Application of genetic engineering technology in food

Biotechnology has a long history of use in food. With the vigorous development of biotechnology, it has made a tremendous contribution to the promotion of food development. The development of genetic engineering technology in recent years has provided new opportunities for food development, and has also found new solutions for the world's food shortages and quality requirements. 1 Genetic Engineering 1.1 Definition Genetic engineering refers to the introduction of exogenous nucleic acid molecules (target genes) into host organisms that do not have such genes, and is capable of sustained and stable reproduction, thus enabling host organisms to generate new ones. Traits [1]. The basic procedures of genetic engineering: 1 to obtain the desired gene of interest; 2 to connect the target gene with the selected vector, ie recombination; 3 to transfer the recombinant vector into the host cell; 4 to select the recombinant molecule; The use of suitable conditions to obtain high expression products [12]. 1.2 Development In 1973, two scientists from Stanford University and Coken and Boyer from the University of San Francisco succeeded in implementing DNA molecular recombination experiments, unveiling the prelude to the development of genetic engineering [3]. This means that humans have the ability to manipulate different genes according to their own wishes. In 1982, a U.S. company successfully transferred the gene for the resistance of kanamycin to sunflower. On February 23, 1997, the cloned sheep “Dolly” was born in the United Kingdom, and the world was shaken. This is an epoch-making breakthrough in genetic engineering technology. By using genetic engineering techniques to implant genes of some microorganisms, animals or plants into another microorganism, animal or plant, on the one hand it receives a quality that it cannot naturally possess. It can be divided into: plant-based genetically modified foods, animal genetically modified foods, and genetically engineered bacteria [3]. 2 The application uses genetic engineering to improve foods to improve food production and quality, improve flavor, and enable people to eat more and better foods. 2.1 Improvement of food quality 2.1.1 Improvement of nutritional quality (1) Protein protein is one of the indispensable nutrients for human beings. Although many foods are rich in protein, few really high-quality proteins are available. For example, plant protein and animal protein have advantages and disadvantages. Due to their low content or inappropriate proportion, protein malnutrition may be caused. Using genetically modified methods, foods with reasonable nutritional value are produced so that people can meet nutritional needs by eating less food. For example, the content of methionine in legumes is very low, but the content of lysine is high; while the content of protein in cereals is the opposite, through the genetic engineering technology, the genes of cereal plants can be introduced into legumes to develop high levels of methionine The genetically modified soybean [4]. Chinese scholars introduced zein-enriched maize zein genes obtained from maize seeds into potatoes, which increased the essential Amino Acids in transgenic potato tubers by more than 10%, and sulfur amino acids were particularly significant [5]. Scientists from the University of Florida Gainesville, USA, introduced the foreign high-molecular-weight gluten protein gene into common wheat and obtained wheat with higher content of high-molecular-weight gluten protein. Such wheat gluten protein has good extensibility and elasticity [6]. (2) Various fatty acids in oils and fats have different effects on the human body. The content of fat can be changed through the control of the length of the chain and the adjustment of saturation. At the same time, fat oxidation and rancidity can be reduced, and bad odors can be removed so that people can Accept some foods that were originally bad smelling. Edible oil has 3 important quality indicators: nutritional value, oxidation stability and functionality [6]. The improvement in the quality of fats and oils is mainly concentrated on two aspects: controlling the chain length of fatty acids and controlling the saturation of fatty acids. The rancidity of fats and oils is the main cause of the deterioration of the quality of the oil. Lipoxygenases in beans are currently known to play an important role in rancidity. DuPont, Inc., USA, has successfully developed high oleic acid soybean oil by antisense inhibition or/and co-inhibition of oleate dehydrogenase. This new oil contains good oxidative stability and is suitable for use as a frying oil and cooking oil [7]. The antisense gene for stearic acid-ACP dehydrogenase was introduced. The content of stearic acid in rapeseed seeds increased from 2% to 40%; Stearate-COA could make saturated fatty acids (soft fatty