GeneTic MoDificaTion ProCeSs

Genetic modification process, which is part of Food Biotechnology, also known as Genetic engineering, Recombinant DNA technology, and Gene splicing. It can be defined as organisms in which the genetic material (DNA) has been altered in a way that does not occur naturally. The resulting organism is then said to be "genetically modified," "genetically engineered," or "transgenic". This application of biological techniques to food crops, animals and microorganisms involves the isolation, manipulation and reintroduction of DNA into cells or model organisms.

Genetic Modified Organisms are organisms that have genetic material modified outside the organism’s natural reproductive process and is able to multiply itself or to transmit genetic material. The purpose of genetic modification is to introduce new characteristics or attributes physiologically, making a crop resistant to herbicide, introducing a novel trait or improving the present traits, or producing a new protein or enzyme.

GeneticModification/Engineering:
1) DNA Extraction.
This is the first step in genetic modification process. It involves extracting DNA from a desired orgamism.

2) Gene Cloning
During DNA extraction, the entire DNA from the organism is extracted. Gene cloning is used to separate the single gene of interest from the rest of the genes extracted and make copies of it.

3) Gene Design
Once a gene has been cloned, the gene is designed to work inside a different organism. This is done in a test tube by cutting the gene apart with enzymes and replacing gene regions that have been separated.

4) Transformation/ Gene Insertion
Since plants have millions of cells, it would be impossible to insert a copy of the modified gene into every cell. Thus, tissue culture is used to propagate abundance of plant cells called callus, which the new modified gene will be added.

The new gene is inserted into some of the cells using various techniques such as the gene gun, agrobacterium, microfibers, and electroporation. The main objective is to transport the new gene(s) and deliver them into the nucleus of a cell without damaging or killing it. Transformed plant cells are then regenerated into transgenic plants. The transgenic plants are grown to maturity in greenhouses and the seed they produce, which has inherited the modified gene, is collected. The transgenic seeds will then hand over to a plant breeder who is responsible for the final step.

5) Backcross Breeding
In backcross breeding, transgenic plants are crossed with selected breeding lines using traditional plant breeding methods to combine the desired traits of selected parents and the modified gene into a single line. The offspring are repeatedly crossed back to the selected line to obtain a high yielding transgenic line. As a result, the plant will obtain a yield potential close to current hybrids that expresses the trait encoded by the new modified gene.