Category: Biology Second Paper

Gene engineering technology is used to produce vaccines or vaccines for various diseases. These vaccines are used to treat infectious diseases like Measles, Polio, Smallpox, Tuberculosis, Rabies, Cholera, Mumps, Hepatitis-B etc. At present, efforts are being made to make effective vaccines for various diseases including corona. It will be possible to ensure the protection of human health by discovering new vaccines.

(i) Pyrroline-5 Carboxylase Synthase gene isolated from soybean and inserted into tobacco plant was found to grow ten times more in saline soil.
(ii) Cold tolerant AF gene isolated from arctic fish (Flounder) and introduced into crop plants to create cold tolerant crops. For example, tomatoes, round potatoes etc.
(iii) Drought resistant Bhutra has been developed by introducing csPB gene from Bacillus subtilis bacterium into Bhutra plant.
(iv) Introgression of the At NHXI gene from Arabidopsis into peanut plants has resulted in salted peanuts.
(v) Genes resistant to stresses such as heat, cold, heavy metals, phytohormones etc. have been identified in natural environment. All these genes are trying to enter the plant body.

Application of herbicides on land causes extensive damage to crop plants. Transgenic plants have been created by separating the Bar gene from bacteria called Streptomyces and applying it to tomato, potato, tobacco, bhutra, wheat etc. These transgenic plants can resist the herbicide phosphinothricin.

The Nif gene was isolated from the nitrogen-fixing Rhizobium bacterium and inserted into the chromosomes of rice plants. This rice plant can fix nitrogen and does not require application of urea fertilizers.

Transgenesis involves introducing nematode-specific genes from Agrobacterium into plant cells. It produces sense and antisense RNA in plant cells. They are complementary to each other to form double stranded RNA. It is cleaved into 21-23 fragments by Dicer enzyme. Each fragment is called small interfering RNA (siRNA). siRNA and RNA together form the RNA Induced Splicing Complex (RISC). RISC cleaves nematode mRNA. As a result, the nematode dies in the transgenic host.

Recombinant DNA technology has created plants resistant to viruses, bacteria, fungi and insects. At present resistant cultivars have been developed against tomato mosaic virus, tobacco mosaic virus, tobacco mild green mosaic virus, papaya ring spot, delayed blight of potato etc. Australian scientist Sayer has developed a rust resistant wheat variety by introducing the Rus+ resistance gene from Aagilops umbellulata into Kile wheat. American scientists have identified RPS2 and L2 genes that are resistant to viruses, bacteria and fungi. Work is underway to introduce these genes into crop plants.

In 2009, Dr. Spain. Paul Christo created transgenic bhutra by inserting the M17W gene into bhutra, which produces vitamin-C, beta-carotene and folic acid. This Bhutra is fulfilling the vitamin needs of crores of people.

Fertilization plants are essential for good reproduction. A bacterial ribonuclease gene has been applied to plants to stop pollination. Sterility has been caused in plants like mustard, tobacco, lettuce, coffee, cotton, tomato, potato etc.

Transgenic tobacco plants have been created by introducing the light producing luciferin gene into tobacco plants. Transgenic tobacco plants emit light at night. As a result, it is convenient for the pedestrians to walk on the road.

Transgenic animals are used as bioreactors to produce drugs from their milk, blood and urine. This is called molecular farming. These medicines are used to cure many diseases.