9781422281352

“To put it simply, genes are bits of chemicals inside a living thing, and they are like instructions. They tell a living thing how to grow, survive, and carry out its life processes. In our research, we find genes in one type of living thing which might be useful if we put them into another. “At the moment, I am studying genes in a weed that grows in wheat fields. Sometimes insects eat the wheat, but they don’t eat the weed. We’re trying to find out if this is due to a certain gene in the weed. We might be able to put that gene into wheat, so that the insect can no longer damage the crop. That would save farmers money and might even make bread cheaper. “Our research could last for years, or it might just reach a dead end. The weed has thousands of genes, and it takes ages

Words to Understand in This Chapter

centrifuge— a machine that uses spinning force, away from the center, to separate substances or parts of substances of different densities. DNA— deoxyribonucleic acid: a molecule that carries genetic information in the cells of plants and animals. gel electrophoresis— a process in which an electromotive force moves molecules (as proteins and nucleic acids) through a gel and separates them into bands according to size. genes— a part of a cell that controls or influences the appearance, growth, etc., of a living thing. genetic engineering— the science of making changes to the genes of a plant or animal to produce a desired result. GMO— genetically modified organism: a plant or animal whose genetic material has been altered by genetic engineering.

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Genetic Engineering