Memory Anchor:

• Super Challenge:

  Stretch:

  Challenge:

Key Questions:

1. What is genetic engineering?
   • Genetic engineering is the process of modifying the genome of an organism by introducing a gene from another organism to give a desired characteristic.
2. What examples are there of genetic engineering in plant crops?
   • An example of genetic engineering is plant crops have been genetically engineered to be resistant to diseases or to produce bigger better fruits.
3. (Biology only) What examples in medicine uses genetically engineered bacteria?
   • (Biology only) Bacterial Cells have been genetically engineered to produce useful substances such as human insulin to treat diabetes.
4. What are the potential benefits and risks of genetic engineering in agriculture and medicine?
   • Some potential benefits of genetic engineering are improving yeild and productivity in crops for growing in harsher climates, giving rise to new potential medicines for hard to cure diseases and the potenital elimination of life threating genetic diseases. Some potential risks of genetic engineering are the introduction of resistant strains of detrimental micro-organism, lowering variation and therefore risking evolution and objections due to organisms becoming unatural and humans having too much power.
5. What occurs within the chromosomes during genetic engineering?
   • Genes from the chromosomes of humans and other organisms can be ?cut out? and transferred to Cells of other organisms.
6. What do we call crops that have genes from other organisms in them?
   • Crops that have had their genes modified in this way are called genetically modified (GM) crops.
7. How does genetic modification increase the longevity of crops?
   • GM crops include ones that are resistant to insect attack or to herbicides.
8. How does genetic modification increase the yield of a crop?
   • GM crops generally show increased yields.
9. What concerns are there about GM crops?
   • Concerns about GM crops include the effect on populations of wild flowers and insects. Some people feel the effects of eating GM crops on human health have not been fully explored.
10. How is genetic modification important in medicine?
    • Modern medical research is exploring the possibility of genetic modification to overcome some inherited disorders.
11. (HT only) What are the steps involved in genetic engineering?
    • (HT only) 1. enzymes are used to isolate the required gene; this gene is inserted into a vector, usually a bacterial plasmid or a virus 2. the vector is used to insert the gene into the required Cells 3. genes are transferred to the Cells of animals, plants or microorganisms at an early stage in their development so that they develop with desired characteristics.