Genetic engineering
Genetic engineering is a field of biotechnology that involves the direct manipulation of an organism's genes using biotechnology. It is a set of technologies used to change the genetic makeup of cells, including the transfer of genes within and across species boundaries to produce improved or novel organisms.
History[edit | edit source]
The term genetic engineering was first coined by Jack Williamson in his science fiction novel Dragon's Island, published in 1951. The discovery of DNA by James Watson and Francis Crick in 1953, and the development of recombinant DNA technology in the 1970s, paved the way for practical genetic engineering.
Techniques[edit | edit source]
Genetic engineering techniques have been applied in numerous fields including research, agriculture, industrial biotechnology, and medicine. Techniques include the selective breeding of plants and animals, hybridization (crossing different strains to produce hybrids), mutation breeding (exposing seeds to chemicals or radiation), and more recently, molecular breeding such as marker assisted selection and genetic transformation.
Applications[edit | edit source]
Genetic engineering has numerous applications. These include the creation of genetically modified organisms (GMOs), gene therapy, and cloning. In agriculture, genetic engineering has been used to increase crop yields, improve nutritional quality, and enhance resistance to pests and diseases.
Ethical issues[edit | edit source]
The use of genetic engineering has raised numerous ethical issues, including concerns about the safety of GMOs, the potential for genetic discrimination, and the moral and ethical implications of altering the genetic makeup of organisms.
See also[edit | edit source]
References[edit | edit source]
External links[edit | edit source]
| Genetic engineering Resources | |
|---|---|
|
 |
Search WikiMD
Ad.Tired of being Overweight? Try W8MD's physician weight loss program.
Semaglutide (Ozempic / Wegovy and Tirzepatide (Mounjaro / Zepbound) available.
Advertise on WikiMD
|
WikiMD's Wellness Encyclopedia |
| Let Food Be Thy Medicine Medicine Thy Food - Hippocrates |
Translate this page: - East Asian
中文,
日本,
한국어,
South Asian
हिन्दी,
தமிழ்,
తెలుగు,
Urdu,
ಕನ್ನಡ,
Southeast Asian
Indonesian,
Vietnamese,
Thai,
မြန်မာဘာသာ,
বাংলা
European
español,
Deutsch,
français,
Greek,
português do Brasil,
polski,
română,
русский,
Nederlands,
norsk,
svenska,
suomi,
Italian
Middle Eastern & African
عربى,
Turkish,
Persian,
Hebrew,
Afrikaans,
isiZulu,
Kiswahili,
Other
Bulgarian,
Hungarian,
Czech,
Swedish,
മലയാളം,
मराठी,
ਪੰਜਾਬੀ,
ગુજરાતી,
Portuguese,
Ukrainian
Medical Disclaimer: WikiMD is not a substitute for professional medical advice. The information on WikiMD is provided as an information resource only, may be incorrect, outdated or misleading, and is not to be used or relied on for any diagnostic or treatment purposes. Please consult your health care provider before making any healthcare decisions or for guidance about a specific medical condition. WikiMD expressly disclaims responsibility, and shall have no liability, for any damages, loss, injury, or liability whatsoever suffered as a result of your reliance on the information contained in this site. By visiting this site you agree to the foregoing terms and conditions, which may from time to time be changed or supplemented by WikiMD. If you do not agree to the foregoing terms and conditions, you should not enter or use this site. See full disclaimer.
Credits:Most images are courtesy of Wikimedia commons, and templates Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY SA or similar.
Contributors: Prab R. Tumpati, MD
