Question

What is the science behind golden rice?

Answer 1

By the genetic modification with the help of different tools and techniques desirable characteristics can be developed in plants and organisms. As in case of rice a specific pigment is missing which is made with the help of genetic modification in golden rice.

Complete answer:
Golden rice was produced by genetic modification of normal rice which was done by Ingo Potrykus and Peter Beyer in 1990. Golden colour of rice is due to the presence of β-carotene. This is a pigment which is synthesised in all parts of rice except in the grains. Scientists added two genes - plant phytoene synthase (obtained from maize) and bacterial phytoene desaturase which helped in the production of β-carotene in the rice grains and they became golden.
β-carotene is yellow orange in colour and belongs to a class of pigments called Carotenoids. These pigments are necessary for the metabolism of human beings because they are converted to Vitamin A inside our body. Vitamin A produces retinal and retinoic acid which is good for eyes.

Additional information:
Genetic modification is done in three steps :
1. Isolating the desired genes from some source and then transferring them to the embryo of the plant. Agrobacterium mediated gene transfer was used to transfer the desired gene in the rice embryo.
2. New genes are incorporated into the genome of the embryo and desired proteins are produced, this embryo grows into mature plants and produces seeds with the new genes in their DNA.
3. These newly inserted genes are passed on to the next generations.

Note: Golden rice is not grown in large areas though they have good nutritional value because of their genetically modified nature, which may contaminate the pure breed of rice.