What Are The Applications Of Genetic Engineering?

Genetic engineering is a branch of science and biology in particular that deals with the study of genes and their manipulation to reproduce their functions in alien environments. Most of the applications envisaged by the methods of genetic engineering are still in the preliminary stages and much research and development is needed before they can be brought in to actual practice.

One of the most successful applications of genetic engineering has been the production of gene products like human grade insulin and enzymes used to treat various diseases like cystic fibrosis as well as production of penicillin and human growth hormone; other notable achievements in the field include the synthesis of the bovine growth hormone used to increase milk production and increasing the shelf life of agricultural commodities like tomatoes.

Efforts are on in the realm of plant genetic engineering to produce high yielding and pest resistant crops, vegetables and seasonal fruit bearing trees. However the applications part of genetic engineering involves various ethical issues highlighted in recent times due to theories about the possibility of cloning human beings as part of gene therapy.

Genetic engineering can be defined as a type of engineering science of preparing recombinant DNA in vitro (In an artificial environment outside the living organism) by cutting up DNA molecules and splicing and tying mutually the fragments from two or more than two organisms.

It is very useful as several billion dollar industry is based on it. Pharmaceutical companies manufacture hormones, enzymes and vaccines through it. These products can not be manufactured by some other means. Human insulin for diabetics, human growth hormone for dwarf children, vaccines for hepatitis B and AIDS patients, and human interferon for cancer are successfully made from bacteria. Gene therapy is given to cure patients of hereditary disease like sickle cell anemia and hemophilia. HBA gene is placed in bone marrow cells of sickle cell anemia by vector. The normal HBA gene starts forming its product and the patient becomes normal. Similarly normal gene for factor VIII is incorporated in bone marrow of hemophilic.

Transgenic plants and animals are being made by introducing desired foreign genes into them. Herbicide resistant cotton, soybean, pesticide resistant wheat, virus resistant rice and melon, fungus resistant corn, potatoes and tomatoes with built n insecticide have been made successfully. Transgenic animals are genetically designed to improve meat yield. Today transgenic sheep and goats are secreting human drugs in their milk.