Explain what is genetic engineering, Biology

Assignment Help:

Explain brifly what is Genetic Engineering ?

Genetic Engineering : Engineering techniques have been used in agriculture and horticulture for centuries. Certain plants or animals were chosen over others to be grown for prized traits, leading to continuation of the species. Examples are hunting dogs, cattle, and various species of grain.

Breeding with the goal of maintaining or enhancing prized traits is called inbreeding, and the resulting generations are called purebred. However, excessive inbreeding increases the likelihood that harmful recessive genes will be homozygous. For this reason, breeders often crossbreed related varieties of plants or animals. The phenomenon by which hybrids often grow larger and healthier than either parent is called hybrid vigor.

Biologists sometimes induce mutations in various organisms and choose mutants with desired traits from their progeny. X-rays are often used for this purpose, since they leave no toxic residue. Geneticists improve the size of fruits and flowers by induced polyploidy through the use of colchicine, a drug that breaks down cytoplasmic microtubules and prevents formation of cell walls. Mitosis occurs without cell division, so the cells become polyploid. Berries from artificially polyploid plants are much larger than normal berries although close to half of flowering plant species are naturally polyploid. While polyploid organisms must be normally be mated with others of the same ploidy, many plants avoid this problem by self-fertilizing, producing offspring of the same ploidy.

The term genetic engineering now generally refers to the manipulation of genes by sophisticated techniques of recombinant DNA technology.

 


Related Discussions:- Explain what is genetic engineering

Counselling of pace programme, Q. Counselling of PACE programme? Counse...

Q. Counselling of PACE programme? Counselling is a key component of a PACE programme. Counselling is a process that enables a person to identify problems and find a solution or

Disposal of microorganisms, Disposal : You must always sterilize cultures ...

Disposal : You must always sterilize cultures and contaminated instruments and glassware before disposing them of or before washing-up. Usually, you can do this by autoclaving or

What is herbicide tolerant crops in ecological, Herbicide tolerant crops (H...

Herbicide tolerant crops (HTC) Increased use of the herbicides plant is tolerant to (describes ecological impact eg toxic residues in soil, runoff into waterways) Ther

What is the function other than protection of the ribs, What is the functio...

What is the function, other than protection, of the ribs? The ribs help to alter the volume of the thorax during breathing movements.

Endosperm with micropylar and chalazal haustoria, Endosperm with Micropylar...

Endosperm with Micropylar and Chalazal Haustoria Some plants develop haustoria from both micropylar and chalazal ends of endosperm. In Nemophila aggressive haustoria arise fr

The rapeutic nurse, THE RAPEUTIC NURSE: Development of  therapeutic  n...

THE RAPEUTIC NURSE: Development of  therapeutic  nurse patient  relationship is the basic requirement  of nursing. A helping relationship  in nursing may be explained as an in

Unified cell theory, Unified Cell Theory The present unified cell theo...

Unified Cell Theory The present unified cell theory states that All living things are composed of either a single Cell or of the cells and cell products. The cell is a m

Agro industrial-mineral biofortification of plants, Mineral biofortificatio...

Mineral biofortification of plants One sustainable agricultural approach to reducing the mineral deficiencies in livestock animals is to enrich major staple food crops (rice,

Advise on rest, Advise on Rest, recreation, sleep The patient should t...

Advise on Rest, recreation, sleep The patient should take enough rest and get good sleep. Restrict the visitors so that the patient can get enough rest. Not to strain th

Plant physiology, application of apical dominace in horticulture and agricu...

application of apical dominace in horticulture and agriculture short notes

Write Your Message!

Captcha
Free Assignment Quote

Assured A++ Grade

Get guaranteed satisfaction & time on delivery in every assignment order you paid with us! We ensure premium quality solution document along with free turntin report!

All rights reserved! Copyrights ©2019-2020 ExpertsMind IT Educational Pvt Ltd