Can genetic engineering be regarded as biotechnology?
Before a conclusion can be drawn the similarities, if they are any, and differences between the two must be compared. This essay aims to prove that biotechnology and genetic engineering are entirely separate entities.
Biotechnology
Definition:
Biotechnology is the usage of naturally occurring biological processes, systems or organisms to create or modify products, such as antibiotics, intended to improve the quality of human existence [1]. Biotechnology is divided into four main practices: Red, White, Green and Blue biotechnology. Red biotech is concerned with medical disciplines. White is the industrial application of biotech. Green considers agriculture. Blue applies to applications
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In 2007, South Korean scientists figured out a way to make a cat glow in the dark, they then cloned other cats from it. The scientists harvested skin cells from Turkish Angora female cats. They then created genetic instructions for the coding of red fluorescent protein, which is found in certain fish. A virus was used as a vector for these genetic instructions. This proved a success and the cat was then cloned [8]. This advancement yields no advantage to the cats. This experiment was done purely for research purposes.
Example 2:
Another modern application of genetic engineering has resulted in the growing of venomous cabbage. Scientists have researched ways to make cabbage resistant to caterpillars. They have done so by taking the gene responsible for programming poison in the tails of scorpions and mixing it with cabbage. This is advantageous because it reduces the use of pesticides while prohibiting caterpillars from eating the produce. The genetically modified cabbage produces this scorpion poison which is lethal to the caterpillars upon digestion, but is indifferent to human beings [7]. This however has a disadvantage, as more and more of the agriculture industry farm this modified cabbage, more and more caterpillars will die. This will inevitably lead to disturbances in the food chain, and that will upset the natural balance of the earth. Another is that this advancement will
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A general ethical issue in genetic engineering is whether or not a line should be drawn on genetic manipulation at some point, if so on what grounds? The motives of many corporate societies are hugely questionable in this field. In the cat scenario the following have risen: Animals have rights just as humans do and this research could have been a violation of these rights. Is genetic engineering playing the role of God? Ethical issues in the scenario of venomous cabbage are as follows: the large scale massacre of caterpillars is largely unnecessary. Long term consequences of the ingestion of this cabbage may not be