Category Archives: Genetic Engineering

The Indian Express

Genetically-modified mustard gets GEAC nod for cultivation The Indian Express AFTER MONTHS of suspense, a genetically-modified variety of mustard, developed by a Delhi-based institute, has been cleared for commercial cultivation by the country's top regulator on genetically-engineered organisms. The GEAC, or Genetic Engineering ... Be scientific: on taking a call on GM mustard's usageThe Hindu Genetic Engineering Appraisal Committee approves GM Mustard's commercial useNewsPatrolling (press release) (blog) GM mustard gets go-ahead: Scientist Vandana Shiva calls move 'fraud perpetrated on nation'Firstpost Livemint -NewsBytes -Deccan Chronicle -Business Line all 79 news articles »

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Genetically-modified mustard gets GEAC nod for cultivation - The Indian Express

Genetic Engineering Appraisal Committee is the regulator for hereditarily altered harvests has given approval for commercial farming of GM mustard in India.

Genetic Engineering Appraisal Committee submitted a proposal to the Environment Ministry stating positive reference of GM mustard but with certain circumstances.

After the approval of GM Mustard cultivation, it will come closer to be first GM harvest; the GM mustard was developed by Delhi University.

After the approval by regulators, now Environment Ministry has to take a call on it.

The decision is opposed by some groups including Swadeshi Jagran Manch. The group said that commercial use of GM Mustard will influence associated agri-doings.

Genetic Engineering Appraisal Committee works under Environment Ministry and studied a report of a sub-committee established to look into the security viewpoint of the commercial permission for GM mustard. The committee also put circumstances while commending GM Mustards commercial use.

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Genetic Engineering Appraisal Committee approves GM Mustard's commercial use - NewsPatrolling (press release) (blog)

[Dr Swati Puranik, of the Institute of Biological, Environmental and Rural Sciences at Aberystwyth University in the UK] and her collaborators in Kenya and India aim to use conventional genomics-based breeding to come up with varieties of finger millet that contain higher levels of calcium and vitamins, without using genetic engineering.

Professor Paul Christou, from the Department of Crop and Forest Science and Agrotecnico Centre at the University of Lleida in Spain, has genetically engineered maize and rice to boost vitamin A, folic acid and vitamin C, along with a wide spectrum of essential micronutrients.

He sees value in conventional breeding to develop fortified crop varieties, but believes genetic engineering is the only current way to deliver a staple crop that meets the recommended daily amounts of vitamins and minerals simultaneously.

To my mind, in order to be successful in biofortification programmes, you need to address the micronutrient deficiencies in as complete a manner as possible,saidProf. Christou.

Genetically modified (GM) cereal varieties could have a major impact if they are accepted. But Prof. Christou recognises that not everyone is receptive to GM foods, even where they can improve nutrition for hundreds of millions of people.

The GLP aggregated and excerpted this blog/article to reflect the diversity of news, opinion, and analysis. Read full, original post:New strains of staple crops serve up essential vitamins

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If biofortified crops are goal, both genetic engineering and conventional breeding necessary - Genetic Literacy Project

Across channels like PBS Idea Channel, Blank On Blank, and Its Okay To Be Smart, PBS Digital Studios has produced engaging videos about science, philosophy, pop culture, and many other topics in between. Most of those videos run between two and 15 minutes, but now, for the first time, PBSDS is releasing a project that is well outside that range. Its BrainCraft channel is home to Mutant Menu, a 37-minute short film that discusses advancements in genetic engineering.

On BrainCraft, which has more than 350,000 subscribers and over 18 million total views, creator Vanessa Hill leads viewers on an exploration of topics like psychology, neuroscience and why we act the way we do. In Mutant Menu, Hills particular focus is on CRISPR, a tool that allows humans to modify their own genes. The film examines the pros and cons of the technology at its center while also considering the ethical questions CRISPR raises.

Genetic engineering and CRISPR have the potential to save lives and cure disease, but it also comes with risk, said Hill in a press release. My goal with Mutant Menu was to explore all sides of the issue and let viewers come to their own conclusions about this technology.

Mutant Menu was made possible thanks to the support of Google and Screen Australia, who teamed up to fund the film (and Hill, its Aussie creator, in particular) through a joint venture called Skip Ahead. Other channels that have received assistance through that program include The Racka Racka and How To Cook That.

With Mutant Menu out in the open, BrainCraft will return to its regularly scheduled programming. Hill posts new videos to the channel each Thursday.

