A classic example of this is the autoliminograph of a tobacco plant that contains the so-called luciferase gene from the firefly. This picture was first published in 1986 in Science Magazine and shows the amazing, and seemingly endless, possibilities genetic modification provide us with.
To genetically modify an organism, a “piece” of DNA carrying a gene of interest has to be isolated, amplified and then reintroduced into the organism of interest where, hopefully, it is expressed. Now the process is of course far more complex than this, and it will be discussed in a later article, but this is what genetic modification entails in a nutshell.
The gene that is introduced in the organism that does not normally carry it generally allows it to express a protein or enzyme that will provide it with a new physiological characteristic. For example, in Bt corn a gene is introduced that allows corn to produce the Bt toxin, which is toxic to pests and therefore eliminates the need for insecticides.
Another example is insulin: when insulin was expressed in bacteria it was a major leap forward for the pharmaceutical industry and decreased the cost to treat patients with diabetes.
Genetic Modification is used in both pharmaceuticals and crops to produce genetically modified organisms (GMOs). By using this technique we can produce genetically modified foods and produce medication at reduced costs, and/or higher efficiency. Although insulin was the first genetically engineered drug to be approved by the FDA, it certainly will not be the last one!
