Genetic Fingerprinting, Mutations, and Biotechnology

Genetic Fingerprint

Genetic fingerprinting is a technique capable of distinguishing and identifying individuals through individual peculiarities in their own DNA.

Mutations

Mutations are alterations in the genetic information of cells that may occur spontaneously in any cell of a living being. Their consequences can be negative, neutral, or harmless, but also advantageous or beneficial.

Gene Mutations

Gene mutations are mutations affecting the nucleotides of DNA.

Chromosomal or Genomic Mutations

Chromosomal or genomic mutations affect chromosome number or structure. They are due to errors in the processes of meiosis. When they affect the whole chromosome, it is called genomics.

Biotechnology

Biotechnology consists of a set of techniques or processes that use living organisms or substances derived from them to produce food, drugs, or other substances useful for people, industries, or the environment.

Genetic Engineering

Genetic engineering is the set of techniques for modifying the genome of an organism by adding, eliminating, or modifying some of its genes, thereby altering certain features of this organism.

Cloning

Cloning is the action of producing a biological entity (gene, chromosome, cell, or organism) genetically identical to another, from a pre-existing one.

Cell Cloning

Embryonic stem cells are used to obtain cells compatible with adult ones. These can give rise to different types of cells to build and rebuild tissues or organs.

Cloning of Organisms

Using the cloning technique to clone organisms, you get an egg donor and remove its genetic material. Then, a somatic cell of the organism to be cloned is taken. Finally, the somatic cell is fused with the egg without DNA.

Applications

Applications in Agriculture

• Production of toxins that make plants resistant, therefore avoiding the use of pesticides or herbicides.
• Slowed development of the fruits.
• Production of substances of pharmaceutical interest.

Applications in Livestock

• Improvement in animal production.
• Increased body mass with less fat, or increased musculature.
• Disease-resistant animals.
• Cows that produce milk with human proteins.

Stem Cells

Stem cells are an undifferentiated cell type that has the ability to reproduce by cell division indefinitely.

Genetic Screening

Genetic screening is performed as primary prevention before conception, that is, before the eggs are fertilized by sperm. Secondary prevention takes place after fertilization through the early diagnosis of genetic diseases. To implement secondary prevention, techniques such as amniocentesis or preimplantation genetic diagnosis are used.