Pglo Transformation
...preformed by many if not all microbiologists known as genetic transformation. Genetic transformation is the ability to move DNA into an organism and thereby altering its genotypic and genetic makeup (2). Genetic transformation has shown to have a wide variety of uses in many scientific studies. In agriculture, gene coding for traits such as frost, pest, or spoilage resistance have been genetically transformed in plants. In the pharmaceutical industry bacteria and yeast are transformed with human genes of interest in order to produce therapeutics for human disorders. An example of pharmaceutical industries use of transformation is seen in the development of insulin, which is used to treat some forms of diabetes mellitus (2).
In nature, many strands of bacteria genetically exchange genetic information during a process known as conjugation, and the new information is passed on subsequent generations. The advantage of using bacteria relates to the single-celled nature of the organisms. Only one cell needs to be changed in order to integrate the new genetic information and allow for its transmission to the next generation. The exchange process of genetic information allows the organism to increase in its capacity to adapt to its environment.(2)
Genetic transformation is also seen in organisms that are multicellular. However, the process is more difficult and in some cases can be particularly challenging. The multicellular nature of most plants introduces the complication of transforming each cell of the plant in order to fully integrate the new information (2). Often the approach taken in higher organisms, such as plants, involves transforming an individual plant cell and then regenerating it into a whole organism (2).
Genetic transformation is not only naturally occurring in plants, but bacteria and viruses are able to carry this out routinely...
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