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B.2 Biotechnology in agriculture

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Description

Nature of science:
Assessing risks and benefits associated with scientific research—scientists need to evaluate the potential of herbicide resistance genes escaping into the wild population. (4.8)
Understandings:
  • Transgenic organisms produce proteins that were not previously part of their species’ proteome.
  • Genetic modification can be used to overcome environmental resistance to increase crop yields.
  • Genetically modified crop plants can be used to produce novel products.
  • Bioinformatics plays a role in identifying target genes.
  • The target gene is linked to other sequences that control its expression.
  • An open reading frame is a significant length of DNA from a start codon to a stop codon.
  • Marker genes are used to indicate successful uptake.
  • Recombinant DNA must be inserted into the plant cell and taken up by its chromosome or chloroplast DNA.
  • Recombinant DNA can be introduced into whole plants, leaf discs or protoplasts.
  • Recombinant DNA can be introduced by direct physical and chemical methods or indirectly by vectors.
Applications and skills:
  • Application: Use of tumour-inducing (Ti) plasmid of Agrobacterium tumefaciens to introduce glyphosate resistance into soybean crops.
  • Application: Genetic modification of tobacco mosaic virus to allow bulk production of Hepatitis B vaccine in tobacco plants.
  • Application: Production of Amflora potato (Solanum tuberosum) for paper and adhesive industries.
  • Skill: Evaluation of data on the environmental impact of glyphosate-tolerant soybeans.
  • Skill: Identification of an open reading frame (ORF).
Guidance:
  • A significant length of DNA for an open reading frame contains sufficient nucleotides to code for a polypeptide chain.
  • Limit the chemical methods of introducing genes into plants to calcium chloride and liposomes.
  • Limit the physical methods of introducing genes into plants to electroporation, microinjection and biolistics (gunshot).
  • Limit vectors to Agrobacterium tumefaciens and tobacco mosaic virus.
 Utilization:
Syllabus and cross-curricular links:
Biology
Topic 1.5 The origin of cells
Topic 3.5 Genetic modification and biotechnology
Environmental systems and societies
Topic 5.2 Terrestrial food production systems

Aims:
  • Aim 7: Use of bioinformatics to determine sequences to be modified.
  • Aim 8: There are ethical and political implications in the introduction of the genetically modified potato Amflora in Europe.

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