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Cheyenne Karst
Mrs. Noffsinger
BioTech
1 February 2016
Yes or No to GMO's
Seven thousand years ago, maize had only two rows of kernels. Present day plants can
produce as many as 20. Although many people think that genetically modified foods (GMOs)
are not safe for themselves or for their families, this has been proven untrue by multiple
independent studies of many different corporations. That being said, it is very necessary that
people are able to know what they are eating. Therefore, we need to begin labeling all GMOs to
allow people to know what they are eating and educate everyone on how they are created, what
they are, and how affect our society.
Biotechnology is used to give plants beneficial traits that often cant be developed
effectively through natural breeding. The traits developed help farmers to increase yields, and
conserve resources. Some of these traits are herbicide, drought and insect tolerance
(Newsroom). Genetically engineered plants have many benefits such as increasing the final
yield because of drought and insect resistance as well as reducing the amount of food borne
illnesses in some plants (Biotechnology). Though the use of GMOs has reduced the need
for insecticides, the use of herbicides has grown dramatically. Because many of the GMO crops
have been modified to resist the weed killer Roundup, this trait is spreading to weeds and

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creating super-weeds that are also resistant to this weed killer (GMO Foods). Though
many farmers use GM seeds, those that dont are not able to produce such prevalent crops;
therefore they cannot gain as much revenue as major GMO producing farmers.
This being said, there are also a few disadvantages to GM products. One personal
disadvantage to genetically modified foods is that some people may have allergies to the
chemicals being used. Also, there is some theory that GMOs may cause kidney, liver, and or
immune system damage, though there have been no long term studies proving this. There is also
some debate about the price of doing things like labeling GM foods and how it would affect
shoppers and their grocery bills. The labeling of GM products would only drive grocery prices
up and average of $2.30 per person per year. This would be less than 10 dollars a year for a
family of four (GMO Foods). The Food and Drug Administration requires the labeling of
ingredients only if there is a meaningful difference in the safety, composition or nutrition of the
crop. (Newsroom). This does not include genetically modified ingredients.
GMOs include at least one other gene from a different organism, like a bacterium, other
microbe, or other plant species. Plants are inserted with these genes to give them abilities such as
being more tolerant of things like environmental pressure, insects, and drought (Newsroom).
GMOs are created by splicing genes of different species and combining them to create a more
durable crop (Genetically Modified Organisms) . Technology for genetic modification has
been around for 20 years and an estimated 70%-80% of the foods we eat are or include GMOs.
The plasmid method is the most popular form of altering genes. There are four main steps
to the plasmid method. First, a plasmid, a small piece of DNA, is inserted into a container

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already holding restriction enzymes. The enzymes slice the plasmid into smaller parts. Then, the
slam cut pieces are put into bacteria that create sticky ends. These sticky ends create a system
which allows DNA molecules to fuse and create a ring of DNA. Other enzymes work to make
the ring more stable in its container. Finally, the DNA molecules are placed in cultures of live
bacteria. The plasmids enter the bacteria cells and begin expressing themselves. The plasmids
will develop a resistance to the bacteria and synthesize new proteins (Genetic Engineering).
Other methods of genetic engineering are the Vector method and the Biolistic method.
The process of protein synthesis is known as translation. This process is accomplished by
the ribosome. The first step of protein synthesis is "Initiation". In this step, an mRNA (messenger
RNA) enters cytoplasm and joins with ribosomes. The second step is "Elongating" this where
amino acids are added. As the ribosomes move along mRNA, tRNA (translation RNA) add
amino acids to the chain to produce protein. In the third step, called "Termination", a ribosome
me hits a stop codon and falls apart (Transcription/Translation). An mRNA can be used
hundreds of times during translation before the cell breaks it down.
One in every eight people in the world go to bed hungry each night. The use of GMO's to
increase production could greatly decrease this number even as the worlds population grows. As
shown in some studies, chemicals affect everything differently. For example, estrogen hormones
in women can reduce the rate of breast cancer mortality, while the same hormone can have
negative effects on men. Estrogen can also affect the immune systems of mice and cause
infertility in sheep (Guest Opinion). Monsanto claims that "Plants and crops with GM traits
have been tested more than any other crop- with no credible evidence of harm to humans or
animals" (Newsroom). It is possible that with genetically modified tobacco we could treat the

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rabies virus. This would work by stopping the furious from attaching to nerve endings at the
location of the bite, as well as preventing it from spreading to the brain (Genetically Modified
Tobacco). Rabies is treatable only if caught quickly, especially in third world countries with
limited resources. This tobacco could potentially save thousands of lives.
Many people worry that the use of GMO's will have adverse effects on their families.
Though this has been proven untrue, it is still necessary that we begin labeling our foods to
educate our society. An average ear of corn has 800 kernels on 16 rows, there is always an even
number of rows. Not only each ear, nor each row, but each kernel, can bring us one step closer to
ending world hunger. Isn't it best that, with no proven adverse effects, we use a process to
increase the yield of our fields and decrease the rate of starvation around the world? With our
constantly progressing and growing world, shouldn't our food sources grow and progress with
us?

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Works Cited
"Biotechnology Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) | USDA." Biotechnology Frequently Asked
Questions (FAQs) | USDA. USDA, 14 May 2015. Web. 25 Jan. 2016.
<http://www.usda.gov/wps/portal/usda/usdahome?contentid=BiotechnologyFAQs.xml>.
"Genetic Engineering and Its Methods." Genetic Engineering and Its Methods. 1 Jan. 2010. Web.
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"Genetically Modified Tobacco Plants Produce Antibodies to Treat Rabies." Genetically
Modified Tobacco Plants Produce Antibodies to Treat Rabies. Phys.org, 1 Feb. 2013.
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"GMO Foods: What You Need to Know - Consumer Reports Magazine." GMO Foods: What
You Need to Know - Consumer Reports Magazine. Consumer Reports, 26 Feb. 2015.
Web. 26 Jan. 2016. <http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/magazine/2015/02/gmo-foods-

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what-you-need-to-know/index.htm>.
"Guest Opinion: Two Dozen Studies Show GM Foods Safe." - Boulder Daily Camera. Andrew
Staehelin, 25 May 2012. Web. 21 Jan. 2016. <http://www.dailycamera.com/guestopinions/ci_20703908/guest-opinion-two-dozen-studies-show-gm-foods>.
"Mac K." [Protein Synthesis by the Ribosome: A Pathway Full of Pitfalls]. European PMC, 31
Mar. 2015. Web. 18 Jan. 2016. <http://europepmc.org/abstract/med/25855282>.
"Newsroom." Commonly Asked Questions about the Food Safety of GMOs. Monsanto, 1 Jan.
2015. Web. 19 Jan. 2016. <http://www.monsanto.com/newsviews/Pages/foodsafety.aspx>.
"Plant Geneticists Demonstrate New Means of Boosting Maize Yields." Plant Geneticists
Demonstrate New Means of Boosting Maize Yields. Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, 3
Feb. 2013. Web. 22 Jan. 2016. <http://phys.org/news/2013-02-geneticists-boostingmaize-yields.html>.
"The Facts About GMO." The Facts About GMO. The Coalition for Safe and Affordable Food.
Web. 26 Jan. 2016. <http://factsaboutgmos.org/>.
"Transcription / Translation." Transcription / Translation. IUPUI Department of Biology, 12
Mar. 2003. Web. 25 Jan. 2016.

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<http://www.biology.iupui.edu/biocourses/N100/2k3ch13dogma.html>.