BOTANY Higher Secondary Second Year - Textbooks Online

Transgenic microbes
The genetically engineered micro-organisms are being used for the
commercial production of some non-microbial products such as insulin,
interferon, human growth hormone and viral vaccines.
Use of genetically engineered bacterial strain
In 1979, for the first time Anand Mohan Chakrabarty, an Indian born
American scientist developed a strain of Pseudomonas putida that contained
a hybrid plasmid derived by combining parts of CAM and OCT. (CAM
and OCT are the plasmids which contain the genes responsible for the
decomposition of the hydrocarbons like camphor and octane respectively
present in the oil.) This strain could grew rapidly on crude oil because it
was capable of metabolizing hydrocarbons more efficiently. The bacterial
strain called the superbug was produced on a large scale in laboratory,
mixed with straw and dried. When the straw was spread over oil slicks,
the straw soaked up the oil and bacteria broke up the oil into non-polluting
and harmless products. In this way, pollution of land and water due to the
oil slicks can be remedied and the phenomenon is called bioremediation.
It is defined as the use of living microorganisms to degrade environmental
pollutants or prevent pollution. The contaminated sites are restored and
future pollution is prevented.
Benefits from release of genetically modified microorganisms into the
environment.
Protection of environment - Bioremediation of polluted environment.
Microorganisms producing enzymes for food industry.
Microorganisms with improved efficiency of fermentation.
Improved microorganisms for milk industry.
Microorganisms as live attenuated vaccines for health care.
Increasing efficiency of plant nutrition, pest control (safe
biopesticides), protection of plants from climatic stress and protection
of plants from tumour formation and disease.
Self evaluation
I . Choose and write the correct options.
1. One of the following process is employed to introduce a foreign
gene into a cell
a. electrolysis b. electroporation
c. plasmid d. ligation
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