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Genetically Modified Crop Plants

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Gene Therapy: Genetically Modified Crop Plants

Coward

Introduction to Biology - SCI 115

Professor Johnson

March 4, 2014

Genetically modified organisms have become a standard rather than an exception in America. Since their introduction in the 1990’s, genetically modified (GM) products have conquered agriculture in the United States and hold a large share of the food on American’s plates. (Dupont) Everyone has been exposed to it whether they know it or not. According to the US Department of agriculture by 2012, 88 percent of corn and 94 percent of soy grown in the United States were genetically modified. The purpose of this essay is to explain what genetically modified crop plants are, to discuss the social and ethical implications and to provide my personal view point.

Genetically modified organisms (GMOs) are defined as organisms whose genome has been modified as genetic engineering. Transferring a gene from one species to another to provide an organism that is transgenic or a gene that may be altered and reinserted into an individual of the same species are the results of a genetically modified organism. Genes can be introduced into plant cells by way of electric or chemical shocks, by blasting them. The most common GMOs are bacteria and yeast, which have been modified to produce medically important proteins which has benefitted people with diabetes. (Starr, Evers, & Starr, 2013)

GMOs or GM is used to refer to crop plants that are created for animal or human consumption using the latest molecular biology techniques. According to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), GM technology enables plant breeders to bring together in one plant useful genes from a wide range of living sources, not just from the crop species or from closely related plants.

Studies show that genetically modified crops are used

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