Question
Can you explain, in layman's terms, how you genetically alter a seed?
Can you please explain, in layman's terms, how you 'genetically' alter a seed? What exactly does that mean? How does it change the structure?
Submitted by: WillingToListen
Answer
Expert response from Community Manager
Moderator for GMOAnswers.com
Friday, 06/12/2013 13:57
Kevin Folta, chairman and associate professor in the horticultural sciences department at University of Florida, recently answered the question, “Can you describe in detail the process by which genes are altered in foods?” His response, available here, includes an infographic that depicts the different methods of plant breeding. An excerpt from his response is also included below:
“The process of genetic engineering is a more precise method of genetic modification. Only one gene, or maybe a few genes, are needed to achieve the desired trait and are transferred from one organism to another. The difference between traditional breeding and genetic engineering is illustrated in the picture below from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. In popular culture, genetic engineering has become synonymous with genetic modification, and an organism that has been genetic engineered is often referred to as a genetically engineered organism, or GMO. The technical term is ‘transgenic.’
“For over 40 years, scientists have been able to cut DNA and paste it into a new context. Transgenic plants rely on scientists identifying and amplifying the gene of interest and then inserting it into Agrobacterium, a bacterial species that makes natural genetic exchanges with plants. Scientists have disarmed Agrobacterium to work for them. The lab strains of Agrobacterium (usually referred to as simply ‘Agro’) can deposit DNA into a plant cell. Scientists place the gene of interest into Agro and incubate it with plant tissues. Agro places the DNA into one cell, and then it is integrated into the genome. The one cell can be placed into media where it will divide into a clump called a callus, a blob of generic cells.”
To learn more about how GMOs are created, check out this video in our Explore the Basics section, which describes the development of the GM Hawaiian papaya. You might also be interested in viewing the Seattle Times’s informative infographic outlining the ‘ABCs of GMOs.’
If you have additional questions after reviewing these resources, please ask.
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