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Topic: Genetic modification


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DNA

In the News (Sun 3 Jun 12)

  
  Kids.net.au - Encyclopedia Genetic engineering -   (Site not responding. Last check: 2007-10-07)
Defenders of the term genetic engineering argue that all engineering and commercial production processes have unforseen side effects and quality control problems, and that the fact that the output of their work is a living organism, does not necessarily make it impossible to apply the principles of engineering.
These 'engineers', however, do not object to the term 'genetic modification' as applied to what they do - only as it is used to deny them the status of professionals serving society in an ethical manner, which is one implication of the term "engineer".
Genetic engineering proponents argue that the technology is harmless and necessary for food production to continue to match population growth.
www.kids.net.au /encyclopedia-wiki/ge/Genetic_engineering   (1100 words)

  
 Genetic engineering - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Genetic engineering, genetic modification (GM), and the now-deprecated gene splicing are terms for the process of manipulating genes in an organism, usually outside the organism's normal reproductive process.
Activists opposed to genetic engineering say that with current recombinant technology there is no way to ensure that genetically modified organisms will remain under control, and the use of this technology outside secure laboratory environments carries unacceptable risks for the future.
Some fear that certain types of genetically engineered crops will further reduce biodiversity in the cropland; herbicide-tolerant crops will for example be treated with the relevant herbicide to the extent that there are no wild plants ('weeds') able to survive, and plants toxic to insects will mean insect-free crops.
en.wikipedia.org /wiki/Genetic_engineering   (1986 words)

  
 Learn more about Genetic engineering in the online encyclopedia.   (Site not responding. Last check: 2007-10-07)
The aim is introduce new genetic charecteristics to an organism to increase its usefulness such as, increasing the yield of a crop species, introducing a novel charecteristic, or to produce a new protien or enzyme.
Defenders of the term genetic engineering argue that animal husbandry and crop breeding are also forms of genetic engineering that use articial selection instead of modern genetic modification techniques.
These scientists, however, do not object to the term 'genetic modification' as applied to what they do, although it is sometimes used to deny them the status of professionals serving society in an ethical manner, which is one implication of the term engineer.
www.onlineencyclopedia.org /g/ge/genetic_engineering.html   (1624 words)

  
 BMA statement on impact of genetic modification   (Site not responding. Last check: 2007-10-07)
In 1994 a further BMA report stated that "The techniques of genetic modification have the potential through application in agriculture, medicine and technology to increase the well-being of people and to promote the health of the population by disease prevention".
The BMA Board of Science and Education decided that an interim report should be produced as genetic modification techniques are quickly evolving and are the subject of fast moving political debate and legislation.
The BMA report The Impact of Genetic Modification on Agriculture, Food and Health will be launched on 18 May, available from the BMJ bookshop priced £5.95 (inclusive of p/p).
www.twnside.org.sg /title/genmo-cn.htm   (1783 words)

  
 Genetic modification of food
Genetic Modified Organisms according to the Gentechnikgesetz (GenTG)from 20.06.90 (Genetic Technique Law) in Germany are organisms whose genetical material were modified in a way which is not found in nature under natural conditions of crossbreed or natural recombination.
Examples of modifications covered by this law are DNS recombination techniques in which vector systems are used; techniques by which genetic material prepared outside of the cell is introduced directly in the organism.
Soybean was the first genetically modified plant to be introduced in widespread agriculture.The approval of the new plant by the Food and Drug admSoy inistration in USA (FDA) is made by determining the allergenic potentials of the plant.
www.ourfood.com /Genetic_modification_food.html   (7892 words)

  
 Genetic Modifications   (Site not responding. Last check: 2007-10-07)
However, genetic engineering has obviously great potential to transform living beings, it is already an viable technology (unlike bionics) and gene therapy is advancing fast.
These modifications are mainly concerned with removing undesirable parts of the genome and changes between different naturally occurring alleles.
These genetic switches are sometimes controlled using signal substances or chemicals (such as lactose and glucose in the case of the lac gene), sometimes by more complex cascades of messenger proteins.
www.aleph.se /Trans/Individual/Body/genes.html   (3016 words)

  
 Genetic Modification: an Overview for Non-Scientists New Zealand Royal Commission on Genetic Modification 27jul01
Genetic modification provides a way of giving a plant or animal new, inheritable qualities that is much faster than traditional breeding methods; these qualities may themselves be entirely new.
The knowledge on which the techniques of genetic modification are based dates from the 1950s, when James Watson, Francis Crick and Maurice Wilson discovered the structure of DNA, the now-familiar double helix of nucleotides that forms the blueprint of life.
Genetic modification means that for the first time* humans can make living things to our own design, without relying on nature.
www.mindfully.org /GE/GM-Overview-RCGM27jul01.htm   (855 words)

  
 geneticengineering
Genetically modified crops are produced from plant varieties created using techniques that alter the molecular or cell biology of an organism by means that are not possible under natural conditions or processes.
The growth of genetically modified crops in New York State thus places all state farmers at risk in the marketplace: both those who intentionally plant genetically modified crops, and those whose conventional crops can be unintentionally contaminated by genetically modified crops.
Genetically modified crops are produced using laboratory techniques that allow the natural means of genetic recombination and plant reproduction to be circumvented.
nys.greens.org /ge   (3363 words)