acids, stearic acid) in transgenic crops. The content of acid is decreased, and the content of unsaturated fatty acids (oleic acid, linoleic acid) is increased. The content of oleic acid can be increased by 7 times [8]. (3) Carbohydrates The improvement of carbohydrates is only regulated by changes in their enzymes. The enzymes involved in starch synthesis in higher plants include ADPP glucose pyrophosphatase (ADP-GPP), starch synthase (SS) and mycolic (BE) [9]. Transgenic potatoes that contain only amylose can be obtained by inhibiting starch amylases by antisense genes. Monsanto has developed a transgenic potato with an average starch content increase of 20% to 30%. The fried product has more potato flavor, better texture, lower oil absorption and less oily taste. 2.1.2 Preservation Performance The antisense gene of ACC reductase and ACC oxidase and the exogenous ACC deaminase gene were introduced into normal plants by genetic engineering methods to obtain ethylene-deficient plants to achieve fruit ripening control. Realized in tomato. When the antifreeze protein gene of fish is integrated into vegetables and fruits, the quality of frozen fruits and vegetables can be significantly improved [8]. 2.2 Increase production In 1983, the United States injected the growth hormone gene of rats into the fertilized eggs of mice, and successfully cultivated the "Super Mouse", which was twice as heavy as the normal mice. The first genetically modified test-tube cow “Tao Tao” was born in China on February 19, 1999, and the milk yield can be as high as 10,000 kg [10]. 2.3 Improve the process Generally, the casein molecule of cow's milk contains serine, which has been phosphorylated so that the casein surface has a large number of anions, and it is easy to bind calcium ions to precipitate. The use of alanine instead of serine reduces phosphorylation, making it less likely that the protein binds to calcium ions, thereby increasing the thermal stability of the milk and preventing sedimentation during milk disinfection [11]. Diacetyl is an important substance that affects the flavor of beer. When the content exceeds a certain threshold, dicyandicarbonate is produced, which seriously destroys the flavor and quality of the beer. The use of transgenic technology to introduce exogenous α-acetolactate decarboxylase gene into Saccharomyces cerevisiae cells and express it is an effective way to reduce diacetyl content in beer [6]. The genetic engineering technology can also transfer the amylase gene of mold into the yeast cell and further convert this gene into yeast cells to make it directly use starch to produce alcohol, eliminating the need for high-pressure cooking process, saving about 60% of energy, and the production cycle is very large. Shortened [12]. 2.4 Health Food and Food Vaccines In 2002, the Institute of Biotechnology of the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences had selected tomatoes with anti-hepatitis function through recombinant DNA technology. After the tomatoes are eaten by humans, they can produce preventive effects similar to hepatitis B vaccine. An enzyme gene that contributes to blood clotting in heart disease patients is cloned into cattle or sheep, and this enzyme is contained in milk or goat milk [6]. Food vaccination involves the introduction of genes (antigens) related to pathogenic microorganisms into plant receptors through genetic engineering techniques, which allows them to become vaccines that are resistant to related diseases. More than 10 kinds of transgenic potato, banana, and tomato food vaccines such as rabies virus, hepatitis B surface antigen, and streptococcal mutant surface proteins have been successfully obtained [8]. After oral administration of the heat-labile enterotoxin transgenic potato, antibodies can be produced. In foreign countries, British scientists who successfully cloned the Dolly sheep announced that in the next few years, they will cultivate a new type of biological chicken. The eggs produced by the chicken have anti-tumor factors. After the cancer patients eat eggs, the body cancer The proliferation of cells is suppressed. 3 Status Since the first transgenic plants in the world came out in 1983, plant genetic engineering has entered a period of vigorous development. In the world, hundreds of genes have been isolated and nearly 200 transgenic plants have been obtained. Many transgenic plants have been approved for field trials and there are more than 50 plants involved. At present, the types of genetically modified foods include genetically modified corn, transgenic rice, transgenic tomatoes, genetically modified soybeans, genetically modified potatoes, genetically modified rapeseeds, and various foods processed from them. In 1999, field trials were carried out on transgenic rice, corn, wheat, tomato, cabbage, beet, papaya, and peanut. In 2001, there were 58 genetically modified foods allowed to be released by the environment in China, of which 9 were rice, 8 were potatoes, 4 were tomatoes and corn, 2 were cucumbers, and 1 was soybeans and peppers [13]. 