Text 1. GENETIC ENGINEERING

1. Transcribe the following words.

Transgenic, antibiotic, allergy, allergic, allergen, species, toxin, infertile.

2. Match the words and word-combinations (1-10) with a correct definition (a-i).

3. Read the words in bold from the first part of the text. What do you think the text will be about?

4. Read the first part of the text. Answer the questions.

1) What are genes? How are they inherited?

2) What substance are genes made of?

3) Define the main function of DNA.

4) What is DNA composed of?

5) Do genes connect people only with immediate ancestors? Provide figures by means of your answer illustration.

6) How is genetic engineering different from traditional breeding?

PART 1.Humans have been modifying their food for thousands of years. Until the 20th century, this had to be done by breeding desirable characteristics into crops. This method requires a lot of effort and is rather imprecise. Genetic modification has enabled us to add qualities to crops that no amount of traditional breeding could.

Genetic engineering (GE) is the modification of an organism’s genetic composition by artificial means, often involving the transfer of specific traits, or genes, from one organism into a plant or animal of an entirely different species. When gene transfer occurs, the resulting organism is called transgenic or a GMO (genetically modified organism).

Genetic engineering is different from traditional cross breeding, where genes can only be exchanged between closely related species. With genetic engineering, genes from completely different species can be inserted into one another. For example, scientists in Taiwan have successfully inserted jellyfish genes into pigs in order to make them glow in the dark. F

What are genes?

All life is made up of one or more cells. Each cell contains a nucleus, and inside each nucleus are strings of molecules called DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid). Each strand of DNA is divided into small sections called genes. These genes contain a unique set of instructions that determine how the organism grows, develops, looks, and lives.

During genetic engineering processes, specific genes are removed from one organism and inserted into another plant or animal, thus transferring specific traits.

GE Crops

Some genetically engineered foods that have been approved for commercial use include cherry tomato, corn, cotton, flax, papaya, potato, rice, soybean, squash, sugar beet, and tomato. 

Nearly 400 million acres of farmland worldwide are now used to grow GE crops such as cotton, corn, soybeans and rice. The majority of genetically engineered crops grown today are engineered to be resistant to pesticides and/or herbicides so that they can withstand being sprayed with weed killer while the rest of the plants in the field die.

GE proponents claim genetically engineered crops use fewer pesticides than non-GE crops, when in reality GE plants can require even more chemicals. This is because weeds become resistant to pesticides, leading farmers to spray even more on their crops. This pollutes the environment, exposes food to higher levels of toxins, and creates greater safety concerns for farmers and farm workers.

Some GE crops are actually classified as pesticides. For instance, the New Leaf potato, which has since been taken off grocery shelves, was genetically engineered to produce the Bt (Bacillus thuringiensis) toxin in order to kill any pests that attempted to eat it.

Adequate research has not yet been carried out to identify the effects of eating animals that have been fed genetically engineered grain, nor have sufficient studies been conducted on the effects of directly consuming genetically engineered crops like corn and soy.Yet despite our lack of knowledge, GE crops are widely used throughout the world as both human and animal food.

GE Animals

Scientists are currently working on ways to genetically engineer farm animals. Atlantic salmon have been engineered to grow to market size twice as fast as wild salmon, chickens have been engineered so that they cannot spread avian flu to other birds, and research is being conducted to create cattle that cannot develop “mad cow” disease. At this point, no GE animals have been approved to enter the food supply.  Genetic engineering experiments on animals do, however, pose potential risks to food safety and the environment.

5. What issues connected with GE might be a cause for concern? Discuss with a partner, then read Part 2 and compare your ideas.

PART 2.