genome: an organism's whole genetic code, usually found in the DNA
synthetic life: a man-made, living organism
Summary
Scientist J. Craig Venter has been studying the genes of organisms for many years. He analyzed the human genome by 2001, and every since, he has been striving to create synthetic life. He created a virus by making its DNA outside of any cell and putting into an E. coli cell. Once he did that, the E. coli's ribosomes read the DNA and created the proteins of the virus. He also put DNA of a bacterium into another bacterium along with certain enzymes, and the original DNA would disappear, creating a new cell of the transplanted DNA; they changed the species of the cell. If the technology advances, and we are able to make certain cells into a different species, there would be many advantages, such as making plastic bags without oil, or feeding people food made from a less costly ingredient.
DiscussionIt is really interesting that scientists can make artificial organisms. It could be potentially very useful for feeding others. We could turn plants into meat, reducing the cost of meat dramatically. It would help to treat diseases like cancer because we could inject normal cell DNA into tumor cells, making them become normal again. We could also make products more efficiently and environmentally. It is also very much related to cloning. If we manage to do the same thing as Venter did on a bigger scale, we could clone many organisms.
Questions
How much bigger is the genome for humans than for viruses or bacteria?
Will it be much more difficult to make a clone of a human in the same way as they made an old species into a different one by putting DNA into it?
Resources
Venter, J. Craig. “The 100 Discoveries That Are Changing The World: Technology: Biology.” Interview by Pamela Weintraub. Discover Magazine 2010: n. pag. Science Reference Center. Web. 19 Nov. 2010. <http://puffin.harker.org:2092/ehost/detail?vid=4&hid=14&sid=6e875807-b5e8-4f14-846f-59cc4211f0a7%40sessionmgr10&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZQ%3d%3d#db=sch&AN=46710863>.
DNA picture - http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/sciencenow/3214/images/01-coll-dna-knoll-l.jpg
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