The Plant World and Genetic Engineering

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The Plant World and Genetic Engineering
Part I Transgenic Plants
Jana Klose, Greg Lampard UBC Biotechnology
Laboratory
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What Is Biotechnology?

• Harnessing the natural biological processes of
  living systems for the benefit of mankind

• Biotechnology in the past
• making bread and cheese, brewing beer
• crossbreeding plants

• Modern biotechnology
• genetic engineering

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Genetic Engineering

• The process of manipulating and transferring
  instructions carried by genes from one cell to
  another

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DNA IS EVERYWHERE
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DNA and Genes

• Genes the coding system for instructions
• A gene is a segment of DNA

Cytosine (C)
Guanine (G)
Adenine (A)
Thymine (T)
bases
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Genes and Proteins
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Restriction enzymes
As biological scissors
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Plant Genetic Engineering
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Plant Genetic Engineering Process
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How are Transgenic Plants Produced?
Commonly Used Methods

• Agrobacterium tumefaciens
• Gene Gun / Biolistics
• Electroporation

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Agrobacterium tumefaciens
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Agrobacterium tumefaciens
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Gene Gun Technique
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Electroporation Technique
Power supply
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Next Generation of Transgenic Crops

• Plant-based vaccines
• Enhanced nutritional content
• Functional foods and phytoceuticals
• Transgenic plants for phytoremediation
• Plant-derived plastics and polymers