Transcriptome Analysis and Genetic Engineering

Abstract

Genetic engineering is the most powerful technology of this century which is dramatically revolutionizing the agriculture, health, pharmaceutical, and food industries all over the world. Transcriptomics and genetic engineering go hand in hand from the development of a genetically modified organism (GMO) to its utilization by the humans. Transcriptome analysis is the analysis of messenger RNAs (mRNAs), which are produced by transcription of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) in an organism in response to a specific internal/external environment. Transcriptome analysis is not only useful to dig out the potential target genes for genetic modifications but also utilized to study the proper functioning of a genetically engineered gene, evaluation of the GMO for biosafety risks and for monitoring the presence and movement of GMO. Despite huge scope of genetic engineering, these manipulations can upset the natural balance of a genome by insertional, soma clonal, and pleiotropic effects of a foreign gene resulting in unintended alterations along with the targeted changes. The untargeted alterations pose risks to environment and health of animals and plants. In this chapter, the key advancements in the field of biotechnology and the relevant biosafety issues are reviewed. The advantages and limitations of the current methods used for the evaluation, monitoring, and regulation of GMOs are discussed.

Evaluating the effect of TLR4-overexpressing on the transcriptome profile in ovine peripheral blood mononuclear cells

“…Strict supervision with biotechnology should be applied in the GM industry, as such supervision will be favourable for the industry’s healthy development. Comparative transcriptional and protein-expression based on single gene or high-throughput approaches have been adopted to evaluate the existence of unintended modifications [ 24 – 26 ]. In the present study, the differential expression profiles between TLR4 -overexpressed and wild type sheep were explored by RNA-sequencing, the results of which may help evaluate the safety of GM sheep, and analyse some specific genes whose expression patterns are associated with TLR4 .…”