selective breeding v.s. genetic engineering and modifying

[miSSleepy]

Hi everyone

 

I've been arguing with my bf over this for an hour now

 

I am saying that selective breeding is different to genetic modification.

 

Now, apparently, genetic engineering is both selective breeding and genetic modification?

 

But genetic modification and selective breeding are different, right?

 

He's exact words were "selective breeding is equivelant to genetic engineering and thus to genetic modification."

 

He read this on Wikipedia and seems to think it proves HIM right :

 

"Genetically modified (GM) foods are foods derived from genetically modified organisms. The DNA of genetically modified organisms has been modified through genetic engineering, unlike similar food organisms developed through the conventional genetic modification of selective breeding (plant breeding and animal breeding) or mutation breeding"

 

I'm pretty sure it proved me right, though.

 

So if someone could please explain the difference in easy to understand, no loopholey way, that would be much appreciated.

 

He is also arguing that intergenus breeding is possible naturally...is this true or not?

[Mokele]

Yes and no. In both cases, you're modifying the genetic structure of an organism to your own ends. With selective breeding, you have to painstakingly select natural variation over the course of many generations, while genetic modification allows you to just implant the traits you want (possibly even traits that could not normally occur).

 

As for intergenus breeding, I know of 3 examples of viable inter-genus hybrids, but all 3 are produced in captivity.

[CharonY]

There is another difference. With selective breeding you affect the genetic composition of the offspring, however with genetic manipulation you generally change the genome of a given organism directly.

Edited June 16, 2009 by CharonY

[foodchain]

Who knows what the limit will be on molecular or biochemical control of an organisms biology. We could possible make a plant that grows shoes or something, to spaceships that are multicultural organisms. Heck it would be a good sci-fi story even, some planet infested right to the core with some giant living machine that makes energy crystals for the federation. My point is simply just that what will be the limit to genetic engineering?

[CharonY]

I am pretty sure that above examples are all roughly way over the limit. Unless you are talking about sci-fi that is.