Science Concepts:  protein synthesis, gene regulation, corn biology, modes of pesticide action, protein assays, electrophoresis, transformation,

Activities featured: protein folding, gel electrophoresis, corn dissection, transformation of corn embryos.

Standard Course of Study Objectives addressed: 1.01-1.05, 2.01, 3.01, 3.03, 3.04, 4.03, 4.04

            Eons ago, man learned that some plants were tasty.  Eventually, he learned that it was a whole lot more efficient to grow them himself than to spend all day trying to find them growing wild.  Today, agriculture is a multi-billion dollar industry critical to the existence of humanity.

            Corn is critical to myriad industries on the earth, not just feeding people and animals.  Syngenta has developed a method of protecting corn against a particular pest, and students attending this field study will model that process in order to understand the science and technology involved in producing a viable genetically modified plant.

            Students will research the uses of corn to assess its importance, review the characteristics of proteins and the means by which they are produced in organisms.  Since Syngenta developed a modified protein, students study the methods of modifying protein structure and for genetically modifying corn to produce this modified protein. Finally, students analyze the results of their work to determine whether or not the methods they employed to create their modified corn were successful. In addition, students discuss some of the safety systems employed to ensure that genetically modified corn is safe for introduction into the food supply and whether or not these safety systems are sufficient.

Student Profile

This unit is appropriate for students in Standard, Honors, or AP Biology, as well as biotechnology courses.  The content is sufficiently flexible to accommodate students from entry-level to highly advanced.