What are the cons of Genetic engineering?

Answer 1

The cons of genetic engineering come mostly from using a technology without knowing the long-term rammifications of using it.

One thing we do know, is that often genes and DNA sequences have a lot more uses and jobs than we fully appreciate. That being the case, adding a gene to the system may sometimes have unintended consequences where the gene has another function that is secondary to the therapeutic purpose that may cause some harm.

In addition to secondary functions, the level of expression of the gene can be (even if it often isn't) an important factor. When therapeutically applying the expression of a gene, by expressing too much or too little, a feedback mechanism, or another process can be started that is not seen in people expressing the gene in normal amounts.

Also targeting the expression to just the right tissue is important. If the gene is expressed in tissue that normall doesn't express it, this too, can cause unkown and undesired effects.

Most of these cons, however, are pretty well tested before the application.

The largest con right now is the long term effects. What happens when components of the gene therapy get incorporated into the genome, or breakdown, or mutate?

Even here, I think the worst possible long term effects are likely to be rare.

Answer 2

Genetic engineering has been used to splice new genes into crop plants.

The most common use has been to make "roundup ready" crops.

1. There's a slim possibility that, through viruses, the "roundup ready" genes can then be passed to other plant species -- including the weeds that you wanted to spray with roundup.

Another use has been to add insect resistance or fungus resistance to a crop plant.

2. The crop plant produces a huge amount of that insect resistant or fungus resistant substance. In such large amounts, the effects of these substances on human beings may not be known. Some could mimic hormones. Others could trigger allergies. Because of this, such genetically engineered crops are called "Frankenfoods." Some have not been approved for human consumption... but the pollen from such crops tends to blow in the wind, and "contaminate" nearby fields that are used for producing seeds.

Answer 3

In plants you can have genetically engineered crops (perhaps to produce human proteins or hormones eg insulin) cross pollinating crops used for food. Imagine getting a hefty dose of insulin from your green giant niblets.

Also one sequence of of base pairs can encode for more than one gene. Modifying one can have unintended consequences on another.

eg. (1) GCAAUGTCA (AUGCTACAGUTGA)

(2) GCA (AUGTCAAUGCTACAGUTGA)

Same sequence two different gene expressions. Say you want to change the second gene to AUGTCA (C) UGCTACAGUTGA
you end up eliminating the start codon in the first gene and it is no longer expressed.

Answer 4

We might get multiple copies of Hillary.