4 While the safety of GM foods embodies many advantages, it also has its negative impact - safety issues. Because GM foods are genetically recombined between biological species, incompatible or toxic substances may be introduced, which is one of the reasons why some people adopt a conservative attitude towards GM foods. It is reported that there are several possible existing situations. 4.1 Toxicity Dr. Aprad Rusztai, a senior nutritionist at the Rowett Institute in Scotland, has shown that potato transformed with a lectin gene can damage the internal organs of the rat and the immune system. In similar cases, it may cause cancer in humans. Elevated rates and mortality rates have increased significantly. In 1998, a study by Professor Pupiter of the Aberdeen Institute in the United Kingdom reported that the consumption of genetically modified potatoes in young rats will cause damage to the internal organs and the immune system. Antibiotic marker genes genetically modified foods may affect human disease resistance. Since more than 90% of genetically modified foods use kanamycin as a marker gene, the marker gene expression proteins in genetically modified foods may have adverse effects on the normal flora of the human intestinal tract. The harmful bacteria in the intestinal tract may absorb kanamycin, causing a large number of harmful bacteria that have a resistance gene to grow in the intestinal tract. 4.2 Allergic transgenes are encoded as known allergenic proteins; gene sources contain allergenic proteins; the amino acid sequences of the transferred proteins and known allergenic proteins are immunologically homologous; the transferred protein is of a certain class of proteins. Members, and some members of this family of proteins are allergic proteins. Nebraska University has demonstrated that soybeans expressing Brazil nuts 2S albumin are allergic. This is the only example of unauthorized commercialization of transgenic plants to date [14]. 4.3 Resistance to insects Some insect-resistant transgenic crops do not die because they are already resistant to toxins produced by genetically modified crops. Herb soybean isoflavones containing anti-cancer components are also reduced in herbicide-tolerant transgenic soybeans compared to the general soybeans. In addition, herbicide-tolerant transgenic rapeseed and weeds were incubated together, resulting in herbicide-tolerant weeds [15]. 4.4 After the environmental pollution-resistant genes have been transferred into crops for a period of time, they may cause the pests to become immunized and inherited, causing them to carry immune genes to escape into similar wildlife populations, resulting in changes in the natural biomes and natural ecology. The environment is damaged. 5 Relevant regulations The International Food Biotechnology Commission (IFBC) proposed in 1988 the use of the principles and methods of decision-making for the safety assessment of this type of food; in 1990, the first time the FAO and the World Health Organization (WHO) convened The meeting on biosafety food safety analysis and the formulation of biotechnology food safety evaluation principles and related policies; the Economic Development Cooperation Organization (OECD) proposed in 1993 the principle of food safety analysis - the principle of substantial equivalence, that is, biotechnology production Food and food ingredients have substantial equivalence with foods currently sold on the market. China has strict control mechanisms for genetically modified foods. In 1993, the State Science and Technology Commission promulgated the "Genetic Engineering Safety Management Regulations" to guide the nationwide development and research of genetic engineering; in 1996, the Ministry of Agriculture promulgated the "Implementation Measures for the Safety Management of Agricultural Biological Genetic Engineering" and implemented a strict safety management and approval system. [15]. 6 Conclusion The 21st century is an era in which biotechnology is booming. The rise of genetically modified foods is an inevitable result of the biotechnology revolution. Despite the diversity of the safety of genetically modified foods, the benefits they bring are obvious. It is hoped that with the continuous development of biotechnology, the safety of genetically modified foods will be ensured and people will enjoy safe, abundant and nutritious foods.

Proteins are large biomolecules, or macromolecules, consisting of one or more long chains of amino acid residues. Proteins perform a vast array of functions within living organisms, including DNA replication, catalyzing metabolic reactions, responding to stimuli, and transporting molecules from one location to another.


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