Year 10 Science · Unit 1 · Lesson 7

Genetic Modification and Transgenic Organisms

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Learning Goals

Trace the cause-and-effect chain from isolating the human insulin gene to insulin being available for diabetes treatment.
Compare genetic modification and selective breeding across six key features including species barriers and precision.
Apply lesson vocabulary (restriction enzymes, plasmid, vector, transgenic) accurately.

Warm Up

Because… chain

Fill in the missing effects. Each cause leads to the next step in the insulin GM process.

Scientists identify the human insulin gene on chromosome 11

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Restriction enzymes cut the insulin gene from the donor DNA

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The insulin gene is inserted into an E. coli plasmid vector

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Transgenic bacteria are grown in large industrial fermenters

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Human insulin protein is extracted and purified from the fermenter

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Overall outcome for people with diabetes:

Your Turn

Compare two

Complete the table to compare selective breeding and genetic modification (GM) across six key features.

Feature	Selective Breeding	Genetic Modification (GM)
Species barrier, can genes cross species?
Speed, how many generations needed?
Precision, how many genes are changed at once?
How the change is made
Australian regulation, what body oversees it?
One real-world example

Show What You Know

1. Australian farmers growing Bt cotton have reduced insecticide sprays by up to 80%. Using your knowledge of GM, explain why Bt cotton is so effective against insect pests and identify the source of the gene responsible.

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2. Golden Rice was developed to produce beta-carotene (vitamin A precursor) to combat blindness in developing countries. Explain why selective breeding alone could not have achieved this outcome, while GM could.

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Wrap Up

In one sentence, what is the key difference between selective breeding and genetic modification?