Natalie+Posner

Growing Life

The History of Our Company Growing Life was founded by Natalie Posner in the year 2001. It began as a five person operation which developed over the years into a 32 person corporation. Growing Life employs 12 scientists with PhD’s in genetics and 20 other employees with degrees in marketing and administrative backgrounds. The focus of the company is to enhance commonly grown foods to increase their nutritional values. We strive to aid malnourished populations with our product.

About Our Founder Natalie Posner is the founder, CEO, and head scientist of Growing Life. She graduated with her undergraduate degree from Princeton University in 1996 and with a PhD from Princeton in the field of genetics in 2000.

The History of Recombinant DNA Technology In 1966 it was revealed which codons read for which amino acids through biochemical analysis. Following up in 1970, the first restriction enzyme was isolated by Hamilton Smith at John Hopkins Medical School. A restriction enzyme is an enzyme that cuts DNA at a certain nucleotide sequence. In the year 1972, two scientists, Stanley Cohen and Herbert Boyer, combined their work to create the first recombinant DNA. This was the beginning of the industry of biotechnology.

The Science Behind Recombinant DNA Technology Recombinant DNA is the creation of DNA segments that are not found together in nature. By combining the different segments of DNA, a new strand of DNA is formed. There are three methods in which recombinant DNA can be formed. The most common method is called transformation which has three basic steps.The first is to select a piece of DNA to be inserted into a vector which is a carrier of the new DNA. Following this is the cutting of the DNA with a restriction enzyme and then linking the piece of DNA into the vector with DNA ligase. Finally, the vector gets inserted into a host cell which is a bacteria. Another method is called non-bacterial transformation which is the same as transformation except it does not use bacteria as a host. Instead this method uses microinjection where the DNA is injected directly into the nucleus of the cell which is being genetically modified. Another way that this method happens is with biolistics in where host cells are bombarded with high velocity microprojectiles which are coated with foreign DNA. The last method is phage introduction which follows all the same steps as transformation and Growing Life uses microinjection to introduce new DNA from carrots into the nucleus of rice cells. uses a phage instead of bacteria.

Current Uses of Our Technology Recombinant DNA technology is used in numerous ways in plants and other species. It is used for crops in which it gives the genetically modified crop heat and/or drought resistance and it can also code for the production of insecticides. A few current genetically modified plants are a potato called Amflora, a soybean called Roundup Ready Soybean, and a tomato called Flavr Savr. Some of the current Recombinant DNA is also used for the prevention and cure of diseases like sickle cell anemia and cystic fibrosis. Other ways in which this technology is used is in the production of clotting factors and insulin. Growing Life uses recombinant DNA technology to enhance the nutritional value of a commonly grown food, rice, which is eaten worldwide. The rice that we produce has high levels of beta-carotene which is good for healthy living because of our technology. Beta-carotene is produced by some plants and fruits. It is converted to vitamin A in the body. Beta-carotene has been found to prevent diseases, boost immunity, and to prevent macular degeneration, among many other things. Our goal is to distribute this rice and improve the lives of people around the world.

Future Uses of Our Technology Growing Life’s goal for the future is to take the nutritional content of peanuts and produce it in other commonly grown foods. Peanuts are a good source of niacin, which improves brain health, antioxidants, resveratol, which is associated with prevention of cancer (but has not been proven to), and coenzyme Q10, and a number of many more nutrients. Other ways that this technology could be used as in the future, relating to plants, is improving crops resistance to diseases and a higher yield of crops.

References

Kurre-Kinsey, Matthew and Beth McCooey. //An Introduction to Recombinant DNA.////Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI):: Architecture, Business, Engineering, IT, Humanities, Science ////. // 2000. Web. 28 Jan. 2012.< []>

//Transgenic Plants//. 16 May 2011. Web. 28 Jan. 2012. <[]>

//Recombinant DNA.// [|www.wikipedia.org]. 2012. Web. 28 Jan 2012. <[|http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Recombinant_DNA#cite_note-pmid.7C11810894-21]>

//Milestones in DNA History//. The National Health Museum. Web. 28 Jan. 2012. <[]>

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