TOBACCO AND EBOLA

A genetically Modified Organism is an Organism whose genetic material has been altered using genetic engineering  techniques. Organisms that have been modified in the past include:bacteria, yeast, insects, plants, fish and mammals.

The process started far back as 12000BC,but it's commercialization started around 1976,with companies producing and selling genetically Modified food and medicine.

The latest of this technique is modification of tobacco!. Scientists are now genetically modifying tobacco to make proteins needed to build our skin, tendons and connective tissues. This protein is called COLLAGEN. Surprisingly this protein can also be used to develop vaccines for the deadly disease like ebola.

Researchers at Mapp Biopharmaceutical created Zmapp,
an experimental drug that received positive— if still
tentative —results for helping victims of the ongoing
West African Ebola outbreak, by inserting Ebola
proteins into a plant virus. The scientists then infected
tobacco plants with the virus, triggering an immune
response. The plants began to pump out antibodies,
proteins that grab and neutralize harmful bacteria and
viruses, which the researchers collected to treat
patients suffering from Ebola. While Zmapp’s efficacy
still needs more testing, the drug provides proof of
concept that genetically modified tobacco plants can
provide huge medical benefits.
Using a similar infect-and-collect method, scientists
have engineered tobacco plants to make treatments for
other devastating diseases , vaccines for rabies and
hepatitis, as well as human collagen , which could be
used in wound care to rebuild tattered flesh.

Do you know other Organism or food that has been modified?have you consumed any modified food or product?drop a comment let us hear from you