Uses of Genetic Recombination

Genetic Recombination Genetic recombination is the method in which a molecule of nucleic acid, usually a strand of DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) but can possibly be RNA (ribonucleic acid) is broken and then combined with another different strand of nucleic acid. Overview Genetic recombination has occurred naturally since the very first bacteria and by our ancient ancestors although they didn’t know at the time. It’s only in the last few decades that we have begun to understand and develop our skill to use it to our advantages.

Originally thousands of years ago our ancestors abandoned the hunter-gather lifestyle and started to pursue agriculture. By doing so they took the flora and fauna that showed the most desirable characteristics and cultivated them while at the same time killing those with less desirable characteristics. This method gave rise to various species such as the common dog. Such products like yogurt and wines were then produced although the reasons why they were produced remained unknown. This is a very basic example of Genetic Recombination/ Genetic Engineering.

As our understanding of DNA and Genetics advanced especially in the 20th century this has led to advances into new fields of research and benefits. With better understanding it has allowed us to combat diverse and assorted problems that we face. Benefits Medical The benefits of genetic recombination are massive in relevance to medical Biotechnology and the Medical sector as a whole. It has allowed cures to be created for what was in previous centuries a death sentence. a) Genetic testing – Genetic testing allows doctor to determine if an unborn baby is at risk of a genetic abnormality or defect.

This allows precautions to be taken to ensure the babies survival and possibly to form a treatment to minimise the impact of the defect. It can also be used to identify the causes of conditions in adults that are suffering from a genetic disorder. b) Gene Therapy – Gene Therapy has allowed physicians to treat several hereditary genetic and non-hereditary disorders such as HIV, Asthma, Neurodegenerative diseases, many forms of cancer, etc. Cancer: There has been much progress in combating cancer and oncogenes (tumour producing genes), several genetic therapies’ that have been discovered to actively combat cancerous cells. Replace mutated or missing genes with their normal healthy equivalents. * Improve immune system response to cancerous cells by inserting T-cell receptor (TCR) gene into white blood cells which attach to cancerous cells causing the immune system to target the cancer. HIV: Although there is no cure for HIV at the moment, research with genetically engineered viruses on knockout mice have prevented infection and the mice have shown to retain the protection after a full year, indicating that genetic manipulation could soon provide a vaccination to HIV. ) Prevention of Muller’s Ratchet – If genetic recombination did not occur it would lead to the build up of harmful genetic mutations which if allowed to go unchecked would eventually cause a species to go extinct. Genetic recombination allows the genetic material to be varied and diversified which prevents Muller’s ratchet from occurring in species who practise sexual reproduction and not asexual reproduction. (Kreuzer and Massey, 2008, 6, 19-24, 89-96) Agriculture

Genetic manipulation of many sectors of agriculture has been the focus of attention from the public for some time over the production of genetically modified organisms (GMO’s). However genetically modified organisms have many proven benefits which have been an advantage to the world. It has been used to increase yields, improve the nutritional value of the food, boost pest resistance and many others (Kreuzer and Massey, 2008, 6). * Certain GMO’s have been grown in areas previously hostile to certain species, increased cold/heat/water resistant have allowed these crops to be harvested instead of failing. Virus resistant GMO’s have prevented whole crops failing to common and lethal viruses in the countries they are grown. Soybeans which there is large demand for are easily susceptible to Pseudomonas amygdali pv Glycinea a common bacteria in United States which is the main producer of soybeans at 33% of the world production. However with the use of genetic recombined soybeans at 85% in the United States, the average loss has considerably dropped contributing to the prevention of starvation in certain countries. (GMO Compass, Soybeans, December 3rd 2008) In December of 2005 Zambia accepted GM maize to prevent a famine from occurring in the country, if the GM foodstuff had not been available at the time there would have been insufficient non-genetically modified food to prevent a famine. ( Industrial The industrial applications of Genetic recombination have been used for thousands of years but in recent years the applications have increased countlessly. 1) Food – a. Genetically recombined bacteria have been used to produce cheese in vast quantities cheaply. b.

Several different Vegetables and Fruits have been genetically altered to increase their size, shape and colour. Bananas have been changed so they stay green for longer until they reach their destination, while at the same time tobacco has been so that it has little to no nicotine content. 2) Medical – Production of artificial insulin, vaccines and growth hormones have been used to treat some of the most common ailments in existence. Ethics of genetic Recombination The ethics of genetic recombination vary as there are many ethics viewed depending on a large number of factors all of which contradict each other.

The potential of genetic recombination on humans has been debated and many arguments for and against have been formulated. They are based on somatic therapy and enhancement which only affects only one generation, the other is germ-line therapy and enhancement which affect every generation after the one it is manipulated in. Manipulating human genetic make-up by somatic recombination allows repairs to be made to a human with damaged genes, a human with damaged genes could be theoretically cured, which has been achieved already in a limited scale.

Manipulating human genetic make-up by germ-line recombination however will cause the modified genes to be passed on to any and all offspring which could have unpredictable critical or fatal consequences in the future. While therapy will only cure diseases, the possibilities of enhancement have many benefits but many more ethical issues. It would cause inequality as only the rich could afford it and religious persecution of it as “Playing God” and the changes could have unintended consequences later in life.

These various effects have made it a hotly debated issue in which there is little middle ground for any party involved making the future of genetic recombination impossible to deduce. References Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Helen Kreuzer and Adrianne Massey, 3rd Edition, 2008, ASM Press, Washington DC GMO Compass, Soybeans, December 3rd 2008, Online, http://www. gmo-compass. org/eng/grocery_shopping/crops/19. genetically_modified_soybean. html THE ETHICS OF GENETIC ENGINEERING, David Koepsell, August 2007, Centre of Inquiry, Washington DC, http://www. centerforinquiry. net/uploads/attachments/genetic-engineering-ethics_2. pdf