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GCSE Biology · key term
Changing an organism’s genetic material to introduce a desired characteristic.
Used by AQA and OCR
Specification 4.7.5.4 · Paper 2
A change to an organism's genetic material, such as inserting a gene that gives it a useful characteristic.
Revise: Biotechnology in FoodGenetic modification offers another approach: changing an organism's DNA so that it has a useful characteristic. These methods can help meet demand, although they produce different kinds of products.
Specification B6.2g · Paper 2 (Foundation), Paper 4 (Higher)
Revise: Biotechnological solutionsGenetic modification changes an organism’s genetic material to introduce a desired characteristic. For example, modifying a crop so that it better resists a pest could reduce the amount lost before harvest. More of the crop might then be available as food from the land used.
Paper 1 (Foundation), Paper 2 (Foundation), Paper 3 (Higher), Paper 4 (Higher)
Changing an organism's genome by adding, removing or altering genetic material to produce a desired characteristic.
Revise: Biotechnological SolutionsGenetic modification (GM) changes an organism's genome directly by adding, removing or altering genetic material. It differs from selective breeding because breeders do not simply choose whole organisms and wait for combinations of their existing variants over many generations. Instead, a particular genetic change is introduced to produce a desired characteristic.
Do not assume genetic modification always increases pesticide use. Its effect depends on the characteristic introduced.
Distinguish genetic modification from selective breeding: genetic modification directly alters the genome, whereas selective breeding chooses parents and operates over many generations.
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