Category Archives: Genetic Engineering

My science genetic engineering project
Created using PowToon -- Free sign up at http://www.powtoon.com/join -- Create animated videos and animated presentations for free. PowToon is a free tool...

By: Casey Rho

The rest is here:
My science genetic engineering project - Video

2 hours ago

The principle of adaptationthe gradual modification of a species' structures and featuresis one of the pillars of evolution. While there exists ample evidence to support the slow, ongoing process that alters the genetic makeup of a species, scientists could only suspect that there were also organisms capable of transforming themselves ad hoc to adjust to changing conditions.

Now a new study published in eLife by Dr. Eli Eisenberg of Tel Aviv University's Department of Physics and Sagol School of Neuroscience, in collaboration with Dr. Joshua J. Rosenthal of the University of Puerto Rico, showcases the first example of an animal editing its own genetic makeup on-the-fly to modify most of its proteins, enabling adjustments to its immediate surroundings. The research, conducted in part by TAU graduate student Shahar Alon, explored RNA editing in the Doryteuthis pealieii squid.

"We have demonstrated that RNA editing is a major player in genetic information processing rather than an exception to the rule," said Dr. Eisenberg. "By showing that the squid's RNA-editing dramatically reshaped its entire proteomethe entire set of proteins expressed by a genome, cell, tissue, or organism at a certain timewe proved that an organism's self-editing of mRNA is a critical evolutionary and adaptive force." This demonstration, he said, may have implications for human diseases as well.

Using the genetic red pencil

RNA is a copy of the genetic code that is translated into protein. But the RNA "transcript" can be edited before being translated into protein, paving the way for different versions of proteins. Abnormal RNA editing in humans has been observed in patients with neurological diseases. The changing physiological appearance of squid and octopuses over their lifetime and across different habitats has suggested extensive recoding might occur in these species. However, this could never be confirmed, as their genomes (and those of most species) have never been sequenced.

For the purpose of the new study, the researchers extracted both DNA and RNA from squid. Harnessing DNA sequencing and computational analyses at TAU, the team compared the RNA and DNA sequences to observe differences. The sequences in which the RNA and DNA did not match up were identified as "edited."

"It was astonishing to find that 60 percent of the squid RNA transcripts were edited. The fruit fly, for the sake of comparison, is thought to edit only 3% of its makeup," said Dr. Eisenberg. "Why do squid edit to such an extent? One theory is that they have an extremely complex nervous system, exhibiting behavioral sophistication unusual for invertebrates. They may also utilize this mechanism to respond to changing temperatures and other environmental parameters."

"Misfolding" the proteins

The researchers hope to use this approach to identify recoding sites in other organisms whose genomes have not been sequenced.

Read the rest here:
Squid recode their genetic make-up on-the-fly to adjust to their surroundings

Genetic Engineering Presentation

By: Lynna Chankheo

Go here to read the rest:
Genetic Engineering Presentation - Video

Bridges Middle School Student Explains Genetic Engineering

By: BridgesAcademy2E

Continue reading here:
Bridges Middle School Student Explains Genetic Engineering - Video

Light-activated genes might be precisely controlled and targeted

By Ken Kingery

Duke University researchers have devised a method to activate genes in any specific location or pattern in a lab dish with the flip of a light switch by crossing a bacteriums viral defense system with a flowers response to sunlight.

With the ability to use light to activate genes in specific locations, researchers can better study genes functions, create complex systems for growing tissue, and perhaps eventually realize science-fiction-like healing technologies.

The study was led by Charles Gersbach, assistant professor of biomedical engineering at Duke University, and published on February 9 in Nature Chemical Biology.

Researchers demonstrate their new technique to control genes by shining light through a Duke D stencil to turn on fluorescent genes in cells.

The new technique targets specific genes using an emerging genetic engineering system called CRISPR/Cas9. Discovered as the system bacteria use to identify viral invaders and slice up their DNA, the system was co-opted by researchers to precisely target specific genetic sequences.

The Duke scientists then turned to another branch of the evolutionary tree to make the system light-activated.

In many plants, two proteins lock together in the presence of light, allowing plants to sense the length of day which determines biological functions like flowering. By attaching the CRISPR/Cas9 system to one of these proteins and gene-activating proteins to the other, the team was able to turn several different genes on or off just by shining blue light on the cells.

Charles Gersbach

Go here to read the rest:
Lighting Up the Duke 'D' With Genes

Alien #39;s Documentary of Mankind #39;s Creation from Alien Genetic Engineering
Alien #39;s Documentary of Mankind #39;s Creation from Alien Genetic Engineering, Full Documentary of Mankind #39;s Creation from Alien Genetic Engineering, The new planet, planet X, ufo, mysterious natural...

By: DISCOVER SCIENCE

Excerpt from:
Alien's Documentary of Mankind's Creation from Alien Genetic Engineering - Video

Genetic Engineering cDNA
FM - .

By: Gyanvani Sangamam

Excerpt from:
Genetic Engineering cDNA - Video

I would like to start this Topic with a discussion on the contents of the ancient Sumerian Tablets where genetic engineering experiments were done:

1. to create humans or human-like species (Neanderthals) through mixing human gene with the apeman's gene, and

2. to alter the features of humans.

