The Transgenic Tomatoes
The Genetically Modified Tomatoes, also known as the Transgenic Tomatoes or "Flavr Savr", is a tomatoes who's genes has been altered by using genetic engineering to create tomatoes with longer shell life.These tomatoes consist of having a longer length of time of being stored before it becomes unfit for the consumptions of organisms. [1] The tomatoes where the first organisms to being modified through their genes and a gateway to many further discoveries done to other organisms as well.
Many years ago, farmers noticed that there should be a solution to all those spoilage problems in crops to prevent the damages done through time by pests. They noticed that tomatoes where being strongly affected by the several diseases exposed by the pest to the tomatoes. and that the chemicals that they had been using before to sustain their crops was poisoning the environment. This is when the idea to recreate crops in a way that it will enable them to last from the fields collected to a dinner plate came to mind. [3] The genetic engineering produced on this tomatoes was the solution to reduce the amount of chemical usage to crops as well as introducing a greater disease resistance, insect resistance, and increase shelf life. Conclusively, scientists and farmers still wanted to keep its natural color and flavor, yet change it into a more positive way.
Many years ago, farmers noticed that there should be a solution to all those spoilage problems in crops to prevent the damages done through time by pests. They noticed that tomatoes where being strongly affected by the several diseases exposed by the pest to the tomatoes. and that the chemicals that they had been using before to sustain their crops was poisoning the environment. This is when the idea to recreate crops in a way that it will enable them to last from the fields collected to a dinner plate came to mind. [3] The genetic engineering produced on this tomatoes was the solution to reduce the amount of chemical usage to crops as well as introducing a greater disease resistance, insect resistance, and increase shelf life. Conclusively, scientists and farmers still wanted to keep its natural color and flavor, yet change it into a more positive way.
How they are made
The transgenic tomatoes are made by having a gene from Escherichia coil, a bacteria found commonly in the lower intestine of warm-blooded organisms which occurs naturally in the mammalian gut, interfere with the FLAVR SAVR gene, a genre from a tomato in charge of when the tomato rottens. These two genes are then inserted into a plasmis, a circular ring of DNA found in the tomato, and inserted into the tomato cells. This will then produce a substance in the cells called APH II that supports the tomato with a cell resistance antibiotic. This antibiotic will kill all the cells that did not receive the plasmids with the two genes thus leaving the whole tomato genetically modified. [3]
Later on, the antisense (or E coil) gene interferes with the production of enzyme polygalacturonase, an enzyme responsible for the cell walls and the softening of the tomato, "canceling each other" and deactivating the production of these enzymes and the softening of the tomato. [1]
Later on, the antisense (or E coil) gene interferes with the production of enzyme polygalacturonase, an enzyme responsible for the cell walls and the softening of the tomato, "canceling each other" and deactivating the production of these enzymes and the softening of the tomato. [1]