BIOTECHNOLOGY

Group 6
 At the end of the chapter, students
should be able to:
• Determine the interrelatedness of society, the environment,
and health.
• Explain the process of genetic engineering.
• Discuss the ethics, implications, and potential future impacts
of GMOs.
 FROM THE EARLY TIMES, WHEN ANCIENT PHILOSOPHERS OF
NATURE TRIED TO EXPLAIN ALL THINGS AS COMING FROM THE
ELMENTS OF WATER, FIRE, AIR OR EARTH

SCIENCE SOUGHT FOR THE COMMON CHARACTERISTIC, A

UNIFYING ELEMENT, IN ALL OF NATURE'S MANY PHENOΜΕΝΑ

THERE WAS A GROWING AWARENESS OF HOW ALL LIVING

THINGS ARE RELATED TO EACH OTHER AN IDEA CALLED
BIODIVERSITY
ΤΑΧΟΝΟΜY USED TO CLASSIFY
ORGANISMS IN THE NATURAL
WORLD

IT IS THE HIERARCHICAL
SYSTEM OF CLASSIFYING AND
NAMING ORGANISMS
CARL LINNAEUS
STILL USED TODAY IN THE BIO SCIENCES. IT BUILDS ON THE ABILITY OF THE
MIND TO FIND THE COMMON IN THE DIVERSE, THE ONE IN THE MANY. IT IS A
SYSTEM COMMONLY USED TODAY & SHOWS THAT THOUGH THE LIVING
ORGANISMS IN THE WQORLD ARE SO DIVERSE, THEY STILL SHARE MANY
TRAITS
THE 2010 INTERNATIONAL YEAR OF
BIODIVERSITY (STEFFEN THORSEN)
In 2010, the United Nations (UN) declared the year as the International Year of
Biodiversity, the International Year for the Rapprochement of Cultures, and the
International Year of Youth. Biodiversity, or biological diversity, refers to the variety of life
on Earth and the natural patterns it creates. It is commonly understood in terms of the
variety of plants, animals, and microorganisms, with approximately 1.75 million species
identified, mostly small creatures like insects. Some scientists estimate that there are
around 13 million species, though the range of estimates varies from 3 to 100 million. The
decline of biodiversity poses a threat to food supplies, recreational and tourism
opportunities, as well as essential resources such as wood, medicine, and energy. It also
disrupts vital ecological processes. On December 20, 2006, the UN General Assembly
designated 2010 as the International Year of Biodiversity and assigned the Secretariat of
the Convention on Biological Diversity as the main coordinating body for the event. The
Assembly encouraged the Secretariat to collaborate with other UN organizations,
environmental agreements, and groups to raise international awareness about the
ongoing loss of biodiversity. The goal of the International Year of Biodiversity was to
increase understanding of its significance and promote global actions to preserve
biodiversity. Various partners have pledged to participate in or organize activities and
projects throughout the year-long initiative.
 BIOTECHNOLOGY

THE BIODIVERSITY AIMS TO HELP

INTERNATIONAL HAS PROFESSIONALS IN
RELEASED A MODULE MANAGING,
TITLED "LAW AND POLICY CONSERVING, AND USING
OF RELEVANCE TO THE PLANT GENETIC
MANAGEMENT OF PLANT RESOURCES FOR FOOD
GENETIC RESOURCES" AND AGRICULTURE
 THE MODULE PROVIDES THE
FOLLOWING DEFINITIONS

BIOTECHNOLOGY USES
GENETIC ENGINEERING A
BIOLOGICAL SYSTEMS, LIVING
TECHNIQUE THAT ALLOWS GENES
ORGANISMS OR DERIVATIVES
AND DNA TO BE TRANSFERRED FROM
THEREOF, TO MAKE OR MODIFY
ONE SOURCE TO ANOTHER IT LEADS
PRODUCTS OR PROCESSES FOR A
TO THE PRODUCTION OF LIVING
SPECIFIC USE
MODIFIED ORGANISMS (LMO) OR
GENETICALLY MODIFIED
ORGANISM(GMO)
MODERN BIOTECHNOLOGY
GIVES SCIENTISTS MOLECULAR TOOLS FOR
OBTAINING A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF
THE STRUCTURE AND FUNCTION OF GENES
IN LIVNG ORGANISM

