Genetically modified organisms Part 1: What are they?
With the continuing advancement of the biological sciences a whole suite of technologies are rapidly developing and being implemented into modern society. One such technology, termed genetic engineering, involves the direct manipulation of genes in order to rapidly develop novel and desirable traits. The organisms that have had their DNA directly manipulated are frequently referred to as genetically modified organisms (GMOs), and less frequently as genetically engineered organisms (GEOs). Certainly, modifying plants for agricultural use is by no means a new idea. We have been continually altering plants and introducing them into novel ecosystems since the beginnings of agriculture, nearly 10,000 years ago. We have modified most crops so that they no longer scatter their seed or rely on other dispersal mechanisms apart from humans. Over numerous generations, we have selected for other desirable traits such as larger ears in corn, better flavor in tomatoes, and larger cotton bolls. In fa
