Transgenic Animals

by Arath Lopéz, Constanza Padilla, Daniela Dominguez

Transgenic Animals

By Arath Lopéz

Definition

Refers to an animal in which there has been a deliberate modification of the genome, with the purpose of improving human health, enhance nutrition, protect the environment, increase animal welfare and decrease livestock disease.

By Daniela Dominguez

Transgenic Animal Production Strategies

There are two basic strategies in the production of transgenic animals: - Strategies that seek to achieve an animal that will have a function that its predecessor did not have. - Strategies that produce animals that have lost some of the functions of the "wild type". The first is based on the fact that the change of function is achieved by adding a cloned fragment of DNA to the genome of an animal. The second strategy consists of designing transgenic animals that are induced to lose function, eliminating a specific gene.

Applications Of Genetically Modified Animals

By Constanza Padilla

4- Applications in livestock production

The applications of GMOs are distributed into four groups:

3- Applications being developed by the pharmaceutical industry

2- Applications with an interest in human health and biomedicine

1- Research-oriented applications in basic science

By Constanza Padilla

Transgenic animals are also very useful for the advancement of developmental biology, because they allow us to know the cytoplasmic nucleus interactions and what effect the location of genes, within the chromosome, has on their expression.

Applications in basic science

Major technical advance in Biology since it allows to change the genetic composition of an animal providing an immediate, induced and directed mutation.

By Constanza Padilla

Applications in Biomedicine

In this context, the creation of genetically modified animals in biomedicine allows: • The development of animal models for the study of human diseases. • The use of genetically modified animals as organ donors for humans: xenotransplantation. • The use of transgenic animals in gene therapy.

By Constanza Padilla

Applications in Pharmaceutical Industry

An important application of GMOs is the production of therapeutic proteins for clinical use in humans. Through genetic engineering, proteins from animals, plants or microorganisms can be produced in mammalian milk. - One of the advantages of protein synthesis in the mammary gland is the ability of its secretory cells to correctly modify proteins so that they are biologically active and then secrete them in large quantities through milk. Therapeutic proteins can also be produced in chicken eggs, albeit in smaller amounts.

By Constanza Padilla

APPLICATIONS IN ANIMAL INVESTIGATION

-Production and reproduction traits have improved with the introduction of new genes in slaughter animals. -There are many potential applications of genetic engineering in the development of new and better strains of farm animals that would have practical uses in production: increased prolificacy and improved reproductive characteristics, increased conversion rates and growth rates, improved carcass composition, greater and better milk production and greater resistance to diseases. -Genetic engineering in farm animals has been aimed at improving animal productivity: improving body composition, meat quality, milk production, wool quality in transgenic livestock, and increasing prolificacy and disease resistance. - Transgenesis has also reached commercial aquaculture to improve the growth and nutritional value of fish. The production of genetically modified fish is of great commercial interest, with the traits of greatest interest being growth, disease resistance and improved environmental tolerance.

Transgenic Animals in Agriculture continuation

By Arath Lopéz

What are intensive farms?

It is based on the intensification of the factors of production. They are important to meet people's protein needs and mean higher production at lower costs where animals are often injected with hormones to stimulate their growth and keep artificial light on, thus keeping cattle awake longer and eating more than usual.

By Arath Lopéz

Animal Abuse

They showed how the intensive and industrial production of meat subjects animals to overcrowding and suffering that threatens their well-being. The process of concentrating production in an industrial way is getting bigger, and there are attacks that range from threats to contact that can cause injuries.

By Arath Lopéz

Over exploitation of pigs

It takes the form of extracting individuals of a plant or animal species to the point of endangering their reproduction, or using ecosystems at a higher rate than their natural regeneration. At the same time, it maintains consequences such as damage to the environment, since it generates greenhouse gases. ​ What kind of exploitation is there? ​ Animals used for food, used for clothing, used for entertainment, as labor or tools, animal experimentation, etc.

By Arath Lopéz

Nutrient difference between transgenic and normal animals

The healthiest foods for people are transgenic since they have no serious malnutrition problems, and increase the content of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, fatty acids, because foods with raw materials contain vitamins that produce from modified microorganisms.

IS IT ETHICAL???

By Daniela Dominguez

Is it ethical to genetically modify farm animals for agriculture?

