Question

What are transgenic plants?

Answer 1

Transgenic plants:

1. The term transgenic plant refers to a plant whose DNA has been modified by genetic engineering.
2. This means that one or more genes from another species will be introduced and combined with the genetic material of the plant to alter the characteristics of the original genome.
3. The gene is manipulated by the insertion of a foreign gene in a plasmid.
4. Transgenic plants have increased resistance to various environmental conditions and are more resistant to disease and insects.

Example:

Bt cotton:

1. Bt cotton is a type of cotton that has been genetically modified by introducing one or more genes from the bacterium Bacillus thuringiensis found in most soils.
2. These genes are involved in the production of insecticidal proteins, resulting in the production of one or more toxins as the GM plant grows.
3. The gene introduced into cotton produces a toxin that acts almost exclusively on caterpillar pests, a type of caterpillar (Lepidoptera).

Golden rice:

1. Golden Rice is a variety of rice (Oryza sativa) that has been genetically engineered to biosynthesize a precursor of β-carotene (provitamin A).
2. Golden Rice contains 23 times more provitamin A.
3. Golden rice was produced by transforming rice with the beta-carotene biosynthetic genes psy, crtl, and lyc genes.