Question one
The Wollemi pines have been shown to be susceptible to the die back fungus(Phytophythora cinnamomi) that attacks trees in other Australian native forests. One species of pine has resistance to this fungus because of a single gene. Discuss how biotechnological technique could be used to develop Wollemi pines that are resistant to the die-back fungus. In your discussion, include that may result from the procedures involved.
Answer
Wollemi pines could be made resistant to die-back fungus using process of transgenesis – taking organism resistant to fungus, identify resistant gene, cut using restricti
on enzymes, cut plasmid to infect pine.
Concerns
Gene product may interact with products of another gene, transfer process may disrupt ability for gene to offer resistance, gene may insert in middle of a vital Wollemi pine gene and disrupt ability of that gene to function (produce non functional protein), gene may only function sporadically because not inserted into a chromosome therefore disrupting its ability to offer resistance.