Agricultural Biotechnology

The Technology

Genes are sequences of DNA that contain the inheritable instructions that enable all organisms to function. Through a series of steps, genes control the expression of thousands of proteins that, among other things, account for the characteristics, or traits, of a particular organism. Such genetic traits can be valuable for agriculture; small naturally occurring genetic variations can make the difference between a plant that tastes sweet and one that is bitter. For centuries, humans have been selecting and crossbreeding plants and animals to develop foods that are more nutritious or easier to grow. As a result, almost all of today's food crops and animals are genetically different from their ancient predecessors.

In 1973, Dr. Herbert Boyer and Dr. Stanley Cohen learned how to “cut” a gene sequence from one organism, and recombine it, or “paste” it, into another organism, where the gene would retain its original function. Since plants, animals, and humans share common genes, this new gene-splicing technique, called recombinant DNA or rDNA transformation, made it possible to move genes (and their useful traits) between completely unrelated organisms. The technology opened up a new world of possibilities for animal and plant breeders to develop new varieties. Organisms no longer needed to be sexually compatible; a useful gene found in a bacterium could be spliced into a corn plant. Further, the ability to add just a single new gene gave breeders much more precision and predictability than traditional trial-and-error breeding, allowing the faster development of useful novel varieties. While all plants and animals have been genetically changed by conventional breeding, the phrase genetic modification or genetic engineering has the popular meaning of referring to the use of rDNA technology to modify a plant or animal.

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