Saved To Serve Newsletter July 28 2017

T h e n e w t e c h n i q u e s t o
m o d i f y t h e g e n e t i c s o f
s e e d . S p l i c i n g D N A !
B y J o s e & S h e r e e c e S a n c h e z
GMO NEW THE
With new advances in
genome technology there is a
new method used to modify
the genes of plants, it is
genome editing. What is
genome editing?
Genome editing alters
genetic information by using
an enzyme like a pair of
scissors to cut DNA strands.
The first generation of the
technology appeared in
1996, but both it and the
improved second generation
required different enzymes
for each targeted gene.
As a result, only a small
number of research
laboratories were able to
successfully employ these
methods. Is there an ethical
question that is being
overlooked in the
experiments on the genome
of plants?
Genome technology is most
advanced in the agricultural
department because more
experiments have been done
using plants.
Should we change the
genetics of created things
such as plants?
WE SHOULD
THE CHANGE
OF GENETICS
CREATED
SUCH THINGS
PLANTS?
AS
If God has made the whole of creation and
pronounced it good can we reason the conditions
in which we can then pronounce it not so good and
change it? The bible teaches the principal that we
should not take apart that which the Lord has
brought together such as His creation. (Matthew
19:6)
As humans meddle with the DNA of God’s creation
they are changing the make up of how He put it
together so the question now becomes ethical. This
however has not deterred scientist from continuing
the work of genetically modifying the genes of
plants.
CRISPR/Cas, the third
generation of the technology,
was developed in 2012. This
method cuts DNA by
targeting nucleic acids, which
are polymers attached to
DNA. Because this requires
only changing the sequence
of nucleic acids, a common
enzyme can be used to cut
different genes, making
editing much simpler.
GMO has been known in the
past to combine the genes of
unrelated species such as
fish and plant genes.
Genome editing uses the
same DNA by splicing or
sectioning the same strand
of DNA.
Genome editing changes
how genes work by removing
and altering targeted pieces
of the genome. Like
conventional cross-breeding,
genome editing uses genes
from within a single species.
This is different from genetic
recombination, which
introduces genes from other
species.
These new types of GMO do
not have to be approved by
the USDA they can be used
without any regulation.