Bioethics glossary

biotechnology

Any technological application that uses biological systems, living organisms, or derivatives thereof, to make or modify products or processes for specific use.

Source: World Foundation for Environment and Development

The industrial use of living organisms or biological techniques developed through basic research. Biotechnology products include antibiotics, insulin, interferon, recombinant DNA, and techniques such as waste recycling. Much older forms of biotechnology include breadmaking, cheesemaking and brewing wine and beer.

Source: BioTech Life Sciences Dictionary

The image below shows the various human chromosome pairs, separated out from a constituent cell.

A fundamental unit of an animal body; each body organ contain different types of cell. At the heart of a cell is the nucleus, which contains chromosomes, long coils of DNA. DNA provides not only a blueprint from which a cell can produce proteins to perform its function, but also a design for the entire body.

The diagram below illustrates the different parts of a cell:

View the image at its full size, including a text description.

(of DNA): An identical copy. The term may be applied to a fragment of DNA, a plasmid that contains a single fragment of DNA, or a bacterium that contains such a plasmid.

(of animal): An identical offspring, generally created by transfer of an identical nucleus into a recipient egg.

Source: The Current Uses of Genetic Modification

(1) To insert a piece of DNA into a vector for subsequent amplification and isolation of that specific piece;

(2) A piece of DNA composed of a vector and its insert.

Source: Bernie May

A class of approval for release of new organisms proposed by the Royal Commission, where the release would be with conditions or controls.

Source: Ministry for the Environment

Deoxyribonucleic acid, the chemical at the centre of the cells of living things which controls the structure and purpose of each cell and carries genetic information during reproduction.

Source: Cambridge International Dictionary of English

A nucleic acid that constitutes the genetic material of all cellular organisms and the DNA viruses; DNA replicates and controls through messenger RNA the inheritable characteristics of all organisms. A molecule of DNA is made up of two parallel twisted chains of alternating units of phosphoric acid and deoxyribose, linked by crosspieces of the purine bases and the pyrimidine bases, resulting in a right-handed helical structure, that carries genetic information encoded in the sequence of the bases.

Source: Academic Press Dictionary of Science and Technology

An animal in the early stage of development before birth. In humans, the embryo stage is the first three months following conception.

Source: Your genes, your choices

An animal in the later stage of development before birth. In humans, the foetal stage is the from the end of the third month until birth.

Source: Your genes, your choices

A reproductive (egg or sperm) cell.

Source: Singapore Genetic Modification Advisory Committee

A unit of hereditary information. A gene is a section of a DNA molecule that specifies the production of a particular protein.

Source: About Biotechnology

Organisms that have had genes from other species inserted into their genome.

Functional Genomics Glossary An organism whose genome has been altered by the inclusion of foreign genetic material. This may be derived from other individuals of the same or wholly different specifies, or of an artificial nature. Foreign genetic information can be added to the organism during its early development and incorporated in cells of the entire organism. Genetic information can also be added later in development to selected portions of the organism.

Source: Functional Genomics Glossary

The total hereditary material of a cell.

Source: About Biotechnology

The genetic complement contained in the chromosomes of a given organism, usually the haploid chromosome state.

Source: An Agricultural and Environmental Biotechnology Annotated Dictionary

The prevention of or interference with an immune response, either by disease or drugs. After receiving an organ transplant, a patient must be immunosuppressed by drugs to prevent the body from rejecting the organ.

Source: Canadian Public Consultation on Xenotransplantation

Literally 'in glass'; performed in a test tube or other laboratory apparatus.

Source: Singapore Genetic Modification Advisory Committee

A pig virus known as porcine endogenous retrovirus that is found in the genetic material of every pig. PERVs cannot be eliminated or screened out and laboratory experiments have shown that they can infect human cells. It is not known if PERVs can be transmitted through a animal to human transplant.

