Is it possible to place animal genes in plants and vice versa?
Yes. The genetic material, DNA, of all living things is essentially the same. Genes usually differ only slightly between species, compared to within species. Because DNA is so similar between species, transfer of genes between species occurs in some situations in nature. In many plants and some animals, gene migration can occur not only between subpopulations of the same species but also between different (but still related) species. This is called hybridisation. Gene transfer can also sometimes occur in nature between unrelated species. For example, some species of soil bacteria in the family Agrobacterium can transfer genes into plant roots. Also, some species of bacteria can transfer small segments of DNA called plasmids between species, and take up naked DNA from within the environment through their cell wall. Genetic engineering technology makes it possible to transfer genes between a wider range of species that can occur in nature. This means that gene technology allows breeders
