3.02 Biotechnology in Plant Science

DNA

(Deoxiribonucleic acid) Is the coded material in all cell nuclei that determines what the cell and its successive cells will become. Its' structure is that of a twisted ladder (double helix).

Cloning

(Micropropagation in plants) Creating an exact genetic duplicate of another organism. Tissue culture is another word for micropropagation.

How The Bases Pair

1. Adenine (A) only pairs with "T". 2. Thymine (T) only pairs with A. 3. Guanine (G) only pairs with "C". 4. Cytosine (C) only pairs with "G".

Scientific Method

1. Identify the problem. 2. Review literature. 3. Form a hypothesis. 4. Prepare a project proposal. 5. Design the experiment. 6. Collect the data. 7. Draw conclusions. 8. Prepare a written report.

Bioremediation

A set of techniques that use living organism to clean up toxic wastes in water and soil.

Gene

A small section of DNA. There are thousands of these on a strand of DNA.

Chromosome

A structure that holds the genetic information of a cell. DNA is wound tightly to form it.

Ethics

A system of moral principles that defines what is right and what is wrong in society.

Biostimulation

Adding nutrients such as nitrogen and phosphorus to stimulate the growth of naturally occurring beneficial microbes for faster, more efficient work.

Herbicide and Insect-Resistant Crops

Are a product of genetic engineering. Examples: Herbicide-tolerant soybean, BT corn.

Bases

Are like rungs of a ladder that hold the two sides of the DNA strands together.

Gregor Johann Mendel

Austrian monk, discovered the effects of genetics on plant characteristics with his experimentation with garden peas.

Microorganisms

Can be used to transform fruit or grains into alcoholic beverages.

Genes

Determine the individual characteristics of living things (plant, height at maturity, flower color, ears of corn per stalk). They are segments of double-stranded DNA.

Genetic Engineering

Developed in the early 1980s, is the process of moving genetic information in the form of genes from one cell to another.

Biofuels

Fuels composed of our produced form biological raw materials.

High Oliec Peanut

Genetically modified to produce nuts in high oliec acid that results in longer life for nuts, candy, and peanut butter.

Generation

Is the offspring of progeny, or common parents.

Biotechnology

Is the use of living organisms (microorganisms) to make new products or carry out new processes (solve problems).

Labeling of Genetically Modified Organism Foods

Many people feel that if a product is safe, it should be labeled, concern has been expressed over the effect GMOs may have on biodiversity.

High Oliec Sunflower

Modified to produce sunflower oil that is low in transfatty acids.

Tissue Culture

New process, propagation method that rapidly multiplies plants.

Indicator Species

One of the oldest methods of biological detection. This method uses plants, animals, and microbes to warn us about pollutants in the environment.

Gene Splicing

Or Recombinant DNA Technology, the process of removing and inserting genes from one organism and inserting them into the DNA of another.

Sequence of the Bases

The ______________ between the DNA strands is the code by which a gene controls a specific trait (baldness in humans, tendency of female goats to have twin offspring).

Delayed Ripening Tomato

The longer shelf life has commercial advantages in harvesting and shipping.

Gene-Mapping

The process of both finding and recording the location of genes.

Phytoremediation

The process of plants absorbing or immobilizing pollutants. First tested actively at sites in the 1990s.

Animal Reproduction and Production

The processes used in improving the efficiency or reproduction and production involve the use of biotechnology. These are considered the more conventional use of biotechnology.

Genetics

The science of heredity.

Heredity

The transmission of characteristics from an organism to its offspring through genes in reproductive cells.

Consumer Resistance

To new biotech food products remains high due to safety of the environment and human health concerns.

Yeast

Used to make bread rise.

Bacteria

Used to produce "silage".

E-Coli Bacteria

Used to produce insulin. It became one of the first commercial products created by genetic engineering.

State and Federal Government

_________ monitor the development of newly developed biotech crops.

Importance of Recombinant DNA Technology

a. Improve plant's and animal's performance through the manipulation of genes. b. Alter characteristics of performance of microorganisms. c. Great potential for controlling diseases, insects, weeds, and other pests is through genetic engineering. d. Less use of chemical pesticides in a result. e. Potential for helping clean the environment.