Source: Canadian Public Consultation on Xenotransplantation

A small, circular piece of DNA found outside the chromosome in bacteria. Plasmids are the principal tools for inserting new genetic information into microorganisms or plants.

Source: About Biotechnology

A structure composed of DNA that is separate from the cell's genome. In bacteria, plasmids confer a variety of traits and can be exchanged between individuals - even those of different species. Plasmids can be manipulated in the laboratory to deliver specific genetic sequences into a cell.

Source: The Genomics Lexicon

A biological molecule which consists of many amino acids chained together by peptide bonds. The sequence of amino acids in a protein is determined by the sequence of nucleotides in a DNA molecule. As the chain of amino acids is being synthesised, it is also folded into higher order structures shaped, for example, like helices or like flat sheets. Proteins are required for the structure, function, and regulation of cells, tissues, and organs in the body.

Source: The Genomics Lexicon

DNA molecules that have been created by combining DNA from more than one source.

Source: The Genomics Lexicon

Recombinant DNA is a fragment of DNA incorporated artificially into the DNA molecule of a suitable vector so that it can express itself many times. This way a large quantity of the DNA in question can be obtained. The DNA is usually one that contains genes of interest, such as interferon, insulin, or growth hormone. The DNA may also be intended to fix mutated genes causing diseases, such as haemophilia or sickle cell anaemia. The vector could be plasmids, bacteriophages, and cosmids (packaged plasmid DNA into a phage particle).

Source: BioTech Life Sciences Dictionary

An immune reaction a patient may have against an organ or tissue that has been transplanted.

Source: Canadian Public Consultation on Xenotransplantation

Under New Zealand law, 'releasing' a genetically modified organism means it can be used without any environmental controls on it, and the necessary permission has been obtained. Overseas, 'release' is taken to mean a commercial application for a genetically modified organism or release onto the market and may have voluntary or mandatory controls on it.

Source: New Zealand Ministry for the Environment

A virus that uses the enzyme reverse transcriptase to copy its RNA genome into DNA, which then integrates into the host cell genome. An example of a retrovirus is the PERV pig virus.

Source: Singapore Genetic Modification Advisory Committee

Ribonucleic acid, a molecule similar to DNA, whose functions include decoding the instructions for protein synthesis that are carried by the genes; comprises the genetic material of some viruses.

Source: Singapore Genetic Modification Advisory Committee

A part of an organism consisting of a collection of cells having a similar structure and function, eg a piece of skin, or bone.

An organism that has been genetically engineered to contain the genes from another species.

Source: Waiter, there's a Gene in My Food

An organism whose genome has been altered by the inclusion of foreign genetic material. This foreign genetic material may be derived from other individuals of the same species or from wholly different species. Genetic material may also be of an artificial nature. Foreign genetic information can be added to the organism during its early development and incorporated in cells of the entire organism. As an example, mice embryos have been given the gene for rat growth hormone allowing mice to grow into large adults. Genetic information can also be added later in development to selected portions of the organism. As an example, experimental genetic therapy to treat cystic fibrosis involves selective addition of genes responsible for lung function and is administered directly to the lung tissue of children and adults.

Source: The Genomics Lexicon

An infectious agent composed of a single type of nucleic acid, DNA or RNA, enclosed in a coat of protein. Viruses can multiply only within living cells.

Source: About Biotechnology

Viruses consist of a piece of nucleic acid covered by protein. Viruses can only reproduce by infecting a cell and using the cell's mechanisms for selfreplication. They can cause disease; modified viruses can also be used as a tool in gene therapy to introduce new DNA into a cell's genome.

Source: The Genomics Lexicon

The live cells, tissues and organs used in xenotransplant procedures.

Source: Canadian Public Consultation on Xenotransplantation

The term usually meant to describe the transfer of living cells, tissues and organs from non-human animals into humans for medical purposes. From the Greek, xenos.

Source: Canadian Public Consultation on Xenotransplantation