Gene Technology and Genetic Engineering

1
Gene Technology and Genetic Engineering

• Grade 12

2
Grade 12 Outcomes

• Stem Cells
• Genetic Engineering
• Cloning
• Medicine (production of insulin, vaccines)
• Agriculture (GMOs)
• Description of ethics and legislation around
• Genetic Testing
• Genetic Counselling
• Genetic Engineering
• Cloning
• Beliefs, attitudes and values concerning genetic
  diseases.

3

• The advance of genetic engineering makes it
  quite conceivable that we will begin to design
  our own evolutionary progress.
• Isaac Asimov, The Beginning and the End.
• The pressures for human cloning are powerful
  but, although it seems likely that somebody, at
  some time, will attempt it, we need not assume
  that it will ever become a common or significant
  feature of human life.
• Ian Wilmut The Second Creation Dolly and the
  Age of Biological Control

4
Terminology

• Gene Technology
• Broad field which includes all analysis,
  manipulation and application of genetics.
• Genetic Engineering
• Artificial manipulation of genes, adding or
  subtracting genetic material.
• Genetically Modified Organism (GMOs)/ Transgenic
  Organisms
• Organisms that have had their DNA artificially
  manipulated.
• Cloning (genetic or molecular)
• A molecular process in which DNA sequences are
  replicated within host organisms or in vitro.
• In vitro
• Taking place in a culture, test-tube basically
  outside an organism.
• Selective Breeding
• The artificial breeding of plants and animals
  for particular traits.
• Stem Cells
• An undifferentiated cell from a multi-cellular
  organism that has the potential to give rise to
  infinite numbers of the same cell and from which
  certain other kinds of cells arise from
  differentiation.
• Ethics
• The branch of knowledge that deals with moral
  principles.
• Legislation
• Collective set of laws.
• Genetic Counselling

5
Whats on your mind?
6
Stem Cells

• An undifferentiated cell from a multi-cellular
  organism that has the potential to give rise to
  infinite numbers of the same cell and from which
  certain other kinds of cells arise from
  differentiation.

The Nature of Stem Cells http//learn.genetics.uta
h.edu/content/tech/stemcells/scintro/
7
Embryonic Stem Cells
Pluripotent ability to give rise to several
different cell types.
http//learn.genetics.utah.edu/content/tech/stemce
lls/quickref/
8
Somatic Stem Cells
Multipotent Can produce multiple differentiated
cell types within specific tissue only.
  Stem Cell Quick Reference http//learn.geneti
cs.utah.edu/content/tech/stemcells/quickref/
9
Cloning

• Natural process
• Asexual Reproduction
• Identical Twins
• Artifical Embryo Twinning
• Older method
• Fertilized egg cell is removed and stimulated to
  divide into two full sets each able to form new
  embryos.
• Somatic Cell Nuclear Transfer (SCNT)
• How Dolly was created in 1997

10
Somatic Cell Nuclear Transfer
SCNT can also be referred to as Therapeutic
Cloning depending on its use.
http//www.youtube.com/watch?vhepoJgGJtNc
  Stem Cell Quick Reference http//learn.geneti
cs.utah.edu/content/tech/stemcells/quickref/
11
Genetic Engineering in Medicine

• Preventing and fighting disease.
• Stem Cell Therapy
• Therapeutic cloning
• Gene Therapy
• SCIDS (severe combined immune deficiency
  syndrome "boy in the bubble")
• Cancers (including melanoma, hereditary prostate
  cancer, breast, and colon cancer) 2/3rds of
  research.
• Cystic fibrosis
• Hemophilia
• Rheumatoid arthritis
• Hunter's syndrome (an inherited sex linked enzyme
  disorder)
• Inherited high blood cholesterol
• Vaccine production (Hepatitis B, influenza,
  herpes simplex)
• Drug and hormone production (Insulin)

12
Producing Insulin

• Known as role player in diabetes for years.
• In 1922 Frederick Banting and Charles Best
  successfully treated diabetic dogs and then an 11
  year old boy using dog insulin from the pancreas.
• Initial sources
• Cow, horse, pig, porcupine.
• Allergic reactions to impurities in insulin.
• 1978 Genentech produced first synthetic human
  insulin.

3D Protein structure of Insulin made up of 51
amino acids.
13
Human Insulin Production
14
Genetic Engineering in Medicine

• Advantages

• Disadvantages

• Preventing and fighting disease.
• Vaccine production (especially cancers).
• Gene Therapy.
• Xenotransplatation.
• Reproductive Technology

• Arguably the Long term effects still not known.
• Use of Embryos in Genetic Engineering (what is
  technically living).
• Animal exploitation.
• Costly and time consuming.

15
Genetic Engineering in Agriculture

• GMOs are not a new thing!
• Selective breeding/artificial selection has been
  around for years.