  
 Backgrounder on genetic modification of crops and animals   (Site not responding. Last check: 2007-10-07)
Genetic modification research projects at UC Davis must comply with food and environmental safety regulations of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
UC Davis researchers are studying the application of genetic modification techniques in rice, corn, wheat, sugar beets, cotton, apples, walnuts and tomatoes.
The promise of genetic modification -- Neal Van Alfen, the new dean of the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, came to UC Davis from Texas AandM University, where his research focused on developing biological control strategies for diseases in natural and managed forests.
danr.ucop.edu /newsold/july-dec1999/gmo.html   (2051 words)

  
 Genetically Modified Crops - General Questions and Answers - Doors to Diplomacy 2003
Genetically Modified Crops are foods that have had a gene extracted from a living thing, which has been placed into a different food by a scientist.
Genetically Modified Crops are made for many different purposes, the main one being to create a food able to survive being sprayed with harmful chemicals like pesticides and herbicides.
Genetic modification is an issue which arises every day, although people are not always aware of it.
www.geocities.com /gm_crops/questions.html   (699 words)

  
 Genetic Modification: Playing God or Pleasing God?
If we take the altering of an animal or a plant’s genetic make up as unnatural, the existence of pigs and any other cattle or domesticated animal is also unnatural, for these have only been created through careful selection and breeding measures, encouraging genetic modification towards food sources, or small fluffy cats.
The second is implementing modifications that could not possibly have arisen (or do so with a very slim chance), no matter what conditions were placed upon the target species.
Whether or not you believe we should have an influence on the genetic make up of the fauna and flora that surround us, the fact is we already have had an influence and have changed the genes around us to our designs.
www.christis.org.uk /archive/issue79/genetics.php   (980 words)

  
 Institute of Food Science & Technology: Genetic Modification
Genetic modification (GM) has the potential to offer very significant improvements in the quantity, quality and acceptability of the world's food supply.
The collective term "Genetically Modified Organisms" or GMOs is used frequently in regulatory documents and in the scientific literature to describe plants, animals and micro-organisms which have had DNA introduced into them by means other than by combination of an egg and a sperm or by natural bacterial conjugation.
Whilst investigations into this case have shown that the problems were not directly related to the genetic modification as originally claimed (and still perpetuated by some) they emphasise that a greater awareness of the possible areas of concern is needed when assessing the safety of GM foods.
www.ifst.org /hottop10.htm   (13566 words)

  
 FOE: Why Environmentalists Oppose Human Cloning And Inheritable Genetic Modification - Americans to Ban Cloning
Technological developments in the field of genetic engineering have proceeded rapidly in recent years and are largely unregulated: animals have been cloned, plants crossed with bacteria, and chimeras or creatures possessing cells with different genotypes such as sheep-goats have been produced.
In the absence of any international ban or clean national policies on cloning and inheritable genetic modification, they are making the crucial decisions about a technology that stands to fundamentally change the nature of human beings and our relationship to the rest of the world.
Cloning and inheritable genetic modifications of human beings are incompatible with the ethic of protecting the natural environment.
cloninginformation.org /info/foe-01-11-26.htm   (1184 words)

  
 Embracing Change with All Four Arms
Another concern expressed by many critics of genetic technology is the dire consequences of the re-emergence of fascist, racist and authoritarian regimes, and their use of genengineering to produce compliant, genetically uniform subjects.
As genetic diagnosis and treatment become more prevalent people will become as sophisticated about their genetic diagnoses as they are about the risks of cigarette smoking or cholesterol: risk-averse folks will take their genetic propensities very seriously, and risk-prone folks won't.
No one may be subjected to discrimination on the basis of genetic characteristics and that aims or has the effect of injuring the recognition of human dignity or the enjoyment of his or her rights on the grounds of equality.
www.changesurfer.com /Hlth/Genetech.html   (8571 words)

  
 "How nature itself uses genetic modification"
Sir -- Mae Wan Ho (1) states that genetic engineering is fundamentally different from conventional plant breeding or wide crosses to produce novel crops; thus she concludes that genetically modified (GM) plants need unique tests on their safety.
It is important to recognize that all the food we eat has been (and is) continuously genetically engineered by natural phenomena in ways that do not differ in any fundamental way from the current GM technology.
Natural genetic modification of wheat (3) and rice, for example, enabled the breeding of dwarf crops, used to feed many millions in the 'Green Revolution'.
www.biotech-info.net /how_nature.html   (463 words)

  
 SignOnSanDiego.com > News > Business > Biotechnology -- Anheuser-Busch would boycott Missouri rice if state ...
Biopharming has been growing for a decade despite continued attacks from genetic engineering foes who fear such work has not been studied enough to ensure the safety of the nation's food supply if accidental mixing occurs.
Genetically modified crops are regulated by the USDA, with state governments allowed to review safety procedures and suggest more stringent regulation of the companies before a permit is issued.
Ventria is seeking USDA approval to grow rice genetically enhanced with synthetic human genes to produce the proteins lactoferrin and lysozyme, which the company hopes to harvest and refine for use in medicines to fight diarrhea and dehydration.
www.signonsandiego.com /news/business/biotech/20050412-1859-beer-geneticcrops.html   (610 words)

