Paper
GENETIC ENGINEERING AND GENE ANALYSIS
Published Oct 1, 1983 · F. Pope
British Journal of Dermatology
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Abstract
The term genetic engineering refers to the spectacular recent advances in DNA biochemistry which have allowed, in almost miraculous fashion, human, animal and plant genes to be analysed, 'finger-printed,' sequenced, transferred, cultured and otherwise manipulated (Seltnor & Hollander, 1979). The potential implications for medicine, agriculture and society in general are far-reaching and perhaps ultimately as important, frightening and revolutionary as atomic fission has been upon the future of mankind in general. The immediate tangible results have been in classical human genetics and protein synthesis. Genes have been inserted and amplified in bacteria and the isolated genetic products have either been used for sophisticated genetic analysis or to instruct bacterial cells (Crea et al., 1978) to make desirable products such as insulin (Keene, Glynne & Picking, 1980) or human interferon (Goeddel et al., 1981). Future expansion of such gene mapping technology should allow the detailed understanding of gene regulation and switching. If this can be achieved then the control and manipulation of relatively simple single gene defects such as the haemoglobinopathies, inherited defects of collagen and many others is virtually certain. Equally important possibilities include a complete understanding of the genes controlling the HLA protein system and the changes produced in certain animal cell lines by certain viral or virus-like genes which are associated with the uncontrolled cell proliferation or behaviour which we recognize and fear as carcinogenesis. Unhampered organ transplantation, the control of some cancerous processes, the replacement or regulation of human structural gene products and a much more sophisticated understanding of all sorts of regulating and switching capabilities of various cellular processes such as lymphocyte Tand B-cell activation could revolutionize the practice of medicine as we understand it today.
Genetic engineering and gene analysis have revolutionized medicine, agriculture, and society by allowing the control and manipulation of gene defects, carcinogenesis, and other cellular processes.
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