Gene technology is the term given to a range of activities concerned with understanding
how genes are expressed, taking advantage of natural genetic variation,
modifying genes, and transferring genes to new hosts.
There are many forms of gene technology. This video will take a closer look at genetic engineering,
vaccines, gene therapy, and gene testing. You may know how human genes are transferred
to host bacterial cells, which then produce large amounts of substances humans require,
such as hormones like insulin. This is a form of gene technology called genetic engineering.
GM crops are also an example of genetic engineering, whereby inserting genes from one organism
into another can give a crop plant an added advantage, such as
increased nutritional value, resistance to pests,
resistance to drought, resistance to fungi and bacteria that cause
rotting and decay, thus making the crop food last longer.
All these advantages increase food security, which is very important and beneficial given
the increase in the human population.Let’s now discover some other examples of gene technology.
As you find out more about these gene technologies, think about ethical considerations involved
with the application of these technologies.Vaccines prevent hundreds of potentially fatal diseases,
such as measles, smallpox, chicken pox, hepatitis B, tuberculosis and influenza. So, how do vaccines work? Vaccines contain inactive particles of viral
Vaccines contain inactive particles of viral coats,
which contain proteins called antigens, specific to the virus itself.
When the vaccine is injected into the body, the immune system immediately produces antibodies
against the antigen proteins on these viral particles. If the person comes into contact
with the actual virus, the body is already prepared to fight the infection with its antibodies.
This all sounds great, however, there are problems associated with the distribution
of vaccines, especially in developing countries. Vaccines are expensive and need to be stored
at low temperatures as they will be destroyed by heat.The solution? enter edible vaccines!
Scientists can inject an altered form of a virus into a plant, such as a young banana
plant. As the plant grows, its cells produce the virus proteins — but not the infectious
part of the virus. When people eat a genetically engineered banana, which is full of virus
protein, their immune systems build up antibodies to fight the disease — just like a traditional
vaccine.Another form of gene technology is called gene therapy. Gene therapy can also
be used to block or ‘switch-off’ a gene that is causing cells to malfunction, for
example in some forms of cancer. Gene therapy is when DNA is introduced into
a patient to treat a genetic disease. If a particular gene has mutated, causing a genetic
disorder, such as cystic fibrosis, new DNA containing a functioning gene is introduced
to correct the effects of the disease-causing mutation.
Gene therapy can also be used to block or ‘switch-off’ a gene that is causing cells
to malfunction, for example in some forms of cancer.
Gene therapy can even be used to kill cells that are diseased. In gene therapy, the new
genes are introduced into the cells via a vector, which is usually a non-harmful virus
that carries the gene into the patient’s cells directly.Genetic testing is a form of
gene technology that is done if a genetic disorder is suspected. If you have symptoms
of a genetic disease, genetic testing can confirm if you have the suspected disorder.
For example, genetic testing may be used to confirm a diagnosis of cystic fibrosis or
Huntington's disease.Genetic testing can also be done if you have a family history of a
genetic condition — such as sickle cell anemia or cystic fibrosis — or you're in
an ethnic group that has a high risk of a specific genetic disorder.
If you're pregnant, tests can detect some types of abnormalities in your baby's genes.
Down’s syndrome and trisomy 18 syndrome are two genetic disorders that are often screened
for as part of prenatal genetic testing.All forms of gene technology exist to benefit
humans: by preventing and curing diseases and ensuring food security. However, there
are potential issues that exist with any form of genetic modification.
Here are some questions to get you thinking about the ethics of gene technology: what
is right and what is not ethical. In genetic engineering, could inserted genes
spread to non-GM plants in the wild, thus endangering biodiversity.
Could farmers be forced to buy expensive genetically engineered seed, when they have traditionally
kept some seed to plant the next season? Is it moral to modify genomes? Some people
believe that it is ethically wrong to move genes between different species.
In terms of gene therapy, who decides which conditions require treatment? It could be
tempting to also 'cure' conditions like baldness and obesity. This would be improvement, not
treatment. The technology could be misused. In the future,
'superhuman' soldiers with certain physical and intellectual characteristics could be
created. These individuals would have no say in this. Would this be ethical?
Some people believe it is not ethical to interfere with genes and individual species, particularly
humans, in this way. In most countries, laws exist to control the
use of gene technology. For example, most countries ban the editing or modification
of genes in human embryos. These are all ethical issues that need to
be carefully resolved, legally and morally. Remember: science provides the technology,
but humans must decide how that technology is used.