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PBS Digital Studios Explores Genetic Engineering In Its First-Ever ... - Tubefilter

In the industrialized world the potato is defined as one of a few varieties of tuber crops. But there is tremendous diversity available to be exploited, and potato breeders are folding that into modern germplasm using a variety of methods. Dr. David Douches from Michigan State University describes some of the current efforts in traditional potato breeding. The history of potato improvement is discussed, along with the efforts to introduce genes from wild populations that can improve cultivated varieties. These traits are mostly centered around color, disease resistance and nutrition. We also discuss efforts going on in the broader potato world, using genetic engineering to improve disease resistance and storage, both which could be of benefit to the developing world and the environment.

Dr. Douches program in potato breeding and genetics at MSU can be accessed here.

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Talking Biotech: Genetic engineering's role in breeding more disease resistant and nutritious potatoes - Genetic Literacy Project

by Gretchen Bird, Cody Cook and Garrett Edinger

If you had the ability and unlimited resources, would you prevent Down syndrome among the worlds population? What about if your child had Down syndromewould you then take the initiative to turn off the extra chromosome that causes Down syndrome? Even further, if given the choice, would you select a particular eye color for your child? Hair color? Height? Athletic ability? Natural intelligence? With new technologies, the ability to select for these attributes is a possibility.

Recent advancements in biomedical technologies have brought us new ways of treating disease and improving human lives, some of which are described above. New technologies called CRISPR/Cas9 have made it possible for scientists to edit a humans genetic information in a precise and targeted way; however, these technologies have also raised many ethical concerns.

Matt Atherton explains CRISPR in the International Business Times, CRISPR is a gene-editing tool. It allows scientists to not only examine every single strand of DNA in an embryo, but also adapt them. It is an incredibly efficient and precise mechanism for targeting genes. The basis for the practice comes from bacteria.

With this new biomedical technology, it is possible for us to change the genetic information of a human. The question of whether or not we can edit DNA has been answered. Now we need to ask ourselves, examining our hearts and our motives, to see if we should. Proponents of human gene editing say that it can be used to remove heritable diseases from human genes and prevent congenital disease. Nevertheless, many people feel that editing heritable genes, or the human germline, would be unethical and potentially dangerous.

X-linked hypophosphatemia, or XLH, which results in a form of dwarfism, is one example of a genetic disease that scientists believe could be treated using CRISPR technologies. This would be accomplished by editing the DNA in the sperm and egg cells of parents who carry the genes for the disease. By removing the DNA that codes for the disease using CRISPR, sperm and egg cells from the parents could be produced that no longer code for the disease; these cells could then be used to accomplish in vitro fertilization. The parents would then have an XLH-free baby. Huntingtons disease, azoospermia, and certain inherited forms of cancer are just a few of the many genetic diseases that have been mentioned as potential applications of CRISPR. Theoretically, CRISPR could be used to treat any number of genetic and inherited diseases.

While many people feel that it would be irresponsible for us neglect a technology that has such great power to cure life-altering disease, others feel that it would be dangerous, and might result in a world where gene editing is used for more than treating disease. While many scientists agree that CRISPR could be used to treat disease, it also raises concerns of its less admirable uses. CRISPR could also be used to change aesthetic appearance. Everything from height, to hair color, to eye color, to body size, could be selected for using CRISPR. Moreover, these changes would most likely only be available to the very rich. CRISPR also presents the possibility that genes could be changed in unintended ways that doctors and scientists did not intend, especially if the changes are heritable.

Public opinion about the uses of new genetic modification tools is still much divided. According to an article by Antonio Regalado in MIT Technology Review, 50% of U.S. adults believe that changing a babys genetic characteristics to reduce the risk of serious disease is taking medical advances too far. Eighty-three percentsay it is taking medical advancements too far if it is used to increase a babys intelligence.

Although this technology is still in its infancy, it already presents us with many questions going forward. While it can improve lives, CRISPR could also change the world in ways that would alter society at the most fundamental level. It could create a world in which everyone is genetically modified for inconsequential aesthetic purposes, rather than for the sake of their health. Its effects would be felt far beyond any lab. Real people and real families are at the heart of what CRISPR can do, and we need to remember that it is their lives that would be affected most by this technology. We cannot forget that human dignity and value are defined independently of ones intellect, athleticism, or any other surface quality. As one mother of a child with Down syndrome stated to one of the scientists who helped develop CRISPR, Theres something about him [her child with Down syndrome] thats so special. Hes so loving in a way thats unique to him. I wouldnt change it.

