The direct modification of an organism's genome by inserting a gene from another organism (or a modified gene) to give it a new or altered characteristic. The resulting organism is called a genetically modified (GM) organism.

How is insulin produced using genetic engineering?

The human insulin gene is inserted into bacterial plasmids. The bacteria are grown in large fermenters and produce human insulin protein. This insulin is then purified for use by diabetics. Before this, pig or cow insulin (slightly different) was used.

Sample Questions

Which of the following is a benefit of genetic engineering?

A. It can only be used for humans
B. It can introduce new traits into an organism by modifying its DNA sequence
C. It is expensive and time-consuming due to the complexity of genome manipulation
D. It only works for plants, not animals or microorganisms

2 marksfoundation

A genetic engineer uses a gene from one organism to introduce a desirable characteristic into another organism. This process is an example of which type of genetic engineering?

3 marksstandard

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