Discuss The Importance Of Blotting In Genetic Engineering

Genetic engineering is the direct manipulation of an organism’s genes using biotechnology to produce a specific outcome. Genetic engineering includes adding, removing and replacing genes, as well as inserting genes from other organisms. DNA that is changed during genetic engineering is called recombinant DNA. Organisms that have recombinant DNA are known as recombinant organisms. As biotechnology, or the tools used in genetic engineering, has advanced, ethical debates concerning the benefits and pitfalls of genetic engineering have arisen. However, genetic engineering benefits humans, and reaches to make daily lives easier and healthier, as well as help to eradicate diseases and other biological threats. One technique utilized in genetic engineering is blotting. Blotting is the transfer of nucleic acids from a gel onto a gel-like immobilized membrane. Blotting transfers DNA fragments from the gel to the blotting paper, allowing the fragments to be probed for specific DNA sequences. There are multiple types of blotting; the three most common types are Southern blotting, which transfers DNA, Northern blotting which transfers RNA, and Western blotting, which transfers protein fragments. While probing does not actually alter an organism’s DNA, it helps to locate specific genes and

Since techniques have become more precise and readily available, it opens the possibility of creating new species and completely altering a species. But with that come environmental and health concerns? By creating a new organism and releasing it into the wild, could another species be entirely eradicated? Does human consumption of genetically modified organisms affect humans in any way? All these questions are valid and should be highly researched with each new genetically modified organism, however, the benefit of genetic engineering out weight the