Let me share with you a Comparison between Transgenic Plants and Transgenic Animals.
| Aspect | Transgenic Plants | Transgenic Animals |
| Introduction | · Plants having foreign genes inserted into their genome. | · Animals having foreign genes inserted into their genome. |
| Methods | · Agrobacterium-mediated gene transfer. · Gene gun (particle bombardment). · CRISPR-Cas9 for precise genome editing. | · Microinjection of foreign DNA into fertilized eggs. · Retroviral vectors for germline integration. · Somatic cell nuclear transfer (cloning). |
| Applications | · Improved resistance to pests and diseases. · Increased tolerance to environmental stress (drought, salinity). · Altered nutritional content. · Herbicide resistance. | · Enhanced growth rate or feed efficiency. · Production of therapeutic proteins in milk. · Disease modeling and biomedical research. · Organ transplant potential (xenotransplantation). |
| Examples | · Bt cotton (expressing insecticidal toxin). · Golden Rice (biofortified with beta-carotene). · Roundup Ready soybeans (herbicide resistance). | · GloFish (fluorescent zebrafish). · AquAdvantage salmon (fast-growing salmon). · Enviropig (produces environmentally friendly feces). |
| Environmental Concerns | · Potential gene flow to wild relatives. · Unintended effects on non-target organisms. · Development of herbicide-resistant weeds. | · Ecological impact if released into the wild. · Ethical concerns related to animal welfare. · Potential for spread of transgenes to wild populations. |
| Regulation | · Strict regulatory oversight in many countries. · Testing for environmental and human safety. | · Stringent regulatory frameworks in place, considering ethical and environmental aspects. · Compliance with animal welfare and ethical guidelines. |