16
Genetic Engineering in Agriculture

• Thousands of GM foods and products
• Tomatoes
• Tobacco (Quest cigarettes with no/low nicotine)
• Strawberries (resistant to frost)
• Maize (resistant to pesticides)
• Beef (leaner meat)
• Diary cattle (rBST hormone)
• Pork (grow faster)

17
Genetic Engineering in Agriculture

• Advantages

• Disadvantages

• Increase crop production.
• Increase livestock production.
• Help solve food security issues.
• Reduce environmental risk from pesticides/fertiliz
  ers.
• Reduce pollution and waste (production of GM
  biofuels)

• Long term effects still not known.
• Affect the biodiversity.
• Negatively impact environment (create alien
  invasive plants).
• Retard natural selection normal evolutionary
  processes.

18
Genetic Testing Genetic Counselling

• DNA profiling
• Detecting and preventing crime
• Mapping Genetic Disorders
• Choice to address and seek professional help

19
Bioethics in Gene Technology

• Ethical, legal and social implications
  surrounding
• Fairness in the use of genetic information
• Privacy and confidentiality
• Psychological impact and stigmatization
• Beliefs, attitudes and values concerning genetic
  diseases
• Commercialization of products including property
  rights
• Seed patency
• Reproductive issues
• Larger societal issues raised with reproductive
  technologies
• Uncertainties associated with gene tests
• Conceptual and philosophical implications
• Free will versus genetic determinism
• Health and environmental issues concerning
  genetically modified foods

20
Genetic Engineering legislation in South Africa

• In terms of human genetic modification
  technologies
• National Health Act and the ethics research
  guidelines issued by the Minister of Health.
  Under the Act, the manipulation of any genetic
  material, including human gametes, zygotes or
  embryos is explicitly prohibited. Violation of
  the ban is punishable with imprisonment for up to
  five years and/or the imposition of fines (Art.
  62).
• National Health Act, (2003), http//www.parliament
  .gov.za/pls/portal/web_app.utl_output_doc?p_table
  actsp_doc_colact_docp_mime_colmime_typep_id6
  06077
• In terms of GMOs (except humans)
• To provide for measures to promote the
  responsible development, production, use and
  application of genetically modified organisms to
  ensure that all activities involving the use of
  genetically modified organisms (including
  importation, production, release and
  distribution) shall be carried out in such a way
  as to limit possible harmful consequences
• Genetically Modified Organisms Act, (1997),
  http//www.info.gov.za/acts/1997/act15.htm

21
Beliefs, attitudes and values regarding Genetic
Disorders

• Cultural and Societal influences
• Religion and spirituality
• Marginalization
• Chinese Yousheng healthy birth policy
  (eugenics)
• Socioeconomic impact
• Access to information and exposure
• Education
• Understanding of genetic disorders

22
To answer your questions
23
Bibliography

• Anon, Asimovs image online. Available at
  http//www.androidworld.com/prod22.htm Accessed
  February 7, 2012a.
• Anon, BBC - KS3 Bitesize Science image online.
  Available at http//www.bbc.co.uk/schools/ks3bite
  size/science/organisms_behaviour_health/variation_
  classification/revise5.shtml Accessed February
  7, 2012b.
• Anon, Bioethics Curriculums Appearing in U.S.
  High Schools image online. Available at
  http//www.miller-mccune.com/science-environment/f
  ifth-period-life-and-death-decision-making-12790/
  Accessed February 7, 2012c.
• Anon, Biotechnology - Health and Medicine image
  online. Available at http//www.ied.edu.hk/biote
  ch/eng/classrm/class_health5.html Accessed
  February 7, 2012d.
• Anon, Clones debate image online. Available at
  http//www.sodahead.com/living/lets-picture-an-sce
  nario-if-human-cloning-was-legal-should-those-clon
  es-be-treated-as-other-human/question-1957455/?lin
  kibafqClonesimgurlhttp//images.sodahead.com/
  polls/001957455/3752698267_human_cloning_answer_1_
  xlarge.jpeg Accessed February 7, 2012e.
• Anon, 1997. Genetically Modified Organisms Act
  No. 15 of 1997. Available at
  http//www.info.gov.za/acts/1997/act15.htm
  Accessed February 7, 2012.
• Anon, Insulin, What isInsulin? image online.
  Available at http//www.3dchem.com/molecules.asp?
  ID196 Accessed February 7, 2012f.
• Anon, Stem Cells. Available at
  http//learn.genetics.utah.edu/content/tech/stemce
  lls/ Accessed February 8, 2012g.
• Anon, Top 10 Reasons to Label Genetically
  Engineered Food image online. Available at
  http//www.ecosphericblog.com/753/top-10-reasons-t
  o-label-genetically-engineered-food/ Accessed
  February 7, 2012h.
• Anon, artificial selection image online.
  Available at http//evolution.berkeley.edu/evolib
  rary/article/evo_30 Accessed February 7, 2012i.
• Hopkin, M., 2004. Clones may aid work on motor
  neuron disease image online. Nature News.
  Available at http//www.nature.com/news/2004/0409
  27/full/news040927-7.html Accessed February 7,
  2012.
• Krautberger, G., Genetic Engineering image
  online. Available at http//www.scienceclarified
  .com/Ga-He/Genetic-Engineering.html Accessed
  February 7, 2012.