The Genetically Modified Organisms (Contained Use) Regulations 1992

PART I Examples of techniques constituting genetic modification

1.  Examples of the techniques which constitute genetic modification which are referred to in sub-paragraph (a) of the definition of genetic modification in regulation 2(1) are—

(a) recombinant DNA techniques consisting of the formation of new combinations of genetic material by the insertion of nucleic acid molecules, produced by whatever means outside the cell, into any virus, bacterial plasmid or other vector system so as to allow their incorporation into a host organism in which they do not occur naturally but in which they are capable of continued propagation;

(b) techniques involving the direct introduction into an organism of heritable material prepared outside the organism including micro-injection, macro-injection and microencapsulation; and

(c) cell fusion (including protoplast fusion) or hybridization techniques where live cells with new combinations of heritable genetic material are formed through the fusion of two or more cells by means of methods that do not occur naturally.