PAVES THE WAY FOR NEW DEVELOPMENTS ON FOOD AND AGRICULTURE. IT AIMS TO
DEVELOP NEW PRECISION TOOLS & DIAGNOSTICS, SPEED UP BREEDING GAIN
AND EFFICIENCY; DEVELOP PEST & DISEASE-RESISTANT CROPS COMBAT
SALINITY, DROUGHT & PROBLEMS F AGRICULTURE, ENHANCE THE NUTRITIONAL
QUALITY OF FOOD, INCREASE CROP VARIETIES AND CHOICE, REDUCE INPUTS &
PRODUCTION COSTS. INCREASE PROFIT.
GENETICALLY MODIFIED ORGANISMS

BASED ON EVOLUTIONARY THEORY, THE CONCEPT OF THE

SURVIVAL OF THE FITTEST IMPLIES THAT LIVING ORGANISMS
HAVE A NATURAL SPECTRUM OF CHARACTERISTICS SUCH AS
SIZE, MASS OR LENGTH

THE CHARACTERISTICS OF AN ORGANISM AND ITS SUCCESSORS

CAN BE MODIFIED TODAY BY A MODERN TECHNOLOGY, GIVING
RISE TO WHAT ARE CALLED GENETICALLY MODIFIED ORGANISMS
OR GMOs.
A GMO IS A PLANT, ANIMAL, MICROORGANISM OR OTHER ORGANISM WHOSE GENETIC
MAKE UP HAS BEEN MODIFIED USING RECOMBINANT DNA METHODS (GENE
SPLICING), GENE MODIFICATION OR TRANSGENIC TECHNOLOGY.

IT IS THE RESULT OF A LABORATORY PROCESS WHERE GENES FROM THE DNA OF

ONE SPECIES, ARE EXTRACTED AND ARTIFICIALLY INSERTED INTO THE GENES OF AN
UNRELATED PLANT OR ANIMAL ALSO CALLED GENETIC ENGINEERING (GE) OR
GENETIC MODIFICATION (GM). BECAUSE THIS PROCESS INVOLVES THE TRANSFER OF
GENES,GMOs ARE ALSO KNOWN AS TRANSGENIC ORGANISMS

