Bioethics and biotechnology

This paper examines the practice and products of biotechnology from the viewpoint of bioethics, looking at four cases where aquatic biotechnology and bioethics intersect. The four cases applied are: Case 1. Genetic modification of animals; Case 2. Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO) as food; Case 3. Environmental applications of GMOs; Case 4. Intellectual property production for GMOs and DNA sequences.

The review of recent advances in fish genetics and biotechnology

Great advances have been, and are being made in our knowledge of the genetics and molecular biology (including genomics, proteomics and structural biology). Global molecular profiling technologies such as microassays using DNA or oligonucleotide chip, and protein and lipid chips are being developed. The application of such biotechnological advances are inevitable in aquaculture in the areas of improvement of aquaculture stocks where many molecular markers such as RFLPs, AFLDs and RAPD are now available for genome analysis, finger printing and genetic linkage mapping. Transgenic technology has been developed in a number of fish species and research is being pursed to produce transgenic fish carrying genes that encode antimicrobial peptides such as lysozyme thereby achieving disease resistance in fish. Also it is a short cut to achieving genetic change for fast growth and other desirable traits like early sexual maturity, temperature tolerance and feed conversion efficiency. KEYWORDS: Fish genetics, transgenesis, monoploidy, diploidy, polyploidy,gynogenesis, androgenesis, cryopreservation.