The most widely used genetically modified animals are laboratory animals, such as the fruitfly (Drosophila) and mice. Genetically engineered animals enable scientists to gain an insight into basic biological processes and the relationships between mutations (A change that occurs in a DNA sequence. Mutations are relatively common in our DNA, but most have no detectable effect)? and disease.

However, farm animals, such as sheep, goats and cows, can also be genetically modified to enhance specific characteristics. These can include milk production and disease resistance, as well as improving the nutritional value of the products they are farmed for. For example, cows, goats and sheep have been genetically engineered to express specific proteins in their milk. The majority of work on genetically modified farm animals is still in the research phase and is yet to be used commercially.

The number of genetically modified (Refers to the direct manipulation of genes to alter an individual’s characteristics (phenotype) in a particular way)? animals used in agriculture has increased significantly in recent years. Researchers have genetically engineered a number of mammals, from laboratory animals to farm animals, as well as birds, fish and insects.

By Daniela Dominguez

Do the benefits of genetically modified farm animals outweigh the risks?

-The transfer of genetic material from one species to another raises potentially serious health issues for animals and humans. -There is a risk that new diseases from genetically engineered animals could be spread to non-genetically engineered animals, and even humans. -In many cases, selective breeding (The process of breeding animals or plants to bring out particular desirable characteristics in future generations)? is just as effective as genetic engineering and doesn’t carry the same risks.

By Daniela Dominguez

Is genetic modification of farm animals ethical?

- Many of the embryos (An unborn or unhatched offspring in the process of development)? that undergo genetic engineering procedures do not survive. -Genetic modification can put animals at risk of harm. For example, transgenic (An organism that contains additional, artificially-introduced genetic material in every cell)? pigs were found to be arthritic, partially blind and infertile when a human growth hormone (The body’s chemical messengers, carried in the bloodstream to tissues or organs. Important in many processes in the body, from reproduction to development)? was inserted into their genomes to make them grow faster.

By Daniela Dominguez

Is it morally acceptable to genetically modify farm animals?

Research could use other organisms such as plants and bacteria (A type of single celled organism varying in shape from spherical, to spiral to rod-shaped. They are only visible under a microscope and do not have a cell wall, nucleus or organelles. Given the correct conditions bacteria can replicate very quickly and some are harmful and can cause disease)? to mass produce therapies for human medicine. For example, genetically engineered cereal grains to produce human proteins (Large molecules made up of chains of amino acids. Proteins are essential to the functioning of our cells)?. The cost to the animal always outweighs the benefits as, by carrying out genetic engineering, we are violating their rights. Genetic engineering often involves modifying animals for reasons that have no benefit for that species and could potentially cause them pain and discomfort. We shouldn’t be attempting to ‘play God’. Life should not be regarded as a product that can be altered and played with for economic benefit.

Bibliography

Your genome (July 21, 2021), is it ethical to genetically modify farm animals for agriculture? Exctracted on December 6, 2022 https://www.yourgenome.org/debates/is-it-ethical-to-genetically-modify-farm- animals-for-agriculture/ Asensio, Fernando y de Los Ángeles Peñaranda, M. Animales Modificados II: aplicaciones. Extracted on December 6, 2022 https://www.colvema.org/pdf/6473geneticaii.pdf Wild Souls. (2021, abril 4). ¿Qué es la explotación animal? Conoce sus consecuencias en los animales. Wildsouls. https://www.wildsouls.org.es/post/que-es-la-explotacion-animal-conoce-sus-consecuencias-en-los-animales [ No title. (s/f). Com.Mx. Recuperado el 7 de diciembre de 2022, de https://www.google.com.mx/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=&ved=2ahUKEwiXkICZzOf7AhW7NEQIHR2mABoQFnoECAwQAw&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.animal-ethics.org%2Fexplotacion-animal-introduccion%2F&usg=AOvVaw0kqhml6p1gRQdTSGyjk3Ao No title. (s/f-b). Com.Mx. Recuperado el 7 de diciembre de 2022, de https://www.google.com.mx/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=&ved=2ahUKEwj90o3kzOf7AhVtNEQIHe3XA88QFnoECBMQAw&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.amatifoods.com%2Fque-significa-organico-natural-y-transgenico%2F&usg=AOvVaw3OFg_p_G9SMooConz6GaDJ

Be more aware of what you eat!!!