ABSTRACT
Biotechnology and genetic modifications are commonly used as interchangeable. Genetically modified is a special set of technologies that alter the genetic makeup of such living organisms as animals, plants or bacteria. Combining genes from different organisms is known as recombinant DNA technology and the resulting organism is said to be ‘genetically modified’, ‘genetically engineered’, or ‘transgenic’. Locating genes for important traits such as those conferring insect resistance or desired nutrients is one of the most limiting steps in the process. However, genome sequencing and discovery programmes for hundreds of different organisms are generating detailed maps along with dataanalyzing technologies to understand and use them. Genetically modified organism (GMO) is used for producing genetically modified (GM) foods. GM foods have been available since 1990s. The most common modified foods are derived from plants: soyabean, corn, canola and cotton seed oil and wheat (ISAAA, 2002).The process of producing GMO used for GM foods may involve taking DNA from one organism, modifying it in a laboratory and then inserting it into the target organism’s genome to produce new and useful traits or phenotypes. Such GMOs are generally referred to as transgenic. Other methods of producing a GMO includes increasing or decreasing the
number of copies of a gene already present in the target organism, silencing or removing a particular gene or modifying the position of a gene within the genome. In 2006, a total of 252 million acres of transgenic crops were planted in 22 countries by 10.3 million farmers. The majority of these crops were herbicide and insect resistant, soyabeans, corns, cotton, canola and alfalfa. Other crops grown commercially or field tested are a sweet potato resistant to a virus that could decimate most of the African harvest, rice with increased iron and vitamins that may alleviate chronic malnutrition in Asian countries and a variety of plants able to survive weather extremes in the horizon are bananas that produce human vaccines against infectious diseases such as hepatitis B, fish that mature more quickly, cows that are resistant to bovine spongiform encephalopathy (mad cow disease); fruit and nut trees that yield years earlier and plants that produce new plastics with unique properties. In 2006, countries that grew 97% of the global transgenic crops were the United States (53%), Argentina (17%), Brazil (11%), Canada (6%), India (4%), China 3%, Paraguay (2%) and South Africa (1%). Although growth is expected to plateau in industrialized countries, it is increasing in developing countries. The next decade will see exponential progress in GM product development as researchers gain increasing and unprecedented access to genomic resources that are applicable to organism beyond the scope of individual
projects. Genetic engineering may accelerate the damaging effects of agriculture, have the same impact as conventional agriculture, or contribute to more sustainable agricultural practices and the conservation of natural resources, including biodiversity.
