Vocabulary
This long molecule looks like a twisted ladder and stores genetic instructions.
What is DNA?
It refers to all human-directed changes to an organism's DNA.
What does genetic manipulation refer to ? (or genetic engineering)
This tool acts like “molecular scissors” to cut DNA and was used in the 1970s.
What are restriction enzymes ?
Using gene editing only for looks or sports performance.
What is human genetic enhancement?
This term describes the complete set of genes or genetic material in an organism.
What is a genome?
This ideology advocates for "improving" the human race through selective breeding.
What is eugenics ?
This technique uses a bacterial immune system component to cut DNA at precise locations. It is the most advanced gene editing technique and was discovered in 2012.
What is CRISPR-Cas9?
This principle in ethics stresses avoiding actions that could cause harm, especially when consequences are uncertain.
What does the precautionary principle consist of ?
Different versions of the same gene, like one for brown eyes and one for blue eyes.
What are alleles?
The first genetically engineered medecine was insulin.
What was the first genetically engineered medicine ?
This genome-editing method uses engineered proteins called nucleases to bind and cut specific DNA sequences. It was discovered in 2011.
What are TALENs?
Scientist He Jiankui altered the genome of a set of twins to try to give them protection against HIV with CRISPR-Cas9.
What is the Chinese twins controversy ?
A change in DNA that happens naturally or by accident.
What is a mutation?
The first one is a precise, modern tool for modifying existing DNA whereas the second one is the entire field that includes this tool, but also all the older methods, particularly the act of adding genes from other species (for example creating transgenic GMOs).
What is the difference between gene editing and genetic engineering ?
These are one of the first designed "genetic scissors," made by fusing a DNA-cutting enzyme to a customizable protein that recognizes a specific DNA sequence. It was discovered in the 1980s.
What are Zinc Finger Nucleases (ZFNs)?
Many ethicists worry that altering traits could lead to a society of so-called "designer babies".
What ethical problem genetic engineering could cause ?