Abstract
This paper examines how genetic modification (GM), often known by the less ominous name of biotechnology, is the science of improving the genetic characteristics of plants to produce better, more healthful foods, as well as foods resistant to certain pests and those which will survive under harsh conditions. It looks at how, with the advent of gene technology, biotechnologists are now able to more easily produce abundant, better-quality and more nutritious food supplies to consumers.

From the Paper
"There are many arguable benefits to the modification of our foods, many of which are already in practice. The key difference between conventional breeding and genetic modification is that in the past it has only been possible to transfer traits between plants and animals of the same or very similar species. GM allows splicing between completely different species and even the combination of plant and animal genes. Because of this technology, scientists have now been able to create, for example, a type of maize that produces a protein from the bacteria Bacillus thuringiensis. This protein kills the insect called a corn borer which is known to do considerable damage to maize crops."

Tags:pests, protein, herbicide, crops

Abstract
The paper explains that procedures such as in-vitro translation are based upon the recognition that cells are protein-production facilities. Consequently, when medical researchers consider it necessary to make a particular protein, they can rely upon cells to produce that protein for them. The paper discusses the strengths and weaknesses of this method. The paper then discusses how molecular biologists consider in vitro synthesis of proteins in cell-free extracts to be an important method, for it offers a variety of applications.

From the Paper
"Procedures such as in-vitro translation are based upon the recognition that cells are protein-production facilities. Consequently, when medical researchers consider it necessary to make a particular protein, they can rely upon cells to produce that protein for them. Unfortunately, a number of problems have been experienced because living cells are not very good sources of exogenous proteins, for some proteins are degraded and some are toxic, while other proteins are clumped into inclusion bodies comprised of insoluble aggregates."

Tags:living, cells, proteins, molecular, biologists, biotechnologists