Q. Applications of genetic engineering?
Applications of genetic engineering in different fields are:
• Agriculture: Crops having larger yields, drought -and disease -resistancy; bacterial sprays to prevent crop damage from freezing temperatures; as well as livestock improvement through changes in animal traits.
• Industry: Use of bacteria to convert old newspaper and wood chips in sugar; oil- and toxin-absorbing bacteria for oil spill or toxic waste clean-ups; and yeasts to accelerate wine fermentation.
• Medicine: Alteration of human genes to eliminate disease (experimental stage); faster and more economical production of vital human substances to alleviate deficiency and disease symptoms (though not to cure them); substances includevitamins, interferon (cancer therapy), insulin, human growth hormone ADA, vaccines, antibodies and antibiotics.
• Research: Modification of gene structure in medical research, particularly cancer research.
• Food processing: Rennin (enzyme) in cheese aging.