Advantages and disadvantages of genetically modified engineering?

Transgenic technology is one of the important fields in the frontier of life science. Since humans planted crops, our ancestors have never stopped genetically improving crops. In the past thousands of years, the main way of crop improvement is to select and use excellent genes and recombinants produced by natural mutation, and accumulate excellent genes through random and natural methods. On the basis of genetics, animal and plant breeding in the past hundred years has adopted artificial hybridization to recombine excellent genes and introduce foreign genes to realize genetic improvement. Therefore, it can be considered that transgenic technology and traditional technology are in the same strain, and its essence is genetic improvement by obtaining excellent genes. However, there are two important differences between transgenic technology and traditional breeding technology in the scope and efficiency of gene transfer. First, traditional technology can only realize gene transfer between individuals within a species, while the genes transferred by transgenic technology are not limited by the genetic relationship between organisms; Secondly, the traditional hybrid selection technology is generally carried out at the individual level, and the object of operation is the whole genome, which transfers a large number of genes, so it is impossible to accurately operate and select a certain gene, and the performance of offspring is poor. Transgenic technology is generally to manipulate and transfer clearly defined genes, with clear functions, and the performance of future generations can be accurately expected. Therefore, transgenic technology is the development and supplement of traditional technology. The close combination of the two can complement each other and greatly improve the efficiency of animal and plant variety improvement.

The original intention of scientists to invent transgenic technology is to use it to benefit mankind, which can not only accelerate the improvement of crops and livestock varieties and improve the quality of human food, but also produce precious medicinal protein and bring good news to patients. For example, insect-resistant transgenic corn will not be bitten by insects, which can make people feel safe to eat; By transferring genes that can produce human vaccines into plant foods, people can increase their resistance to diseases while eating food.

However, will human intervention in nature cause potential and unpredictable dangers? Will a large number of genetically modified organisms destroy biodiversity? Will genetically modified products do harm to human health? Some scientists began to worry about the "arbitrary modification" of biological and plant life, and the creation of new genetic genes and organisms may harm human beings. They may cause new pollution to the ecological environment, so-called genetic pollution, which is difficult to eliminate. In addition, the effects of genetically modified crops and genetically modified foods made from this raw material on human body have not yet been determined.

At present, scholars at home and abroad have also done a lot of research on the negative effects of transgenic technology, and many related reports have appeared. For example, the authoritative British scientific magazine Nature published a paper by john rossi, an associate professor at Cornell University in the United States, which shocked the world. The paper points out that the researchers spread the pollen of insect-resistant transgenic corn "BT corn" on the leaves of chicory in the laboratory, and then let butterfly larvae eat these leaves. Four days later, 44% of the larvae died, and the surviving larvae were smaller and lifeless. However, the other group of larvae did not have high mortality or developmental retardation when eating leaves sprinkled with ordinary corn pollen. Based on this, the paper concludes that the pollen of BT transgenic corn contains toxins. It is also reported that the experimental report of the British Center for Ethics and Toxicity said that compared with ordinary soybeans, isoflavones, an anticancer component in herbicide-resistant transgenic soybeans, were reduced. Compared with common soybean, the isoflavone content in two transgenic soybeans decreased by 12% ~ 14%, and Brazil nut incident occurred.

In the face of international disputes about genetically modified crops, many scientists and academic groups have expressed their support for transgenic technology in various forms. The Statement of Scientists' Support for Agricultural Biotechnology was written by prakash, a professor at Taskey University in the United States, in June 5438 +2000 10, and collected the signatures of more than 3,000 scientists around the world, including james watson, the discoverer of DNA double helix structure and Nobel Prize winner. Norman Borlaug, founder of the Green Revolution and Nobel Prize winner, Gurdev Khush, winner of the World Food Prize and chief breeder of the International Rice Research Institute. "Responsible plant genetic modification is neither new nor dangerous," the statement said. Through sexual hybridization and cell culture, many traits, such as pest resistance, have been introduced into crops frequently. Compared with traditional methods, introducing new or different genes through recombinant DNA technology does not necessarily have new or greater risks, and the safety of commercial products is further guaranteed by the current safety management rules. The new genetic technology provides greater flexibility and accuracy for crop improvement. "Like any modern industrial technology, transgenic technology has two sides, both advantages and disadvantages. When developing biotechnology such as transgenic technology, we should foster strengths and avoid weaknesses, seek advantages and avoid disadvantages, standardize management, and make transgenic technology develop healthily.