Transgenic is a term that refers to an organism that has had genetic material from another species inserted into its DNA. Its spelling can be explained using the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) as /trænzˈdʒɛnɪk/. The first syllable "tran" is pronounced with the vowel sound /æ/. The second syllable "s" is pronounced as a voiced consonant /z/. Then comes the stressed syllable, "gen", pronounced with the vowel sound /ɛ/ followed by the suffix "-ic" pronounced as /ɪk/.
The term "transgenic" refers to an organism that has been genetically modified by the introduction of genes from another species, resulting in the expression of new traits or characteristics. This process involves the deliberate manipulation of an organism's genetic material, usually done in a laboratory setting, to transfer specific genes or DNA sequences from one organism into another.
Transgenic organisms are created by using various techniques such as gene cloning, recombinant DNA technology, or genetic engineering. These techniques enable scientists to isolate specific genes of interest from one organism and insert them into the genetic material of a different organism. By introducing these foreign genes, the transgenic organism acquires new traits or properties that it wouldn't naturally possess.
The applications of transgenic technology are diverse and can be found in various fields including agriculture, medicine, and research. In agriculture, transgenic crops are created to enhance traits such as pest resistance, herbicide tolerance, or improved nutritional content. In medicine, transgenic models may be developed to study diseases or create therapeutic proteins. Additionally, transgenic organisms play a crucial role in scientific research to study gene function, understand biological processes, or develop novel treatments.
Critics of transgenic technology raise concerns regarding potential environmental impacts, ethical considerations, and long-term effects on human health. Regulations and guidelines are in place in many countries to regulate the production, distribution, and use of transgenic organisms to ensure their safety and mitigate potential risks.
* The statistics data for these misspellings percentages are collected from over 15,411,110 spell check sessions on www.spellchecker.net from Jan 2010 - Jun 2012.
The word "transgenic" comes from a combination of two roots: "trans" and "genic".
The prefix "trans" is derived from Latin and means "across" or "beyond". It is commonly used in modern English to indicate movement or change across a boundary.
The root word "genic" comes from the Greek word "genos", which means "race", "generation", or "kind". In biology, it refers to genetic material, genes, or the process of producing offspring.
Therefore, the word "transgenic" in the context of biology and genetics refers to the movement or transfer of genetic material from one organism to another, typically across species boundaries.