Benefits of recombinant DNA Risk of recombinant

technology DNA technology

Microorganisms Recombinant gene may

can produce pass from the organism
Hormones eg it was placed into to a
insulin completely different
organism eg by viruses.
Enzymes eg amylase to make
beer A herbicide resistant
Antibiotics to make larger gene in crops and
amounts than they growth
already make

hormone genes may be

passed onto weeds.

Creating a monster
weed
Control
pollution May give cancer
Microorganisms
have been made Long term not known
to digest oil slicks
and gases

Genetically modified plants The antibiotic resistant

Plants can be made to produce
antibodies to pathogens and use it in
humans or
To produce an antigen so humans
can produce antibodies
gene we use as makers
may be passed on by
horizontal conjugation to
other viruses.
 This causes more
problems to treat

Genetically modified crops can All genes mutate so

be engineered to have economic genetically engineered
and environmental advantages. genes can also mutate.

Make them more tolerant to extreme Money can be used for

conditions eg fighting hunger than
Cold genetic engineering .
Hot
Salty
Polluted soil

You can put genes in crops to

prevent certain vitamin deficiencies
eg vitamin A deficiency leads to
blindness

500000 children go blind with

vitamin A deficiency each year

Golden Rice grains (right) compared

to regular
rice grains
(left

Genetically modified animals can Genetic engineering

produce expensive may be manipulated to
 Drugs introducing specific
Antibodies genes
Hormones Eg
Enzymes cheaply Intelligence
Muscular build
Cosmetic
improvement
Gene therapy can be used to
cure certain genetic disorders
such as cystic fibrosis

Genetic finger printing can be used

in forensic science