Link:
Genetic Engineering: We Can, But Should We? - Veritas News

Algae can be used for anything. You can grind it into cattle feed or squeeze it into jet fuel. You can even make it into algae butter.

For now, algae-based products remain woefully expensive, but a group of California scientists is working on making them a whole lot cheaper.

Researchers at the University of California San Diego and Sapphire Energy have successfully grown a genetically engineered strain of algae outdoors for the first time. Importantly, the modified strain doesnt hurt native algae populations. Their work appears in a new study in the journal Algal Research.

With genetic engineering, scientists can develop algae that grow faster and ward off deadly bacteria. They can create algae that produce more oilwhich can then be turned into biofuels or biodegradable plastics. Or, they can engineer algae to be more nutritious, whether consumed by livestock or people.

Every single organism that we use today to produce the food, feed and fiber that we use is genetically modified, said Stephen Mayfield, a biologist at UC San Diego and co-author of the study. This is true for both plants and animals. We did that through the process of domestication, in which we selected the mutationsgenetic modificationsthat produced the traits we wanted. That might have been larger ears of corns, or bigger soybean seeds, or even cows that produced milk longer.

Each of those traits was the result of a modified gene, and algae will be exactly the same, he said. In order to make this all happen, we need to domesticate algae, similar to what we did with our crop plants and farm animals. [But] this could take decades and we still might not get what we want.

Genetic engineering would speed up the process, creating strains required to produce the products we need so that we dont have to cut down our last rain forests, or take every fish from the ocean, Mayfield adds. We can produce the fuel and food we need from a sustainable and renewable source.

A cheaper, more productive algae could outcompete terrestrial crops on several fronts. It could be grown in tanks on land that is otherwise unsuitable for farming, in non-potable and even salt-water. Genetically engineered algae has the potential to feed millions as the climate warms placing additional stress on farms in the form of heat, drought and severe storms.

Algae can already grow fast, producing biofuels faster than even the most prolific crops. Also, they take carbon out of the atmosphere, so they dont release new carbon, said Jonathan Shurin, an ecologist at UC San Diego and a study co-author. They have a net-neutral effect.

The series of experimentsfunded by the Department of Energy and monitored by the Environmental Protection Agencytook place over 50 days in huge outdoor tubs with water samples taken from five regional lakes. The scientists cultured strains of Acutodesmus dimorphus and inserted two new genes. The first was a green florescent protein so the algae were visible, and the second caused the algae to increase production of a fatty acid.

The researchers wanted to know if their new strain would spread and harm naturally occurring algae. It did spreadpresumably carried by the wind or by birdsto other tubs, but not very far, Shurin said. He added, we wanted to see if adding the genetically modified strain posed some threat to the native ecosystem, but it did not change the ecology in any way. The scientists plan to conduct additional experiments looking at the effects of weather, seasonal changes and other environmental factors.

The first trial ran only 50 days, so there was little variation, Mayfield said. We also only checked two genes, as we wanted to be very cautious with what we put outside. We need to repeat this test for a longer period of time, and we need to add additional genes to see how they behave under outdoor growth. We simply need a lot more data before we are ready to say that genetically engineered algae are safe and effective. This is step one of that process.

The researchers acknowledge it can be dangerous to tinker with nature, but they believe they are taking all appropriate precautions. Life is risky, and algae are no different than other organisms, Mayfield said. But if we make the right changes, and then carefully measure their properties, we can easily manage the risk and develop the strain we need.

Shurin agreed. The concern is were going to create a monster, he said. [But] algae have been around for billions of years, and theyve had long histories of evolution. If there was a super algae that could take over the world, it would have evolved by now.

Marlene Cimons writes for Nexus Media, a syndicated newswire covering climate, energy, policy, art and culture.

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Genetically modified algae could soon show up in food, fuel, and pharmaceuticals - Popular Science

The last male northern white rhino has seen better days. At the advanced age of 43, arthritic in leg and blind in one eye, Sudan struggles to get around. Since he now finds other rhinos intolerable, he has his enclosure at theOl Petja Conservancyin Kenya all to himself.

Before they were poached near out of existence, northern whites roamed central and eastern AfricaToday just three individuals remain:..the subspecies is considered functionally extinct.

The plan is two-pronged. First, a team of scientists at theLeibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Researchin Germany, along with international specialists, are attempting to grow a northern white embryoin-vitro, using oocytes, or eggs, from the two living females and frozen spermit will be implanted in a surrogate southern white rhino, a sister subspecies, who will carry the northern white calf to term.

