Bio Tech | Genetically Modified Potato

A group in the United States has taken the first steps towards creating a genetically modified (GM) potato, which can act as a vaccine against the virus that infects millions of people each year and threatens them with a potentially-fatal liver disease.

The thornless roses are a revolution in the traditional rose industry worldwide.

•	They are easy to handle.
•	Damage is minimum while packing and transporting.
•	These are the roses for the future as they have unique advantages in their utility.
•	Being easy and convenient in making bouquets, floral arrangements and other items on special occasions.

S N	Name of Company	Introduced genes
1.	Dupont	Resistant to sulphonyl urea Acetolactate synthase gene from tobacco (Nicotiana tabacuum cv. Xanthi)
2.	Calgene Inc.	Resistant to bromoxynil a nitrilase gene from Klebsiella ozaenac

S N	Name of Company	Introduced genes
1.	Ciba-Geigy Corp.	Bt gene incorporated (resistant to cornborer Cry 1A (b) gene from Bt. Kurstaki
2.	DeKalb Genetics Corp.	Glufosinate Resistant Phosphinothricin acety1 transferase gene form Streptomyces hygroscopiens

S N	Name of Company	Altered Traits
1.	Calgene Inc.	Delayed in ripening, Gene sequence polygalacturonase production in tomato, Rearranged and reversed to minimise its expression by Antisense technology.
2.	Monsanto Co.	Delayed ripening, Aminocyclopropane carboxylic and deaminase gene from Pseudomonas chloraphis 6 G5 strain.
3.	Zeneca/Petoseed	Thicker skin and altered pectin content, Fragment of polygalacturonase gene from tomato.

GM products are developed by introducing virtually any gene into any organism, including an animal gene into a plant. It was part of a govt. trial.

A genetically modified rice plant that produces beta carotene and other carotenoids, the pre-cursors to vitamin A is developed by the professor Ingo Potrykus of the Institute for Plant Sciences, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, Zurich, Switzerland, and Dr.Peter Beyer of the Centre for Applied Biosciences, University of Freiburg, Germany.

The Australian biotechnology company florigene has developed genetically modified flowers blue roses. For producing blue roses, a rose plant would need the gene, which masterminds production of the blue-pigment enzyme. Genetic engineers have taken this "blueness gene" from another plant – a petunia, and crammed it into the rose’s gene template. Natural roses are unable to manufacture certain pigments within their cells, though red, orange and yellow flowers occur, but never the blue pigment delphinidin. The ability to produce blue flowers is now acquired and will be inheritable, presenting possibilities for rose colours from navy to aquamarine.