Operation steps of transgenic technology
The operation steps of transgenic technology mainly include gene cloning, gene introduction, gene expression and gene detection.
Gene cloning
Gene cloning is the first step of transgenic technology, which obtains the target gene by separating the DNA sequence of the target gene from the donor organism. This step usually uses PCR (polymerase chain reaction) technology to amplify the target gene to a sufficient number.
Gene introduction
Gene introduction is the core step of transgenic technology, which introduces the target gene into the chromosome of the target organism. Commonly used methods of gene introduction include particle bombardment, Agrobacterium-mediated method and electroporation. After gene introduction, the target gene will coexist with the target organism's own gene, which will have an impact on the characteristics of the organism.
Gene expression
Gene expression refers to the process that the target gene is transcribed and translated into protein in the target organism. Transgenic technology can make the target gene express at a high level in the target organism, thus improving the biological characteristics.
Gene detection
Gene detection is the process of genome analysis and identification of genetically modified organisms. Through gene detection, it can be determined whether the transgenic organism has been successfully introduced into the target gene, and its genome can be comprehensively analyzed and identified.
Application of transgenic technology
Transgenic technology is widely used in agriculture, medicine and industry.
Agricultural field
The application of transgenic technology in agriculture mainly includes crop transgenic and livestock transgenic. Transgenic crops can make plants have insect resistance, disease resistance and drought tolerance, and improve crop yield and quality. Transgenic livestock and poultry can improve the growth rate, disease resistance and yield of livestock and poultry, and improve the breeding efficiency of livestock and poultry.
Medical field
The application of transgenic technology in medical field mainly includes gene therapy and gene diagnosis. Gene therapy can treat some hereditary diseases and other diseases by introducing normal genes or repairing abnormal genes. Gene diagnosis can predict the risk of diseases and diagnose diseases by detecting gene variation in human body.
Industrial field
The application of transgenic technology in industrial field mainly includes biopharmaceuticals and bioenergy. Bio-pharmaceutical uses the expression of transgenic organisms to produce drugs and improve the yield and purity of drugs. Bioenergy uses transgenic microorganisms or plants to synthesize biofuels, replacing traditional fossil fuels and reducing environmental pollution.
Controversy over transgenic technology
Although transgenic technology has broad application prospects, it has also caused a lot of controversy.
Food safety problem
The safety of genetically modified foods has always been the focus of controversy. Some people worry that genetically modified foods may pose potential risks to human health, such as allergic reactions and antibiotic resistance. However, scientific research shows that after strict safety assessment and supervision, there is no obvious difference in safety between genetically modified food and traditional food.
Ecological environment risk
The planting of genetically modified crops may have an impact on the ecological environment. Some people worry that genetically modified crops may produce toxicity or resistance to non-target organisms and destroy the ecological balance. However, scientific research shows that after strict environmental risk assessment and supervision, the cultivation of genetically modified crops has little impact on the environment.
Intellectual property rights and economic benefits
Transgenic technology involves a large number of patents and intellectual property rights, which leads to a few companies monopolizing the application and economic benefits of transgenic technology. This triggered a debate about the economic fairness and social justice of transgenic technology.