Spiderman, Jurassic Park, and many other films all rely on the concept of genetic splicing or cross-species genetics. Spiderman exists because he was bit by a spider and that changed his DNA giving him spider characteristics mixed with his human ones. In fact, a number of his villains from Lizard to Vulture all rely on having their DNA mixed with other species. The dinosaurs of Jurassic Park only exist because their left over DNA was fused with that of other modern species to create what we call dinosaurs. The issue is can humans actually control DNA that precisely and is it ethical?

For the first questions, yes genetic splicing is possible. It is hard to explain so I will take excerpts from this journal article to help explain it. As the source says:

“Gene splicing by overlap extension is a new approach for recombining DNA molecules at precise junctions irrespective of nucleotide sequences at the recombination site and without the use of restriction endonucleases or ligase. Fragments from the genes that are to be recombined are generated in separate polymerase chain reactions (PCRs). The primers are designed so that the ends of the products contain complementary sequences.”

It is really hard to understand but the basic idea is that by adding some basic gene sequences to just the right place with just the right chemicals can create effect and lasting gene augmentations. So, it is more then possible to mix genes to make corn natural pesticides or a fish glow but can this process can be done to more complex living creatures?

Again yes. In fact, we can even manipulate human DNA. An article by the US National Library of Medicine said that research in stem cells and human genetics have helped use figure out how to manipulate basic human genes. However, they never actually try to manipulate the genes of living humans just tissue they grow in labs. This is still amazing. If someone could control human genes like that we could create designer babies or even heal and prevent genetic diseases and disorders. However, as I stated in the beginning is it ethical to manipulate human DNA or any DNA for that matter.

For humans it is most definitely very unethical at the moment. Before anyone would be willing to or organizations would do genetic treatments manipulating DNA people the process would have to be tested. Once, we understand the issues and side effects of genetic manipulations then maybe it can become an every day thing. In fact, one article which reviews a book that was taken off of shelves  stated that in the end DNA or genetic manipulation does not do s much as we think. The book basically said our environment influences us as much if not more then DNA. So, if we manipulated DNA it could only lead to positive outcomes or even no outcomes because environmental factors change everything.

In the end there are no real experiments or tests on humans to determine how genetic splicing or such affect people. People have manipulated DNA in plants and animals, my earlier references at the end of the second paragraph were not wishful thinking, but mostly companies did this to make their products more profitable. A lot of people say we can not imagine the side effects of messing with DNA but the possible help it can do to society is worth a look at the very least.

Sources

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/0378111989903594

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2705327/

http://natureinstitute.org/txt/ch/details/genetics.htm