Question

What do you think of genetic engineering? Are GMO's good or bad? With genetically engineering humans, should we be tampering with the human genome? Do you think humans can stick to a limit (only curing diseases) or do you think humans would begin engineering people?

Answer 1

Ans.

• As the term applies, Geneteic engineering is the artificial manipulation, synthesis, modification or recombination of nucleic acid molecules by humans in to alter the characteristics of an organism or a species.
• Initially the term was used to indicate techniques used to achieve such modification of characters through reproduction and heredity.
• However, the evolution of medical science the term became more common in the various medical fields such as gene cloning.
• Genetic engineering technique and method is analogous to the recombinant DNA technology.
• However, genetic engineering is centrally based on the gene editing (ability to produce changes in the DNA squence of an organism through the use of enzymes).
• An example of gene editing technique is the use of CRISPR-Cas9 which can change a living organism genetic sequence.
• Gene enginnering has increased exponentialy the theoretical and practical knowledge of gene functions and their structure.
• Many medically useful products has been created through the use of gene engineering such as insulin, interferon and human growth hormone.
• Plants can be modify to erase their genetic disease and produce more and better crops yield.
• However, the use of genetic engineering not without it's ethical concern.
• Creation of genetic modified organisms (GMOs) is one of such concerns.
• Genetic modified organisms have their DNA modified or replaced through the use of gene engineering.
• Most of the time the DNA of the organism is replaced with DNA of other organisms for e.g., bacterium, virus or plants ... etc.
• There are many fields which have been boon by the use of GMOs and a classic example is the production of genetically modified food.
• Many industrial and scientific groups concur that there is a significant improvement in crops.
• Another advantage of GMO food is the independency on the natural resources and less effort to be given for good crop yeild with equal nutritional supply.
• There are many cosmetic industry which are using this technique.
• Another use is the eradication of genetic diseases in organisms.
• But as it is said if one thing is boon in some ways than it may be curse in many other ways.
• There are concern that GMOs heavy uses can have catastrophic effect on the environment.
• Genetically modified food can cause some serious health problems in consumers as their natural body process is not able to process and digest these modified articles.
• GMOs are considered unsafe by most of the developed nations and many of the developing nations.
• There are also emphasis on the point that heavy use of the technique might result in the extinction of many naturally occuring species be it animals, plants or micro-organisms.
• Many see this technique as a progenetor of lethal bio-weapons.