become common.
Glowing Plants
Scientists have genetically engineered plants to emit light through bioluminescence by incorporating the genes from organisms like fireflies into the plant’s genome. The result? Plants that glow in the dark!
Aesthetic appeal aside, these glowing plants can pave the way towards a greener and more environmentally conscious future. The soft glow the plants emit can serve as ecologically friendly urban lighting, helping to reduce carbon footprint.
Salmon That Grows Faster
Genetically modified salmon can grow twice as fast as its conventional varieties while also being nearly identical to regular salmon in texture, flavor, odor, and color. Genetically engineered Atlantic salmon have extra growth hormones derived from the Chinook salmon that help the fish produce growth hormones all year round. Despite the debate concerning the safety of this fish for consumption and its impact on the environment, it was approved by the FDA in 2015, making it the first time a genetically modified animal was authorized for commercial production in the United States!
‘Flavr Savr’ Tomato
As the first commercially grown genetically modified food granted a license for human consumption, the Flavr Savr began a domino of innovation in the food industry! A California-based company wanted to slow down the ripening process of tomatoes by adding an antisense gene. This prevents the softening and rotting of tomatoes while also retaining their natural color and flavor. Flavr Savr was approved by the FDA in 1994, inspiring further research in genetically modified crops.
Genetically Modified Trees
Did you know trees are genetically modified to grow faster, produce better wood, and detect biological attacks? Some even speculate that genetically engineered trees can reverse deforestation while meeting the demand for paper and wood products. A prime example of genetically modified trees is the Australian eucalyptus trees, which have been adapted to withstand freezing temperatures. Many critics also point out that altering trees this way can cause their genes to spread to natural trees and increase the risk of wildfires. Still, in 2010, the USDA approved a biotechnology company to start field trials for 260,000 trees in some states of the US.
Less Flatulent Cows
One of the major contributors to the greenhouse effect is the tremendous amounts of methane cows produce during digestion! Scientists have worked on genetically engineering cows that produce less methane by identifying the bacterium responsible for creating the greenhouse gas and designing a line of cattle that produces 25% less methane than the regular cow.
Disease-Fighting Eggs
British scientists have developed a breed of genetically modified hens that produce cancer-fighting medicines in their eggs. The hens have had human genes added to their DNA, so human proteins are secreted into the whites of their eggs together with complex medicinal proteins that have properties similar to the drugs used to treat skin cancer and many diseases. The hens lay eggs that contain a molecule capable of treating malignant melanoma and arthritis in addition to an antiviral drug similar to modern treatments for multiple sclerosis.
Plants That Capture Carbon
Humans are responsible for about nine gigatons of carbon emissions into the atmosphere annually, and trees absorb about five of these gigatons. The rest of the carbon contributes to global warming and the greenhouse effect. This is why scientists worked hard to create genetically engineered plants and trees to capture this excess carbon. Carbon can spend decades on a plant’s branches, seeds, leaves, and flowers, but the carbon allocated to the root can spend centuries there. So scientists set about to create bioenergy crops with a large root system to capture and store carbon underground, resulting in a group of supertrees that are saving the planet!
Poisonous Cabbage
By removing the gene that programs poison in scorpions’ tails and combining it with cabbage, scientists intend to limit pesticide use and still prevent caterpillars from damaging cabbage crops. These genetically altered cabbages produce scorpion poison that kills caterpillars when they bite the leaves. However, the toxin is also designed not to harm humans.
Web-Spinning Goats
Combining the genes of goats and spiders sure sounds like a science fiction nightmare, but scientists have engineered goats to produce spider silk proteins in their milk. Known for its elasticity and strength, this silk can be harvested and used for many applications, including durable and lightweight materials.
Banana Vaccines
Researchers have genetically engineered bananas, lettuce, potatoes, and carrots to produce vaccines, but bananas are believed to be the best production and delivery vehicle. So, you may soon find people getting vaccinated for diseases like cholera and hepatitis B by just taking a bite of a banana!
This is how it happens: when an altered form of a virus is injected into a banana sapling, the virus’s genetic material becomes a permanent part of the banana plant’s cells. So when the plant grows, the cells will produce the virus proteins without the infectious part of the virus. As a result, eating a genetically engineered banana full of virus proteins can trigger the immune system to build antibodies to fight the disease!
Bottom Line
Given that genetic engineering pushes so many boundaries, there are naturally many ethical implications to consider, too. But there is no doubt that this marvel of modern science has the potential to address and solve urgent issues like pioneering groundbreaking medical therapies or ways to control global warming. If genetic engineering is conducted within ethical frameworks and regulatory supervision, then it can be applied responsibly for the betterment of our society.
