What Is Genetic Engineering?

Genetic engineering is a term used to describe creating a baby which has been created in such a way that it is 'free' from any genetic defects.  

The phrase genetic engineering first came to general use, after the second World War, although as a concept it had been widely embraced by both left wing and right wing political theories.  Hitler had however, brought the issue into prominence through his belief in the purity of the Aryan race.  He believed that it should be possible to 'breed' people who had no 'defects' or disabilities.  They would then become the Aryan Supermensch (Superior people) who would take over the world.

Recently genetic engineering has become a hotly debated topic as medical advances etc may make it possible for stem cells to be used to eradicate genetic disorders and some pregnancies are terminated if the foetus is found to have a genetic disorder, which leads some people to protest that we are living in an age of genetic engineering.

Genetic Engineering is when the natural course of heredity is inferred with by any breeding program, but true genetic engineering direct manipulation of genetic material by biochemical techniques. This is often achieved by introduction of new DNA, ordinarily by means of an infecting virus. This transplantation of genes is used to increase our knowledge of cell function and reproduction, but it can also achieve practical ends.

However, there is a risk that when transplanting genes between different types of bacteria like Escherichia coli which lives in the human intestine and harmful bacteria might be produced, which on escape from laboratory , might start an uncontrollable epidemic.

Bacteria, in nature are produced by certain types of asexual reproduction, for example, the plants which produce almost genetically identical plants whereas higher animals normally reproduce sexually as a result of which their offspring inherit only half of each parent's genes. Interest in generating clones of higher plants and animals has centered on the economic value of perpetuating particularly successful varieties or breeds.

Genetic Engineering is relatively new subject and has enormous research potential in it and demands a very high class research because its uses are widespread and can relatively a new revolution in the field of medicine specially.

A gene is a small segment of the DNA that contributes to the development of certain characteristics in our bodies.

Genetic engineering is a technique used to move genes from one organism to another. Individual genes may be cut off from the cells of one living thing and inserted into the cells of another living thing of same or different species. Usually a bacterial plasmid is used to transfer the gene.  The transferred gene can express itself in the genetically engineered organism.  

Genetic engineers have successfully transferred the gene that makes insulin from human to bacterial cell. This gene causes the bacteria to produce insulin. It should be noted that bacteria do not normally produce insulin. The insulin produced as a result of genetic engineering is exactly the same as ordinary human insulin.

The advantage of this technique is that, like all micro organisms, the genetically engineered insulin producing bacteria multiply rapidly into large populations. Thus the gene product (in this case insulin) is produced in sizeable quantities.  Drug manufacturers use these bacteria for commercial production of insulin which is used for the treatment of diabetic patients.  

Genetic engineering has wide applications in agriculture, chemical and drug industries and medicine.