Organisms with altered genomes are known as what?

• A. Transgenic.
• B. Genomic-stable.
• C. Non-genetic.
• D. Cloned.

Answer: (A)

Transgenic describes an organism that carries genes from another species or genetic background inserted into its genome and stably inherited. This is achieved through genetic engineering so the foreign DNA becomes part of the organism’s genome and can be passed to offspring, producing new traits. For example, crops engineered to express a bacterial protein for pest resistance are transgenic. This term specifically captures the idea of altered, heritable genetic material, unlike cloning (which is making an exact genetic copy), non-genetic (no genetic change), or genomic-stable, which isn’t a standard way to describe organisms with modified genomes.