Transgenic Plants Definition, Examples, Applications and Advantages

Transgenic organism

• The organism in which a gene is artificially inserted is known as a transgenic organism.

• On the other hand ,The organism which can be modified in terms of their  genome also known as Transgenic Organism.

• The term Genetically Modified Organism (GMO) or  Transgenic organism  or Genetically engineered  Organism (GEO) is also used for the transgenic animals.

Advantages of some transgenic plants

• The artificial gene is inserted in an plants by the suitable vector with the help of DNA recombinant technology.

• Transgenic plants are capable of making resistance against herbicides, pests, viruses and abiotic stress.They frequently used in the process of food processing.

• Transgenic plants have been produced by inserting the forign gene that makes these plants capable to gain resistance power against disease, insect , pest, abiotic stress etc.

• These plants also increase the nutritional quality and maintain more life of storage.

Examples of transgenic plant

• The Bt toxin gene has been introduced in various plants like corn, cotton etc to make them resistant against pests and insects. This gene releases a toxin that kills the insect and pest.

• Genes that code an enzyme glycerol phosphate acyl transferase have been taken from the Arabidopis. These genes provide resistance power against the chilling of Tobacco plants.

• A chemical Polygalacturonase that is responsible for soft skin of fruit after ripening. It makes target pectin present in the cell wall . 

• To make resistant against this chemical , a gene was inserted into the tomato and a transgenic tomato known as Bruise resistant tomato has been developed.

• Starch content in potatoes has also been raised by using ADP glucose phosphorylase gene of bacteria. 

• Transgenic plants are also used for manufacturing of chemicals and widely used in pharmaceuticals.

• These plants raise the content of nutrients like sugars, amino acids, protein , fat oil etc.

• A gene called mannitol dehydrogenase  has been isolated from E.coli and inserted in Tobacco plants to increase the level of mannitol.

• Similarly A gene  called cyclodextrin glucosyl transferase has been isolated from  Klebsiella and inserted in potato  plants to increase the level of alpha and beta cyclodextrin.

• In monocot, Transgenic rice was produced with gene amino glucose phosphotransferase.

• Similarly, transgenic Maize and transgenic wheat also have been developed with gene neomycin phospho transferase and bar gene respectively.