Bitechnology has given to humans several useful products by using microbes, plant, animals & their metabolic machinery. Recombinant DNA technology has made it possible to engineer microbes ,plants & animals such that they have novel capibilities. Genetically Modified Organisms have been created by using methods other than natural methods to transfer one or more genes from one organism to another, generally using techniques such as recombinant DNA technology. GM plants have been useful in increasing crop yields, reduce post- harvest losses & make crops more tolerant of stresses. There are several GM crop plants with improved nutritional value of foods & reduced the reliance on chemical pesticides. Recombinant DNA technological processs have made immense impact in the area of healthcare by enabling mass production of safe & more effective therapeutics. Since the recombinant therapeutics are identical to human proteins, they do not induce unwanted immunological responses & are free from risk of infection as was observed in case of similar products isolated from non- human sources. Human insulin is made in bacteria yet its structure is absolutely identical to that of the natural molecule. Transgenic animals are also used to understand how genes contribute to the development of a disease by serving as models for human diseases, such as cancer , cystic fibrosis, rheumatoid arthritis and Alzheimer's. The current interest in the manipulation of microbes, plants and animals has raised serious ethical questions.
