Context
US President Donald Trump recently made a mistaken claim that $8 million has been spent on “making mice transgender,” which was later corrected to “transgenic mice.”
Key Highlights
- Media reports clarified that the research concerned hormone treatments for research on hormone therapy, HIV vaccines, breast cancer, and other health sectors— not for altering the gender of mice.
- Studies with transgenic mice have helped understand genetics, most cancers, duplicate, and more. These mice are valuable in modeling diseases because of their genetic similarities to humans.
Transgenic organisms
- It refers to an organism or cell whose genome has been altered by the creation of one or more foreign DNA sequences from other species by artificial method.
- Transgenic organisms are generated in the laboratory for research functions.
Applications
- Transgenic animals were used to observe genetic approaches, such as the role of DNA in analysing genetic data and the link between oncogenes and most cancers.
- Transgenic animals also help understand regular physiological methods and model human diseases for treatment improvement.
- Animals like goats and cows are engineered to supply healing proteins, which includes insulin.
- Transgenic crops have been produced which might be immune to infectious diseases and improve faster.
- It is utilized in bioremediation to break down pollution like oil spills and heavy metals.
Challenges
- There are moral issues concerning animal welfare and the morality of genetic change.
- There are probabilities of Potential environmental or health impacts, including unintended gene flow or allergies.
- The introduction of transgenic organisms is expensive and technically challenging.
Conclusion and Way Forward
Transgenic organisms offer exquisite capability in medicine, agriculture, and environmental management however require cautious handling of moral, environmental, and regulatory concerns to ensure their responsible use.
Source: The Hindu
UPSC Mains Practice Question
Q. How can biotechnology help to improve the living standards of farmers? (2019)
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