Category Archives: Genetic Engineering

Ch. 13 Genetic Engineering This video covers Ch. 13 from the Prentice Hall Biology textbooks. By: Peer Vids … Continue reading →

PUBLIC RELEASE DATE: 25-Jul-2014 Contact: Dipali Pathak pathak@bcm.edu 713-798-4710 Baylor College of Medicine Houston -- Cancer has long been thought to be primarily a genetic disease, but in recent decades scientists have come to believe that epigenetic changes which don't change the DNA sequence but how it is 'read' also play a role in cancer. In particular DNA methylation, the addition of a methyl group (or molecule), is an epigenetic switch that can stably turn off genes, suggesting the potential to cause cancer just as a genetic mutation can. Until now, however, direct evidence that DNA methylation drives cancer formation was lacking. Researchers at the USDA/ARS Children's Nutrition Research Center at Baylor College of Medicine and Texas Children's Hospital have now created a mouse model providing the first in vivo evidence that epigenetic alterations alone can cause cancer. Their report appears today in the Journal of Clinical Investigation. "We knew that epigenetic changes are associated with cancer, but didn't know whether these were a cause or consequence of cancer. Developing this new approach for 'epigenetic engineering' allowed us to test whether DNA methylation changes alone can drive cancer," said Dr. Lanlan Shen, associate professor of pediatrics at Baylor and senior … Continue reading →

5 facts about genetic engineering how its done , what's going on and more all in this video. I hope you enjoyed this video. This is the first of many science videos I'm now planning on making.Please subscribe to feel the buzz. By: lightning burnzzz … Continue reading →

The recent decision of the Genetic Engineering Appraisal Committee (GEAC) to allow field trials of GM rice, mustard, cotton, chickpea and brinjal has been met with strong opposition from farmers groups and environmental activists. Seeking the intervention of Union Environment and Forests Minister Prakash Javdekar, the Bhartiya Kisan Union has asked for annulment of the approvals. Questioning the need for release of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) in the fields, the BKU leaders said they were concerned over the nations seed and food sovereignty. This is because most genes as well as transgenic processes are already patented and these Intellectual Property Rights work for the monopolistic benefit of the profiteering multinational corporations. The ease with which a transgenic technology allows corporations to claim ownership rights over seeds makes it attractive to them to hype why the world needs GMOs and seek control over entire food chains from production to marketing jeopardising the livelihood security of farmers, BKU leaders Naresh Tikait, Dharmendra Malik and Yudhveer Singh said in a letter to the Minister. In a separate letter to Mr. Javadekar, the Coalition for GM-free India said the GEAC approvals came at a time the Supreme Court was about to pronounce its orders … Continue reading →

Genetic engineering The world's greatest scam By: Zapata Anon … Continue reading →

Genes for swatting tiger mosquitoes, defanging brown tree snakes, and deporting Asian carp, all nasty invasive species, sound like a swell idea. But the latest idea in eradicationgenetic engineeringposes its own risks, warn biotechnology experts. Invasive species wreak havoc worldwide, disrupting native ecosystems and inflicting more than $120 billion in damages annually in the U.S. alone. Many economicallyand environmentallydamaging species, such as those mosquitoes, snakes, and carp, defy removal with existing technology. But there is good news. "Gene drives"which could trigger a precipitous decline in invasive species by tinkering with their genetic machineryhave arrived as a fast-maturing technology, an international team of scientists announced on Thursday. "Once an invasive species arrives in a new habitat and is driving native species extinct, we don't necessarily have a lot of solutions to that. Gene drive technology could potentially cause local extinction [of the invasive species] and restore the original ecosystem," says Kevin Esvelt, a genetic engineer at Harvard University and an author of tandem papers published this week in Science and eLife. But he and his colleagues warn that we should tread cautiously; otherwise, the new technology may blow up in our face. "We want to make sure this technology is used … Continue reading →

The Genetic Engineering Approval Committee (GEAC) on Friday gave the green signal for field trials of genetically modified (GM) rice, mustard, cotton, chickpea and brinjal at its meeting in Delhi. Hem Kumar Pande, chairperson of the GEAC told The Hindu that meetings were not held for a year since March 2013 and there was a backlog of 70 applications pending since 2011-12 of which 60 have been cleared so far. Fridays agenda dealt with 15 items and cleared field trials of rabi crops. In the three meetings since March 2014, the GEAC took up revalidation of data and approved kharif crops, Mr. Pande pointed out. While the GEAC has approved the commercial release of Bt brinjal it has been stayed by the Ministry of Environment and Mr. Pande said the government would have to take a decision on this. The only genetically modified crop approved for release in India is cotton. So far about 20 GM crops are under trial at various stages, he said and the new approvals were for the first stage of trials on one-acre plots. He said unless research in Indian conditions is allowed, the viability of these crops would not be known. Meanwhile, Dr. Pushpa … Continue reading →

Scientists in Missouri have revealed they have induced gender in cells They performed the trick by modifying a gene in multicellular algae This gene was responsible for giving the algae one of two mating types But they altered it so that it could switch between 'male' and female' Could explain origin of the sexes in plant and animal organisms By Jonathan O'Callaghan Published: 12:11 EST, 10 July 2014 | Updated: 12:11 EST, 10 July 2014 Throughout evolution, living things have repeatedly developed physically distinct sexes, but how does this actually happen? Thats the question scientists were hoping to answer when they performed a genetic engineering trick on multicellular algae. And they were surprised to find the process through which one gender produces eggs and the other sperm was more simple than expected - and the scientists could switch the gender roles of the algae. Scientists in Missouri have revealed they could induce gender (stock image shown) in cells. They performed the trick by identifying and modifying a gene in multicellular algae. This gene was responsible for giving the algae one of two mating types, but they also made it switch gender The study, led by Dr James Umen at the … Continue reading →

Dark Agenda ~ Bio Genetic Engineering with Nanotechnology Changing you and your world from within and without. By: Vexstar … Continue reading →

Published: Tuesday, July 8, 2014 at 18:17 PM. Genetic engineering is such a polarizing topic that it is hard to have an even-handed debate of the issue. Some opponents of genetically modified organisms, or GMOs, spread false claims about safety while ignoring the vast amount of research to the contrary. That frustrates University of Florida researchers who have made advances in genetic engineering that might provide benefits in fighting crop diseases and reducing the need for pesticides if they could get beyond public misconceptions. University of Florida researchers have taken a gene found in bell peppers and transferred it to tomatoes. The process has made tomatoes that are resistant to a particularly troublesome crop disease and have a higher yield. Contrary to scare stories about so-called Frankenfoods, these methods represent a more technologically advanced way of doing the kind of crop breeding that has been happening for millennia. But tomato growers worry they wouldnt be able to sell a GMO product, hampering the ability of researchers to attract investors. People are afraid, they dont understand why, they are just told they should be, said Sam Hutton, a UF plant scientist involved in the research. The anti-GMO crowd screams really loud, … Continue reading →