The Colors of Biotechnology and GMO

I.

INTRODUCTION

The use of living organisms, their parts or by- products in industrial applications
is on the basis of biotechnology. Examples of biotechnological use of
microorganisms, such as alcoholic fermentation and bread making, have been
registered since ancient times.
From this perspective, even selecting and breeding productive plant and animal
varieties for farming and livestock purposes throughout history could be
considered biotechnology approaches. Setting up and defining the processes
of biological information maintenance and flow has prompted the expansion and
growing of biotechnology applications.

II.

CHAPTER I

A) What is biotechnology?
Biotechnology, or genetic engineering, is the process of using living organisms
to improve qualities of a plant by such as the plants ability to protect itself
against damage or improving upon its ability to grow and produce. Plant
biotechnology allows for the transfer of a greater variety of genetic information
in a more precise, controlled manner. It allows for the transfer of one, or a few
genes that can introduce traits such as better insect and weed control.

Scientific and industrial environments, every day more and more specialized
and diverse, use biotechnology as a tool in their process to a greater or lesser
extent. This diversity has in turn brought about the need for a system to classify
biotechnology uses based on common features or final purpose. As a result,
nowadays there exist five main groups in biotechnological applications, which
have been identified by a color system.

B) The colors of biotechnology

1. Red biotechnology brings together all those biotechnology uses

connected to medicine. Red biotechnology includes producing vaccines
and antibiotics, developing new drugs, molecular diagnostics techniques,
regenerative therapies and the development of genetic engineering to
cure diseases through genetic manipulation. Some relevant examples of
red biotechnology are cell therapy and regenerative medicine, gene
therapy and medicines based on biological molecules such as
therapeutic antibodies.

2. Grey biotechnology includes all those applications of biotechnology

directly related to the environment. These applications can be split up
into two main branches: biodiversity maintenance and contaminants

removal. Regarding the first, it should be mentioned the application of

molecular biology to genetic analysis of populations and species that are
part of ecosystems, their comparison and classification and also cloning
techniques aimed to preserve species and genome storage technologies.

As

pollutants

removal

or

bioremediation,

grey

biotechnology

for

uses

microorganisms and plants to isolate and dispose of different substances

such as heavy metals and hydrocarbons, with the added possibility of
subsequently making use of these substances or by-products from this
activity.

3. Blue biotechnology is based on the exploitation of sea resources to

create products and applications of industrial interest. Taking into
account that the sea presents the greatest biodiversity, there is
potentially a huge range of sectors to benefit from the use of this kind of

biotechnology. Many products and applications from blue biotechnology

are still object of study and research, although some of them are actually
used on a daily basis.

No doubt using

raw

materials

the

represents

from
the

sea

most

widespread blue
biotechnology in

many

different sectors. These materials, mostly hydrocolloids and gellings are

already being widely used in food, health, treatment, etc. Medicine and
research are other major beneficiaries of development in blue
biotechnology. Some marker molecules from marine organisms are now
commonly used in research. Enzymatically active molecules useful in
diagnostics and research have also been isolated from marine
organisms. Some biomaterials and pharmacological or regeneratively
active agents are being produced or investigated for their use in these
sectors. Finally, sectors such as agriculture and cosmetics analyze the
potential of blue biotechnology for its future development

4. White biotechnology comprises all the biotechnology uses related to

industrial processes - that is why it is also called industrial
biotechnology. White biotechnology pays a special attention to design

low resource-consuming processes and products, making them more

energy efficient and less polluting than traditional ones. There can be
found many examples of white biotechnology, such as the use of
microorganisms in chemicals production, the design and production of
new materials for daily use (plastics, textiles ...) and the development of
new sustainable energy sources such as biofuels.

5. Green biotechnology is focused on agriculture as working field. Green

biotechnological approaches and applications include creating new plant
varieties of agricultural interest, producing biofertilizers and biopesticides,
using in vitro cultivation and cloning plants. The first approach is the one
to undergo further development and attract the most interest and social
controversy. Producing modified plant varieties is based almost
exclusively on transgenesis, or introducing genes of interest from another
variety or organism into the plant.

Three main objectives are pursued by using this technology. First, it is

expected to get varieties resistant to pests and diseases -for example,
currently used and marketed maize varieties resistant to pests such as
corn stalk borer. Secondly, use of transgenic plants is aimed at
developing varieties with improved nutritional properties (eg, higher

content of vitamins). Finally, transgenesis in plants is also studied as a

means to develop plant varieties able to act as bio-factories and produce
substances of medical, biomedical or industrial interest in quantities easy
to be isolated and purified.

III.

