Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) Agribusiness Practice Test

What characterizes a transgenic animal?

1. It has not been genetically modified

2. It contains genes from another species

3. It is cloned from a single cell

4. It is a product of selective breeding

The correct answer is: It contains genes from another species

A transgenic animal is characterized by the presence of genes that have been artificially inserted from another species into its genetic makeup. This genetic modification allows the animal to express new traits or characteristics that it would not naturally possess. The process of creating transgenic animals involves advanced biotechnological methods, such as microinjection or the use of viral vectors, to introduce foreign genes into the DNA of the host animal. This definition distinguishes transgenic animals from those that have simply been selectively bred, cloned from a single cell, or have not been genetically modified at all. Selective breeding involves choosing parent animals with desirable traits to mate, thus enhancing those traits over generations without direct genetic manipulation. Cloning, on the other hand, involves creating a genetically identical copy of an organism from a single cell, which does not necessarily involve gene transfer between species. Therefore, the defining feature of transgenic animals is their genetic modification to include foreign genes, making them unique in the realm of genetics and agriculture.