How are GMOs developed?

GMO stands for Genetically Modified Organism

The steps involved in developing genetically modified organism are shown below:

1. Identify a particlar characteristic from any organism (e.g. a plant, animal or microorganism) and work out which gene or genes in the organism are responsible for producing that characterisitc. E.g. the desired characterisitc and the gene that produces this characteristics has been identified in a microorganism (a bacterium). This is the gene of interest.
2. Use the techiniques of moleculare biology to isolate and copy the required gene. If the gene of interest was found in a bacterium it will have an 'on switch' (and other switches) that function only in bacterial cells. For a gene to function in a different type of cell (for example, in a plant cell), the bacterial switches need to be removed and different switches added to the gene to allow it to function in a plant cell. These switches in all plant cells or in spcific plant tissues (e.g. in root tissue only), so that the new trait will only be switched on in the roots.
3. When developing a GMO, add appropriate gene switches to the gene of interest, to allow it to function in the cells of the recipient organism.
4. The gene of interst, together with its gene switches, is inserted into the cells of the host organism, again using molecular biology techniques. Cell with the new gene inserted into their genome are referd to as 'transformed' cells. They contain all the usual genes of the recipient organism as well as the new gene or genes with which they have been transformed.
5. Grow transformed cells into whole plants in the laboratory; this is done using selective nutrient-rich media. The plants are examined to ensure that they have the desired physical characteristic conferred by the new gene.
6. Genetically modified plants are bred with conventional plants of the same variety to roduce seed for further tesing and possibly for further commercial use. The entire process from the initial gene selection to commercial producion can take up to 10 years or more.