GENETIC MODIFICATION AIMS TO ADDRESS ISSUES WITH REGARD TO FOOD

SECURITY, AGRICULTURE, DRUG PRODUCTION AND NUTRITION
 GENETIC MODIFICATION
THE INFORMATION ABOUT THE MICROBE AND ITS REPRODUCTION MECHANISM
ARE CONTAINED IN ITS GENE STRUCTURE
1.IDENTIFICATION OF THE DESIRED TRAIT FROM ANOTHER ORGANISM. A GENE
CONTAINING THIS TRAIT IS FIRST ISOLATED AND REPLICATED
2.INSERTION OF THE TRAIT HAPPENS WHAT IS BEING TRANSFERRED FROM ONE
ORGANISM TO ANOTHER IS NOT THE WHOLE GENE BUT ONLY SECTIONS OF THE GENE
THAT CARRY THE PARTICULAR CHARACTERISTIC THAT WILL BE INTEGRATED INTO THE
ADULT ORGANISM. AFTER THE SUCCESSFUL INSERTION, THE MODIFIED ORGANISM
SHOULD BE ABLE TO GROW AND REPLICATE
 RECOMBINANT DNA TECHNOLOGY
THE NEEDED INFORMATION FOR AN ORGANISM CAN BE BORROWED FROM ANOTHER. IT
MEANS THAT A FARMER CAN DESIGN AN ORGANISM TO HAVE THE CHARACTERISTICS
NECESSARY TO ADDRESS PARTICULAR ISSUE
FOR EXAMPLE A FARMER MAY WANT THE CROPS TO HAVE LESS CHANCE OF GETTING
BRUISED DUE TO ROUGH HANDLING. IF AN ORGANISM CONTAINING A GENE THAT PREVENTS
BRUISING IN THE MATURE FRUIT COULD BE FOUND, THEN THIS CHARACTERISTIC COULD
THEN BE USED TO MODIFY THE CROPS THROUGH THE PROCESS OF RECOMBINANT GENE
TECHNOLOGY
• BECAUSE GMOS ARE NOVEL LIFE FORMS, BIOTECHNOLOGY COMPANIES
WERE ABLE TO OBTAIN PATENTS WHICH RESTRICT THEIR USE. SOME
COMPANIES THAT MAKE GMOS COULD HAVE THE POWER TO SUE FARMERS
WHOSE FIELDS ARE CONTAMINATED WITH THESE ORGANISMS, EVEN WHEN
IT IS THE RESULT OF INEVITABLE DRIFTING FROM NEIGHBORING FIELDS.
THEREFORE,GMOS MAY POSE A SERIOUS THREAT TO FARMER
SOVEREIGNTY AND TO THE FOOD SECURITY OF A COUNTRY.
• THE PROMISE OF A BETTER FOOD THAT IS MORE RESISTANT TO SPOILAGE,
PEST INVASIVENESS AND HARSH WEATHER CONDITIONS HAS MADE
TRANSGENIC CROPS ENTICING TO MANY PEOPLE.
• IT IS A TRULY DEBATABLE TOPIC FOR THE PEOPLE OF THE 21ST CENTURY,
GIVEN THE PROMISE OF THIS TECHNOLOGY AND YET THE FACT THAT IT IS
VERY NEW
• SHOULD IT BE EMBRACED AS A SAVING GRACE OR IS IT TO BE FEARED AS A
POSSIBLE THREAT TO A SUSTAINABLE FOOD SUPPLY?
CARTAGENA PROTOCOL ON BIOSAFETY
THIS PROTOCOL IS AN INTERNATIONAL AGREEMENT WHICH AIMS TO
ENSURE THE SAFE HANDLING, TRANSPORT AND USE OF LIVING MODIFIED
ORGANISMS (LMOS) RESULTING FROM MODERN BIOTECHNOLOGY THAT
MAY HAVE ADVERSE EDDECTS ON BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY, TAKING ALSO
INTO ACCOUNT RISKS TO HUMAN HEALTH.
IT TAKES A PRECAUTIONARY APPROACH BY MAKING SURE THAT
COUNTRIES ARE PROVIDED WITH THE DATA NECESSARY TO MAKE
INFORMED DECISIONS BEFORE AGREEING TO THE IMPORT OF SUCH
ORGANISMS INTO THEIR TERRITORY
THE PHILIPPINES RECOGNIZES THE TECHNOLOGIES THAT CAN BE OF
PARTICULAR HELP FOR IT'S DEVELOPMENT. SINCE THE PHILIPPINES IS
ONE OF THE BIODIVERSITY "HOTSPOTS" IN THE WORLD, IT IS HELPFUL TO
KNOW HOW BIOTECHNOLOGY WILL PROGRESS IN THE COUNTRY
 GENETICALLY MODIFIED GOLDEN RICE
FALLS SHORT ON LIFESAVING PROMISES
(GERRY EVERDING)
HERALDED ON THE COVER OF TIME MAGAZINE IN 2000 AS A GENETICALLY MODIFIED (GMO)
CROP WITH THE POTENTIAL TO SAVE MILLIONS OF LIVES IN THE THIRD WORLD, GOLDEN
RICE IS STILL YEARS AWAY FROM FIELD INTRODUCTION AND EVEN THEN, MAY FALL SHORT
OF LOFTY HEALTH BENEFITS STILL CITED REGULARLY BY GMO ADVOCATES, SUGGESTS A
NEW STUDY FROM WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY IN ST.LOUIS.
"GOLDEN RICE IS STILL NOT READY FOR THE MARKET BUT WE FIND LITTLE SUPPORT FOR
THE COMMON CLAIM THAT ENVIRONMENTAL ACTIVIST ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR STALLING ITS
INTRODUCTION.GMO OPPONENTS HAVE NOT BEEN THE PROBLEM" SAID LEAD AUTHOR
GLENN STONE..
 FIRST CONCEIVED IN THE 1980s AND A FOCUS OF RESEARCH SINCE 1992. GOLDEN
RICE HAS BEEN A LIGHTNING ROD IN THE BATTLE OVER GENETICALLY MODIFIED
CROPS. GMO ADVOCATES HAVE LONG TOUTED THE INNOVATION AS A PRACTICAL WAY
TO PROVIDE POOR FARMERS IN REMOTE AREAS WITH A SUBSISTENCE CROP CAPABLE
OF ADDING MUCH-NEEDED VITAMIN A TO LOCAL DIETS, A PROBLEM IN MANY POOR
COUNTRIES IN THE GLOBAL SOUTH, VITAMIN A DEFICIENCIES LEAVE MILLIONS AT HIGH
RISK FOR INFECTION, DISEASES AND OTHER MALADIES SUCH AS BLINDNESS. SOME
ANTI GMO GROUPS VIEW GOLDEN RICE AS AN OVER-HYPED TROJAN HORSE THAT
BIOTECHNOLOGY CORPORATIONS AND THEIR ALLIES HOPE WILL PAVE THE WAY FOR
THE GLOBALAPPROVAL OF OTHER MORE PROFITABLE GMO CROPS.
THANKS!