  
 Gene Therapy Debate
Some people look forward to the time when genetic diseases might be treated by gene therapy, and by "fixing" the gene in germ cells, the deleterious gene could be eliminated from the subsequent generations, as well.
Type 1 genetic intervention is somatic cell gene therapy as applied to the treatment or prevention of disease.
A principal difference in these uses of genetic modification is that they could be directed toward healthy people who have no evidence of genetic deficiency diseases.
zygote.swarthmore.edu /gene7.html   (1524 words)

  
 Genetically Modified Organisms (Deliberate Release) Regulations 2002
The cases and circumstances prescribed for the purposes of section 111(1)(a) of the Act in relation to the release of any genetically modified organisms are all cases and circumstances in which genetically modified organisms are intended to be released.
Information on the safety of the genetically modified plant to animal health, particularly regarding any toxic, allergenic or other harmful effects arising from the genetic modification, where the genetically modified plant is intended to be used in animal feeding stuffs.
Information on the genetic modification for the purposes of placing on one or several registers modifications in organisms, which can be used for the detection and identification of particular products to facilitate post marketing control and inspection.
www.hmso.gov.uk /si/si2002/20022443.htm   (10997 words)

  
 Genetic modification - IPGRI
Genetically modified organisms (sometimes also called GEOs—genetically engineered organisms or LMOs—living modified organisms) are living things in which the inherited genetic recipe has been directly altered.
At some stage in the genetically modified organism’s life or ancestry, scientists physically added one or more new genes.
Direct modification of genetic material thus holds out hope of several agricultural improvements.
www.ipgri.cgiar.org /Institute/fact_genmod.htm   (1070 words)

  
 SCOPE: GM Food   (Site not responding. Last check: 2007-10-07)
The power of genetic modification techniques raises the possibility of human health, environmental, and economic problems, including unanticipated allergic responses to novel substances in foods, the spread of pest resistance or herbicide tolerance to wild plants, inadvertent toxicity to benign wildlife, and increasing control of agriculture by biotechnology corporations.
The techniques of modern genetics have made possible the direct manipulation of the genetic makeup of organisms.In agriculture, genetic engineering allows simple genetic traits to be transferred to crop plants from wild relatives, other distantly related plants, or virtually any other organism.
Genetic modification can be used in many ways to control a variety of traits of plants, and the consequences of one manipulation may be completely different from another based on the traits modified.
scope.educ.washington.edu /gmfood   (375 words)

  
 CIWF genetic engineering campaign
Scientists and biotechnology companies use genetic engineering to produce farm animals that are more productive in some way, such as having larger muscles, being faster-growing or producing more milk and wool.
Genetic engineering of animals is a hit-or-miss process, and a large number of animals have to undergo surgery and many die in order to produce a few ‘successes’.
CIWF completely opposes the genetic engineering and cloning of farm animals, and believes that the suffering involved cannot be justified by the benefits claimed by the scientists and multinational biotechnology companies.
www.ciwf.org.uk /campaigns/other_campaigns/genetic.html   (379 words)

  
 What's Wrong with Genetic Modification?   (Site not responding. Last check: 2007-10-07)
Crops which have been Genetically Modified to resist herbicides encourage the use of larger quantities of herbicide, with the effect that both weeds and beneficial plants are killed indiscriminately.
The use of Genetically Modified seed encourages dependence by the farmers on a single seed supplier and may involve the purchase of both the seed and herbicide from one supplier.
The nature of genetic modification and long term effects are not well understood as these products have not been properly tested before being released into the environment.
www.connectotel.com /gmfood/gmwrong.html   (1226 words)

  
 Teachers' Domain: Genetic Modification
Techniques of genetic modification allow scientists to change an organism's genetic code -- creating a plant or animal that never before existed.
Many scientists strongly acknowledge these fears, saying that despite all we know about genetics, there is still much that remains shrouded in mystery.
There is no master gene for wings, for example, and so no simple genetic swap that would cause a frog to sprout dragonfly wings instead of large legs for jumping.
www.teachersdomain.org /9-12/sci/life/gen/modification/index.html   (589 words)

  
 Genomics Revolution To Replace Genetic Modification
But as science begins to accumulate and explore plant and animal genomes -- the entire set of genetic instructions for a particular organism -- a new revolution is in the offing and, according to University of Wisconsin-Madison biologist Robert Goodman, promises a long-lasting and favorable impact on agriculture worldwide.
For example, rice, a member of the grass family, has a genome with few fundamental genetic differences from other grasses such as corn, wheat, and tef, a grain on which millions of people in Africa depend.
The ability now to employ genomic technology to comb these genetic instructions and focus on new combinations of genes based on their functions and interactions means that the pace of development of new plant cultivars, many of them not engineered in the way GMOs are created, may accelerate dramatically.
unisci.com /stories/20011/0220011.htm   (815 words)

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