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To genetically transform an entire organism, you must insert the new genes into every cell in the organism. which organism is betetr suited for total genetic transfromation, a multicellular or a unicellular organism

User Eric Clack
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Final answer:

Genetic transformation is more practical in unicellular organisms because it involves inserting recombinant DNA into a single cell, which then reproduces asexually, passing the genetic alteration to all progeny. Multicellular organisms are complex, requiring genetic modification in each cell and specialized development processes, making genetic transformation more challenging.

Step-by-step explanation:

When considering the genetic transformation of an organism, it is more feasible to transform a unicellular organism rather than a multicellular one. This is because a unicellular organism, such as bacteria or yeast, naturally produce clones of themselves through asexual reproduction, like binary fission, which duplicates their nuclear DNA, thus making the transformation process simpler and more efficient. On the other hand, genetically transforming a multicellular organism is more complex due to the need for the new genes to be inserted in every single cell which has the same genetic makeup and because the process of development and differentiation leads to different cell types and functions.

Furthermore, multicellular organisms are organized in a three-dimensional pattern to form tissues and organs, which involves a developmental process that is directed by the DNA in the cells. The specialization and organization of cells to form a functional organism add layers of complexity to achieve genetic transformation in multicellular organisms. In comparison, unicellular organisms can be transformed more easily as the insertion of recombinant DNA into a single cell is sufficient to propagate the genetic change across all future progeny due to the nature of their asexual reproductive cycle.

User Tristan Brotherton
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I'm like 90% unicellular is correct let me know if its not
User Squareborg
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