GMO (Genetically Modified Organisms) — Meaning & Examples

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What are GMOs?

Genetically modified organisms (GMOs) have made a huge impact on modern society. To make a GMO, scientists take a piece of DNA from one organism and insert it into another organism. The new piece becomes a part of the organism's genetic code and allows it to make proteins that it couldn't before. This is called genetic engineering.

Humans have genetically modified many of the plants and animals on Earth today. The main purpose of GMOs is to improve the quality of our food and the efficiency of agriculture. There are many amazing benefits to genetically modified crops and livestock, but there are also a lot of ethical and safety concerns.

Genetically Modified Plants

The most widespread use of GMOs is in crop production. Many crops in the United States such as corn and cotton are commonly genetically modified. In fact, as of 2019, about 98% of cotton grown in the U.S. has undergone genetic modification.

GM crops have made it much easier to support our growing populations. They allow farmers to grow larger and more appealing produce. They've even increased crop yield by making the plants more resistant to pests and bad weather.

Genetic engineering has been effectively increasing crop yields through various methods. One common application is adding a bacterial gene which codes for a protein called Bt toxin. This protein is harmless to humans and most animals but is poisonous to insects. When certain crops are modified to contain this gene, they gain a new ability. Insects that normally harm the plants will now stay away because of the foreign protein. The modification increases crop yield and lowers the need for pesticides, which can be full of harmful chemicals.

Of course, there are problematic GMO applications as well. One example is the genetic engineering of plants to increase their resistance to herbicide. With this alteration, farmers can use weed-killer to get rid of invasive weeds, without killing their crops. While that benefits the farmers, it raises questions about food safety. Many people worry that this practice increases the amount of toxins in our food.

Genetically Modified Animals

Even more controversial is the genetic modification of animals. This includes injecting cows with hormones that increase milk production and inserting DNA that results in faster growth and leaner meat in livestock. There are many ethical questions under discussion related to GM animals.

One cool way this has been applied is to create animals that can produce cleaner waste. This can have a huge impact on the environment because livestock waste is a huge contributor to climate change.

What's the Controversy?

There are many positive and negative sides to genetically modified organisms. There needs to be much more research done to fully understand their long term impacts. Today, the consensus among scientists, backed by current research, is that genetically modified foods available to consumers are just as safe as their non-GMO counterparts.

GMOs on their own are not dangerous. The biggest issue is how humans choose to apply genetic modifications.

In some cases, organisms are modified to increase profit without adding any environmental or health benefits. GMOs can also be used to safely increase our food supply, reduce pollution, and help other species thrive.

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(Video) How are GMOs Made? The Genetically Modified Hawaiian Papaya Case Study

by GMO Answers

Genetically Modified Plants

The most widespread use of GMOs is in crop production. Many crops in the United States such as corn and cotton are commonly genetically modified. In fact, as of 2019, about 98% of cotton grown in the U.S. has undergone genetic modification.

GM crops have made it much easier to support our growing populations. They allow farmers to grow larger and more appealing produce. They've even increased crop yield by making the plants more resistant to pests and bad weather.

Genetic engineering has been effectively increasing crop yields through various methods. One common application is adding a bacterial gene which codes for a protein called Bt toxin. This protein is harmless to humans and most animals but is poisonous to insects. When certain crops are modified to contain this gene, they gain a new ability. Insects that normally harm the plants will now stay away because of the foreign protein. The modification increases crop yield and lowers the need for pesticides, which can be full of harmful chemicals.

Of course, there are problematic GMO applications as well. One example is the genetic engineering of plants to increase their resistance to herbicide. With this alteration, farmers can use weed-killer to get rid of invasive weeds, without killing their crops. While that benefits the farmers, it raises questions about food safety. Many people worry that this practice increases the amount of toxins in our food.

What Is a GMO?

What Are GMOs?

A genetically modified organism is a plant, animal, or other organism that has artificially altered DNA. This definition includes when farmers cross-breed plants and choose the best seeds to plant. Early humans genetically modified corn, strawberries, and wheat a very long time ago.

Today, humans use genetic modification in animals and plants to increase the quality of our food and overall food production. We can make our plants stronger, larger, more nutrient-rich and more resistant to harsh conditions. In animals, the alterations can make an animal grow larger and faster.

The process is complex, but the idea is pretty simple. Scientists take a gene from the DNA of one organism and insert it into the genome of another. This way, the modified organism can make a protein that it could not before. This recombinant DNA technology is what makes genetic engineering possible.

Are GMOs a Good Thing?

There is no simple answer to this question.

There are many ethical and safety concerns regarding GMOs. The vast majority of these concerns are based in how humans choose to use GMOs. For example, humans can make GMO crops resistant to herbicide. This allows farmers to spray their crops with herbicide to kill off harmful weeds, without hurting the crops. This increases the crop yield and profits for the farmer, but it raises the concern that these genetically engineered crops may have a lot of toxic chemicals from the spray. In this case, the GMOs themselves are not the problem, it is the herbicide that could be dangerous.

On the other hand, some modifications can allow plants to produce proteins that deter harmful insects. This way, the plants are safe from the insects and farmers don't need to spray them with pesticides. It's a win for everyone.

Many health organizations (such as the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, World Health Organization, and U.S. Department of Agriculture) suggest that our GM food is just as safe as the non-GM versions, but many questions remain. Organizations like the Non-GMO Project are working to bring awareness to consumers about possible negative effects of GM foods. They are also working to require GMO labeling on food products so buyers are more aware of what kind of food they are buying.

Hopefully future research can give us definite answers about the side effects of using genetic engineering in this way.

$$\color{#8925AE}{\text{Vocabulary Review:}}$$

$\color{#8925AE}{\text{Genetic Engineering}}$ : The process of changing the genetic material of an organism

$\color{#8925AE}{\text{Selective Breeding}}$ : Also known as artificial selection, this is the process of breeding organisms to pass on desired traits

$\color{#8925AE}{\text{Cloning}}$ : Creating a genetically identical copy of an organism

$\color{#8925AE}{\text{Genetically Modified Organisms}}$ : Organisms that have had their genome altered in some way

$\color{#8925AE}{\text{Gene Therapy}}$ : Altering defective or missing genes to treat genetic disorders

(Video) What Is a Genetically Modified Food?

by Scientific American

In this video, Scientific American explains what genetically modified (GMO) foods are.