Understandings:
- Transgenic organisms produce proteins that were not previously part of their species’ proteome.
- Genetic modification can be used to overcome environmental resistance to increase crop yields.
- Genetically modified crop plants can be used to produce novel products.
- Bioinformatics plays a role in identifying target genes.
- The target gene is linked to other sequences that control its expression.
- An open reading frame is a significant length of DNA from a start codon to a stop codon.
- Marker genes are used to indicate successful uptake.
- Recombinant DNA must be inserted into the plant cell and taken up by its chromosome or chloroplast DNA.
- Recombinant DNA can be introduced into whole plants, leaf discs or protoplasts.
- Recombinant DNA can be introduced by direct physical and chemical methods or indirectly by vectors.
Applications and skills:
- Application: Use of tumour-inducing (Ti) plasmid of Agrobacterium tumefaciens to introduce glyphosate resistance into soybean crops.
- Application: Genetic modification of tobacco mosaic virus to allow bulk production of Hepatitis B vaccine in tobacco plants.
- Application: Production of Amflora potato (Solanum tuberosum) for paper and adhesive industries.
- Skill: Evaluation of data on the environmental impact of glyphosate-tolerant soybeans.
- Skill: Identification of an open reading frame (ORF).
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Utilization:
- Syllabus and cross-curricular links:
- Biology
- Topic 1.5 The origin of cells
- Topic 3.5 Genetic modification and biotechnology
- Environmental systems and societies
- Topic 5.2 Terrestrial food production systems
Aims:
- Aim 7: Use of bioinformatics to determine sequences to be modified.
- Aim 8: There are ethical and political implications in the introduction of the genetically modified potato Amflora in Europe.
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