Genetically modified organism (GMO)

In the syllabus and the exam

A genetically modified organism (GMO) is any organism whose genetic material has been altered using genetic engineering techniques, typically by inserting a gene from a different species to give it a new characteristic it would not otherwise have through natural breeding. Candidates are expected to name concrete, syllabus-relevant examples of GMOs, such as insect-resistant or herbicide-tolerant crop plants, and genetically modified bacteria used to manufacture human proteins such as insulin, distinguishing a GMO (the resulting organism) from genetic engineering (the process or technique used to create it). A common error is treating every product of selective breeding, such as a hybrid fruit variety, as a GMO; a GMO specifically involves the direct insertion of foreign genetic material through laboratory techniques, not the gradual selection of naturally occurring variation over generations. Candidates should be able to state a specific benefit of a named GMO (such as reduced pesticide use with insect-resistant crops) and a specific concern raised about GMOs (such as the possibility of modified genes spreading to wild, non-target plant populations, or uncertainty around long-term health and ecological effects), presenting both sides in balanced, factual language rather than an unsupported blanket claim that GMOs are either entirely safe or entirely dangerous. Candidates should also remember that a GMO's altered gene can, in principle, be passed on to its own offspring through normal reproduction once the new gene is stably incorporated into the organism's genome, unlike a change that only affects one individual's body cells.

Example

Bt cotton, a cotton plant genetically modified to carry a bacterial gene that produces a protein toxic to certain insect pests, is a widely cited example of a GMO used in agriculture.

Related terms

Genetic engineeringBiotechnology

Source:SRC-DSKP-EN