So, for step twoTheir aim is to transform skin cells from the living animals and from tissue samples kept in cryonic storage into stem cells. These cells, called induced pluripotent stem cells (iPS), have the capacity to develop into any type of tissue, including eggs and sperm, which could be used to produce gametes.

The GLP aggregated and excerpted this blog/article to reflect the diversity of news, opinion, and analysis. Read full, original post:Genetic engineering could bring the northern white rhino back from extinction

For more background on the Genetic Literacy Project, read GLP on Wikipedia

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'Functionally' extinct northern white rhino could be saved through genetic engineering - Genetic Literacy Project

"During acute infection, HIV actively replicates," explained co-senior study investigator Kamel Khalili, Ph.D., professor and chair of the department of neuroscience at LKSOM. "With EcoHIV mice, we were able to investigate the ability of the CRISPR/Cas9 strategy to block viral replication and potentially prevent systemic infection." The excision efficiency of their strategy reached 96% in EcoHIV mice, providing the first evidence for HIV-1 eradication by prophylactic treatment with a CRISPR/Cas9 system.

In the third animal model, a latent HIV-1 infection was recapitulated in humanized mice engrafted with human immune cells, including T cells, followed by HIV-1 infection. "These animals carry latent HIV in the genomes of human T cells, where the virus can escape detection, Dr. Hu explained. Amazingly, after a single treatment with CRISPR/Cas9, viral fragments were successfully excised from latently infected human cells embedded in mouse tissues and organs.

In all three animal models, the researchers employed a recombinant adeno-associated viral (rAAV) vector delivery system based on a subtype known as AAV-DJ/8. "The AAV-DJ/8 subtype combines multiple serotypes, giving us a broader range of cell targets for the delivery of our CRISPR/Cas9 system," remarked Dr. Hu. Additionally, the researchers re-engineered their previous gene-editing apparatus to now carry a set of four guide RNAs, all designed to efficiently excise integrated HIV-1 DNA from the host cell genome and avoid potential HIV-1 mutational escape.

To determine the success of the strategy, the team measured levels of HIV-1 RNA and used a novel and cleverly designed live bioluminescence imaging system. "The imaging system, developed by Dr. Won-Bin Young while at the University of Pittsburgh, pinpoints the spatial and temporal location of HIV-1-infected cells in the body, allowing us to observe HIV-1 replication in real time and to essentially see HIV-1 reservoirs in latently infected cells and tissues," stated Dr. Khalili.

The researchers were excited by their findings and are optimistic about their next steps. The next stage would be to repeat the study in primates, a more suitable animal model where HIV infection induces disease, in order to further demonstrate the elimination of HIV-1 DNA in latently infected T cells and other sanctuary sites for HIV-1, including brain cells," Dr. Khalili concluded. "Our eventual goal is a clinical trial in human patients."

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CRISPR Eliminates HIV in Live Animals - Genetic Engineering & Biotechnology News

The past few decades have seen an explosion of technologies that make reproduction possible for people same-sex couples, couples struggling with infertility that, in the past, would have gone childless. But have developments like IVF, which allows for surrogacy and embryo selection, created ethical dilemmas that our current laws are unable to deal with?

Authors Tom Ekman and Mary Ann Mason say yes, and in their new book, Babies of Technology: Assisted Reproduction and the Rights of the Child, they argue that its time to update laws to curtail some of the potentially devastating impacts on the children created by these technologies. Ekman spoke with Salons Amanda Marcotte about his concerns.

I love the words brave new world because yes, I think we even use those words in our book. Theres just so many new circumstances brought on with this technology, whether its with the surrogates, with using embryos to determine things like already people are deciding I want a boy or a girl, Ekman said. So girls are popular in California, where you can do sex selection.

Ekman also flagged a new technology created in 2014 called CRISPR/Cas9, which has the potential to allow doctors and scientists to use a cut-and-paste method to rewrite DNA before an embryo is created with it.

You have ethical issues raised by this new genetic engineering technology, which could very quickly bring us to the whole perfect baby scenario, Ekman said, suggesting that CRISPR/Cas9 could even be used to tweak height and skin color or even personality. And I cant think of a greater luxury for the wealthy than having a perfect baby. And most of these services are high end and only available to rich people.

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WATCH: How far is too far? Genetic engineering in babies - Salon