The Creation of GMOs
GMOs are created through a process called Gene Splicing or Genetic Engineering (GE). Genetic Engineering uses processes such as selective breeding and hybridization to create various plants, animals and bacteria that otherwise could not exist naturally.
How to Create Your Own GMO
*To Make a Herbicide-Resistant Plant:
1. Cut out gene with desired trait using the “scissors of science”, the restriction endonuclease.
2. Insert the DNA into a vector (a short piece of DNA that has the ability to replicate by itself)
3. Insert the vector into an agrobacterium
4. Place the agrobacterium into a growth medium and the bacterium will replicate. As the bacterium replicates, so does the vector inside it. Soon you will have millions of copies of your desired gene.
5. Add small cuttings of the plant you want to modify (ie, corn) and mix them with the bacterium. The DNA from the bacterium will integrated with that of the plant’s.
6. Put the plant cells into another growth medium and as cells multiply, roots, leaves and other plant extremities will begin to form
7. Expose the plant cells to herbicide. Now, only the herbicide-resistant plant cells will survive (ie, those with the new DNA)
8. Plant the cutting in soil (or soil-like mixture) and allow it to grow
9. If the plant is herbicide resistance you can spray all the weed killer you like at it, but it won't harm the plants at all. If this is the case, you have successfully created a GMO!
*Please note that this is only one way to create a GMO. There are many others, one of which requires a "gene gun". The gun is loaded with vector coated gold or tungsten particles. The particles are then fired at bits of the plant you want to modify with enough force to penetrate the plants new cells. The new vectors will mix with the plant's DNA to create the genetic modification.
1. Cut out gene with desired trait using the “scissors of science”, the restriction endonuclease.
2. Insert the DNA into a vector (a short piece of DNA that has the ability to replicate by itself)
3. Insert the vector into an agrobacterium
4. Place the agrobacterium into a growth medium and the bacterium will replicate. As the bacterium replicates, so does the vector inside it. Soon you will have millions of copies of your desired gene.
5. Add small cuttings of the plant you want to modify (ie, corn) and mix them with the bacterium. The DNA from the bacterium will integrated with that of the plant’s.
6. Put the plant cells into another growth medium and as cells multiply, roots, leaves and other plant extremities will begin to form
7. Expose the plant cells to herbicide. Now, only the herbicide-resistant plant cells will survive (ie, those with the new DNA)
8. Plant the cutting in soil (or soil-like mixture) and allow it to grow
9. If the plant is herbicide resistance you can spray all the weed killer you like at it, but it won't harm the plants at all. If this is the case, you have successfully created a GMO!
*Please note that this is only one way to create a GMO. There are many others, one of which requires a "gene gun". The gun is loaded with vector coated gold or tungsten particles. The particles are then fired at bits of the plant you want to modify with enough force to penetrate the plants new cells. The new vectors will mix with the plant's DNA to create the genetic modification.
Want to create your own GMO?
Click here to make your own GM tomato plant! http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/harvest/engineer/transgen.html