Examples of genetically modified organisms

In a nutshell

Genetically modified organisms can be invaluable for human health and research. This summary details different examples of genetically modified organisms and some of their advantages and disadvantages.

Genetically modified organisms

Genetically modified organism	Example	Advantages	Disadvantages
Bacteria	E. coli can be genetically modified to produce human insulin and the human growth hormone.	The use of microorganisms, such as bacteria can help to treat individuals with health conditions.	Genetically modified organisms often encode antibiotic resistance markers as part of the engineering process. This can be dangerous if the bacteria are transferred outside of the lab.
Soya beans	Soya bean yield is often reduced by pests. Scientists have genetically modified the soya bean plant to contain a gene from the bacterium Bacillus thuringiensis that encodes a toxin (Bt). This toxin will infect and kill pests.	This increased the yield of soya bean plants and it has since been applied to other crops. Genetically modifying the crops avoids the need of broad-ranging insecticides that might kill useful organisms.	The Bt toxin affects monarch butterflies. There is concern that their population size may decrease. However, this has not happened yet.
Soya beans	Soya beans were genetically modified to be resistant to a specific herbicide.	The land where the soya beans grow can be treated with herbicides to kill any weeds and leave the soya beans unaffected.	There is a risk that the herbicide resistance gene could pass to the weeds as produce a 'superweed' variety. However, this has not occurred.
Golden Rice^TM	Rice has been genetically engineered to contain a beta-carotene gene from daffodils.	Beta-carotene is a precursor to vitamin A. The lack of beta-carotene can lead to blindness. By genetically modifying rice, a common staple food, more people in developing nations will get the nutrients they need.	There were fears that farmers would have to purchase expensive seeds each season. However, this has not been the case.
Plantain	Africa Harvest is a biotechnology company in Kenya. They have genetically engineered plantains to contain more zinc.	Zinc is an important nutrient as it is a common enzyme cofactor and it regulates insulin secretion. Meat is the common source of zinc. However, in areas where people do not eat a lot of meat, genetically modified plantains can provide this important nutrient.	Some people worry that eating genetically modified crops is dangerous to their health. These claims lack evidence.
Pathogens	Viruses can be genetically modified to be avirulent. They can then be used in vaccine production and gene therapy.	These viruses, despite being avirulent, have antigens on their surface. This means that they can still trigger an immune response but they will not cause an active infection.	It is rare but some viruses may reactivate and cause illness. In gene therapy, incorrect insertion of the gene into the genome can increase the risk of cancer.
Mice	Mice are commonly genetically modified for use in scientific research.	Genetically modified mice have provided invaluable insight into the function of certain genes.	Some people oppose the use of animals in medical and scientific testing. However, there are strict regulations in place to protect the welfare of these animals.
Goats	Hereditary emphysema is caused by an alpha antitrypsin deficiency. Goats can be genetically modified to express this human protein in their milk.	The protein is too large for a bacterium to produce. Transgenic mammals therefore provide a protein that can be used to treat human illness.	There is also opposition regarding the use of animals in research and concerns for their welfare.
Goats	Goats have been genetically modified to produce the spider silk protein in their milk.	Silk is a very strong material that can be very useful for humans. It can be used in medical stitches and bullet proof vests.

Ownership

It is evident that genetically modified organisms are valuable. Some companies may apply for patents to legally protect their genetically modified organisms. Having a patent means that the company can control who uses their product over a set amount of time.

As a result, only the company that holds the patent can make a profit from their product. This encourages faster development as companies will compete with each other in order to be the first to create a new product.

However, this may raise the price of the products which means not everybody can afford them.