| 1. | the development and application of scientific methods, procedures, and technologies that permit direct manipulation of genetic material in order to alter the hereditary traits of a cell, organism, or population. |
| 2. | a technique that produces unlimited amounts of otherwise unavailable or scarce biological product by introducing DNA isolated from animals or plants into bacteria and then harvesting the product from a bacterial colony, as human insulin produced in bacteria by the human insulin gene. |
| genetic engineering n. Scientific alteration of the structure of genetic material in a living organism. It involves the production and use of recombinant DNA and has been employed to create bacteria that synthesize insulin and other human proteins. genetic engineer n. |
| Main Entry: | genetic engineering |
| Part of Speech: | n |
| Definition: | See genetic modification |
The manipulation of DNA to produce new types of organisms, usually by inserting or deleting genes.
Note: Genetic engineering has been developed commercially, with uses such as producing human insulin or bacteria that will keep plants from freezing in a mild frost. It is also used to produce genetically modified organisms.
Note: U.S. courts have ruled that the products of genetic engineering can be patented.
Note: There is often controversy about the risk involved in releasing genetically engineered organisms into the environment.
