Examples of Genetically Modified Organisms

The genetically modified organisms, or also called, GMOs are organisms (plants or animals) whose genome is being genetically engineered in a laboratory. These organisms are engineered with DNA from viruses, bacteria, or other animals and plants. All this experimental combination with the genes of various species cannot occur in nature or with traditional crossbreeding. There are a lot of examples of genetically modified organisms  everywhere in the world and every production. There are examples in the conventional livestock production, in the crop farming, and surprisingly even in the pet breeding.

For this modification to happen, particular genetic technologies are appointed to produce organisms whose genomes have been previously modified at a desirable molecular level. This is usually done by  the insertion of genes from some entirely unrelated species of organisms that would not be easily obtained by traditional selective breeding. This process of inserting genes from different species is made in a way of a horizontal gene transfer. In nature, this usually occurs when an exogenous DNA penetrates the cell membrane. In order for this process to be done artificially, the genes have to be attached to the virus. Then, the extra DNA has to be physically inserted in the predetermined host. After all of this is done, the DNA from the first organism has to be introduced into the cell of the latter, with the use of an electric pulse, or of an electroporation. This is just one of many methods of how the whole process of genetic engineering is performed.