What IS genetic engineering?

Definition

noun

The technology entailing all processes of altering the genetic material of a cell to make it capable of performing the desired functions, such as producing novel substances.

Supplement

Genetic engineering covers all various experimental techniques that manipulate the genes of the organism. It uses recombinant DNA, molecular cloning and transformation. At present, it is applied in improving crop technology, manufacturing synthetic human insulin (using modified bacteria), production of erythropoietin (using Chinese hamster ovary cells), and production of new types of experimental mice for research (such as cancer mouse). It also has the potential of being used in humans by changing their appearance, intelligence, character and adaptability; however, there are ethical concerns and controversies it has to resolve before it can be widely accepted.

From the Web site of safe-food.org, genetic engineering is "a laboratory technique used by scientists to change the DNA of living organisms." Put another way, genetic engineering is "the alteration of genetic code using artificial means" (from www.globalchange.com). Genetic engineering is also called bio-engineering, gene-splicing, gene manipulation, etc. and the organisms that result from the practice are called genetically modified organisms (GMOs).

genetic engineering,

the process of producing recombinant DNA for the purposes of altering and controlling the genotype and phenotype of organisms. Restriction enzymes are used to break a DNA molecule into fragments so that genes from another organism can be inserted into the DNA. Genetic engineering has been used to produce a variety of human proteins, including growth hormone, insulin, and interferon, in bacteria. At present, it represents a powerful tool for medical research but is possible only in microorganisms. In the future, genetic engineering may be applicable to more complex organisms, offering the possibility of controlling and eliminating genetic disorders and malformations in humans.

Mosby's Medical Dictionary

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