Genetic engineering and biology
Genetics is a branch of biology that studies biological inheritance, that is, as hereditary characters, are inherited from generation to generation. This study allows us to know exactly what happens in the cell cycle and reproduction of living beings. In addition, it helps us to understand how the biological characteristics (human genome) and, physical characteristics phenotype (appearance and even personality) are transmitted from generation in living beings).
Genetics has let us know that our genome consists of 23 pairs chromosomes and, that in them are the genes. Genetic characters are associated with different and specific chromosomes positions. Any failure in the cell cycle can lead to mutations in the chromosomes, therefore changing the information contained in the genome of that individual. These mutations can have indifferent or drastic changes in our lives. Like our DNA, you can vary, you can do the DNA of any individual (plants, bacteria, animals …).
At present, the development of new technologies has given way to a new science, genetic manipulation, also known as genetic engineering. “Genetic engineering encompasses various techniques that allow the transfer of genetic material or DNA from one organism to another. This allows the creation and modification of a wide variety of specimens of animal or plant origin, enhancing the favorable characteristics for obtaining efficient products ”.
All the characteristics that an organism has are encoded in its genetic material. Thus, when modifying it, it also changes its molecular composition. This alteration can be used to improve the resistance, quantity and quality of certain products. An example can be genetically manipulated chickens so that they do not have feathers, to be able to raise them in places with warm climates.
In addition, this science has reached great relevance due to the multitude and diversity of applications in different fields that genetic manipulation has in the current society. In nature, agriculture, livestock and environmental cleaning, they are the most relevant applications;In science, genetic manipulation has contributed to research, forestry and anthropological;Finally, the most relevant applications of this set of techniques have been in the pharmaceutical and medicine industry.
In agriculture, this science is mainly used to increase crops productivity. The manipulation of the seeds of these plants allows: "grow in diverse environments, reducing the need for pesticides, increase the capacity for conservation and transfer, the strengthening of physical, chemical, thermal, pH properties, of pH, etc.". Consequently, this, production costs are lower.
In livestock there is the approach to create, through recombinant DNA techniques, new breeds of animals that develop faster or that, fat more with a minor diet. They also want to improve existing species to be more productive, such as cows that produce more milk or meat with less fat.
In addition to agriculture and livestock, genetic engineering has had an important role in environmental cleaning. Genetic engineering has taken the techniques of phytoremediation at a higher level. Those plants that absorb toxic substances existing in the soil are manipulated, which absorb greater amounts of these substances. And, on the other hand, organisms are modified genetically so that they can degrade garbage, oil derivatives and other toxic industrial waste. In this way, contaminated environments are restored.
In forensic research, genetic engineering is also used. “DNA is unique and unrepeatable in every human being, it is a kind of microcellular fingerprint that allows the identification of each individual. Forensic medicine has been able to identify suspects of crimes or victims from samples of blood, hair, saliva or semen ”.
Likewise, in the anthropological research field it has been very useful for identifying individuals of ancient cultures, thus allowing to determine types of migrations and thus showing us cultures and social organizations of antiquity.
And, we cannot forget the important repercussions that genetic engineering has had in the pharmaceutical industry, creating proteins of great human interest at low cost, such as insulin;And, more importantly in medicine, where the greatest discovery has been gene therapy. Being this, a treatment of diseases caused by genetic malformations and, what consists of isolating healthy genes to inject them directly into the DNA of people who present these malformations so that the treatment is effective.
But, despite all the uses and applications that genetic engineering has, at present this science is a continuous debate, due to the various controversies it has caused since its inception. It is true that genetic manipulation has many advantages, however, ignoring the repercussions that it can have in the world in the future scares us. In this way, society has begun to ask bioethics related to how can genetic engineering affect us in the future? Are we playing with nature? Do we not run the risk of manufacturing new species whose dissemination would modify ecological balances and irremediably disturb the evolution mechanisms?
And, more importantly, questions have been asked about human morals and ethics. Some of these questions are to what extent is genetic manipulation useful, to improve something, without varying our natural characteristics of humans? Is it used as a tool to improve society, or to achieve its own good? Are we respecting human dignity at all times?
References
- Cajal, a. (s.F.). The 10 most important genetic engineering applications. Obtained from Lafede.com: https: // www.Lifer.com/Applications-Engineia-Genetics/
- Genetic engineering in agriculture: risks and opportunities. (October 20, 2016). Obtained from El Software for Integral Management in Agricultural Companies: http: //agricola system.com.MX/Blog/Engineering-Genetics-in-La-Agriculture/
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