Through this discussion, we can evaluate the possibilities of whether ancient genetic engineering experiments may have been responsible for some of the weird looking bones, which had been found and which are being considered as evidences of evolution.

But before I start a discussion on the contents of the Sumerian Tablets, I am going to explain a little about the contents of the ancient Sumerian Tablets here, so that the reader will understand why I am using the Sumerian Tablets in my discussion here. Then, I will connect the genetic engineering experiments, and other contents in the Sumerian Tablets, to the Neanderthals and Cro Magnons. Then, I will be discussing the following:

1. the possibilities of evolution of the apeman to the present day man

2. how the Replitians had paved the way for ET and evolution believers (just as they had paved the way for Buddha, Abraham, Christ, and Mohammad).

3. the possibilities of ancient genetic engineering experiments that may have created and / or aggravated the Rh negative blood situation (I will be connecting the Cro Magnons to this discussion relating to the Rh negative blood; and I will also be discussing the elongated skulls, giants etc).

I will be discussing the Sumerian Tablets later, in another Topic, so as to give explanations on the story in the Sumerian Tablet. So I am not going to explain, the contents of the Sumerian Tablets, to a great extent here.

You will be able to read the translations of the contents of the Sumerian Tablets (in videos), through the link:

Originally posted here:
Evolution, the Creation Theory or Genetic Engineering ...

Genetically engineered crops: Something to be feared or something to be encouraged?

Two Penn State professors presented the pro side of the genetic-engineering debate at the Fogelsville Volunteer Fire Company Thursday night as part of state Rep. Gary Day's (R-Lehigh/Berks) annual Agricultural Town Hall Meeting.

About 60 constituents, many of them local farmers, turned out for the meeting and sandwich buffet.

Before introducing the speakers, Day said the 187th District he represents, which includes Upper Macungie Township, was predominantly agricultural but has shifted as farming has given way to residential and commercial development.

He said the topic of Thursday's informational meeting, traditionally referred to in his office as "Farmers' Night," surfaced when he visited his alma mater to learn more about Penn State's work with genetically modified organisms (GMOs).

GMOs are organisms that have been altered to produce specific characteristics such as cold tolerance or pesticide resistance in plants by extracting genes responsible for certain traits from the DNA strands of one organism and inserting them into another.

"You rely on your university to give you the facts so you can make decisions," Day said in introducing Richard Roush, the new dean of Penn State's College of Agricultural Sciences, and Troy Ott, a reproductive biologist in Penn State's Animal Science Department.

Roush said genetic engineering is not that much different from traditional plant and animal breeding where you select for a desired trait, it's just faster.

"Genetic engineering uses proteins found in the natural world to edit, copy and paste DNA," he said, adding that the evolving technique has the benefit over traditional breeding of being more specific and more rapid.

Restrictions on GMOs vary across the globe. Many European countries are restrictive with regard to growing GMOs but are more relaxed about importing them.

The rest is here:
At Farmers Night, Penn State experts give props to genetically engineered crops

During the latter stage stages of the 20th century, man harnessed the power of the atom, and not long after, soon realised the power of genes. Genetic engineering is going to become a very mainstream part of our lives sooner or later, because there are so many possibilities advantages (and disadvantages) involved. Here are just some of the advantages :

Of course there are two sides to the coin, here are some possible eventualities and disadvantages.

Genetic engineering may be one of the greatest breakthroughs in recent history alongside the discovery of the atom and space flight, however, with the above eventualities and facts above in hand, governments have produced legislation to control what sort of experiments are done involving genetic engineering. In the UK there are strict laws prohibiting any experiments involving the cloning of humans. However, over the years here are some of the experimental 'breakthroughs' made possible by genetic engineering.

Genetic engineering has been impossible until recent times due to the complex and microscopic nature of DNA and its component nucleotides. Through progressive studies, more and more in this area is being made possible, with the above examples only showing some of the potential that genetic engineering shows.

For us to understand chromosomes and DNA more clearly, they can be mapped for future reference. More simplistic organisms such as fruit fly (Drosophila) have been chromosome mapped due to their simplistic nature meaning they will require less genes to operate. At present, a task named the Human Genome Project is mapping the human genome, and should be completed in the next ten years.

The process of genetic engineering involves splicing an area of a chromosome, a gene, that controls a certain characteristic of the body. The enzyme endonuclease is used to split a DNA sequence and split the gene from the rest of the chromosome. For example, this gene may be programmed to produce an antiviral protein. This gene is removed and can be placed into another organism. For example, it can be placed into a bacteria, where it is sealed into the DNA chain using ligase. When the chromosome is once again sealed, the bacteria is now effectively re-programmed to replicate this new antiviral protein. The bacteria can continue to live a healthy life, though genetic engineering and human intervention has actively manipulated what the bacteria actually is. No doubt there are advantages and disadvantages, and this whole subject area will become more prominent over time.

The next page returns the more natural circumstances of genetic diversity.

The rest is here:
Genetic Engineering Advantages & Disadvantages - Biology ...