CHAPTER II

1. What are Genetically modified organisms (GMO)?

GMOs, or genetically modified organisms, are plants or animals created
through the gene splicing techniques of biotechnology (also called genetic
engineering, or GE). A GMO plant has been genetically altered using genetic
engineering techniques, and is commonly found in crops such as corn,
soybeans, cotton and canola. In general, these plants are modified to express a
resistance to herbicide, which can be beneficial to farmers, allowing for less
work so more crops can be harvested.
It is also argued that GM foods can provide a solution to global food problems
and make farming and processing more affordable and efficient. On the other
hand, we should not only concerned about the possible human health
implications, but changes in food composition could have a dire effect on the
environment and biodiversity. It is also sometimes called "transgenic" for
transfer of genes.
Over 80% of all GMOs grown worldwide are engineered for herbicide tolerance.
As a result, use of toxic herbicides like Roundup has increased 15 times since

GMOs were introduced. GMO crops are also responsible for the emergence of
super weeds and super bugs: which can only be killed with ever more toxic
poisons like 2,4-D (a major ingredient in Agent Orange). GMOs are a direct
extension of chemical agriculture, and are developed and sold by the worlds
biggest chemical companies. The long-term impacts of GMOs are unknown,
and once released into the environment these organisms cannot be recalled.
1.1.

Benefits of GM foods

Crops are more productive and have a larger yield.

More capable of thriving in regions with poor soil or adverse climates.
More environment friendly as they require less herbicides and pesticides.
Better adaptation of plants to more deplorable living conditions.
Increased production of food with a substantial saving of resources.
Acceleration in the growth of plants and animals.
Ability of foods to be used as drugs or vaccines for the prevention and
treatment of diseases.

1.2.

Disadvantages of GM foods:

However, despite the advantages they can bring to whom consume, many
experts and organizations oppose the commercialization of GM foods, primarily
for damage to the environment and health, for example:

Increased toxic substances in the environment.

Loss of biodiversity.
Soil contamination.
Herbicide-resistant and pesticide-resistant crops could give rise to superweeds and super-pests that would need newer, stronger chemicals to
destroy them. Possible poisoning due to allergies or intolerance to

processed foods.
Irreversible and unpredictable damage in the plants and animals.

2. THE SITUATION OF TRANSGENIC IN PERU

Peru is one of the 10 megadiverse countries representing 70% of the planet's
biodiversity in ecosystems, species, genetic resources and cultural diversity.
Being the center of origin and diversification of the global importance of
agricultural species such as tomato, potato, sweet potato, chili, cotton, beans
and squash, among others. It is estimated that Peru has about 17,000 species
of plants, of which 5,356 are endemic.
By geographical, ecological and cultural characteristics, a possible release of
transgenic crops in Peru have serious risks of genetic contamination of local
varieties and wild relatives through gene flow, resulting in the displacement and
loss of production of varieties local. Furthermore, the release of transgenic
crops in Peru affects agricultural exports of conventional and organic products.
IV.

CONCLUSIONS
The creation of transgenic foods is an irreversible phenomenon, although
there are questions to which research, analyzes, discussions and
agreements that have occurred in the course of its short history have not

been able to respond.

It cant ignore the impact of this new technology and is an obligation to
inform the public of its wide possibilities and their possible risks; should

work with full transparency and information to consumers.

From research to commercialization, including the necessary legislation,
with a bioethical and scientific approach will allow GM foods become one
more way to help increase food availability worldwide.

V.

CONTROVERSY

There is controversy over GMOs, especially with regard to their use in

producing food. The dispute involves buyers, biotechnology companies,
governmental regulators, non-governmental organizations, and scientists. The
key areas of controversy related to GMO food are whether GM food should be
labeled, the role of government regulators, the effect of GM crops on health and
the environment, the effect on pesticide resistance, the impact of GM crops for
farmers, and the role of GM crops in feeding the world population.
There is broad scientific consensus that food on the market derived from GM
crops poses no greater risk than conventional food. No reports of ill effects have
been proven in the human population from ingesting GMO food.
VI.
REFERENCE
1. Connecticut General Assembly (2013). Learned Societies and National
Academies Endorsing Safety of Genetically Modified Crops. , from
http://www.cga.ct.gov/2013/KIDdata/Tmy/2013HB-06527-R000305Scientific%20Bodies%20Afffirming%20Safety-TMY.PDF
2. Fleming, Jeremy (Updated October 30, 2013). No risk with GMO food,
says

EU

chief

scientific

advisor.

EurActiv

Network.

from

http://www.euractiv.com/innovation-enterprise/commission-sciencesupremo-endor-news-514072
3. Theresa Phillips, Ph.D. (Write Science Right) 2008 Nature Education.
Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs): Transgenic Crops and
Recombinant DNA Technology.
http://www.nature.com/scitable/topicpage/genetically-modifiedorganisms-gmos-transgenic-crops-and-732
4. https://biotechspain.com/es/tema.cfm?iid=colores_biotecnologia