What is genetic engineering?

Genetic engineering refers specifically to the direct manipulation of an organism's genes using biotechnology. This process involves techniques that allow scientists to alter the genetic material of an organism, enabling them to add new traits, enhance desirable characteristics, or eliminate unwanted ones. The tools used in genetic engineering, such as CRISPR, gene cloning, and recombinant DNA technology, facilitate these modifications at a molecular level, leading to precise changes in the organism's DNA.

The other choices reflect areas related to genetics or biology, but they do not accurately capture the definition of genetic engineering. The study of hereditary traits in plants pertains to genetics rather than the active modification of genes. Cultivation of advantageous wild species refers to agricultural practices and conservation, while cloning organisms for research purposes is a separate process primarily concerned with replicating organisms rather than modifying their genetic information. Therefore, the emphasis on direct manipulation through biotechnology is what makes the second choice the most accurate definition of genetic engineering.