Image Credit to Biology LibreTexts.
Genetic transformation allows us to insert genes from one organism to another.
Uses:
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Agriculture: You can introduce genes that increase frost, pest, or spoilage resistance in crops
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Bioremediation (using microorganisms to help decrease pollution): bacteria genes can be transformed to digest oil spills
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Medicine: Genetic disorders can be treated with gene therapy
Green Fluorescent Protein (GFP):
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Gene that codes for Green Fluorescent Protein
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From a bioluminescent jellyfish Aequorea victoria
Transmission of Plasmids: Besides having one chromosome, bacteria store beneficial genes in plasmids, which are circular pieces of DNA
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Bacteria can trade back and forth between other bacteria to share genes
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Antibiotic resistance is actually from the transmission of plasmids
The pGLO plasmid encodes the gene for GFP, a gene for resistance to the antibiotic ampicillin, and a gene regulation system that can control the expression of fluorescent protein. Transformed cells will appear white!
