WHAT IS Biotechnology??

         Any technique that uses living organisms or substances from those organisms to make or modify a product, to improve plants or animals, or to develop microorganisms for specific uses.

OR

A science that uses living organisms or the products from living organisms to benefit humans and their surroundings. 

DESCRIPTION:-

DISCOVERY

First coined by Karl Ereky (1917).. Hungarian Engineer

± Bio - alive or living

± Technology - the application of science to achieve industrial or commercial objectives.

Stages of Biotechnology

i)               Ancient biotechnology:-

Ancient biotechnology is related to early history which includes food shelter and domestication.

ii)           Classical biotechnology:-

It is based on ancient biotechnology including Fermentation, promoted food production, and medicine.

Ancient and classical biotechnology is also called TRADITIONAL BIOTECHNOLOGY.

THESE ARE ACTUALLY:

Is actually the kitchen technology

Started about (5000-7000BC)

Based on natural capabilities of microbes

start using fermenting bacteria for curding, vinegar, cheese, wine etc.

iii)       Modern biotechnology:-

It manipulates genetic information in organism on the principle of Genetic engineering.

Two major features of modern technology differentiate it from traditional/classical.

a)  Recombinant DNA technology:-

In this technique the genes is modified according to desires.

b)  Owner ships of technology and its socio-political impact:-

This mean adequate investment, marketing skills, public perceptions about biotechnological products etc.

Origins of Biotechnology

Although it seems like a new thing, biotechnology has actually been around a while

± Domesticated plants and animals are the result of selective breeding.

± Using bacteria or yeast to ferment grapes into wine.

·        HISTORY

·        1953: Structure of DNA as genetic material.

·        1971: Discovery ofRestriction enzymes (Werner Arber)

·        1973: Genetic engineering (gene splicing)  

achieved.

·        1976: Successful transfer of human growth hormone to Rabbit

·        1978: European Federation of Biotechnology was created

·        1978: Human insulin in E.coli, then approved Humulin in 

·        1982 by FDA.

·        Mid 90’s: Widespread genetically modified (GM) crops in market.

·         1993: First Genetically engineered tomatoes  (flavr savr)

·        1996-97: Animal cloning achieved. (Dolly Lamb)

·        2001: Human genome unveiled.

·        2003: Compilation of Human genome Project

·        2002: Claim of human cloning (Eve) by Clonaid in France.

Applications of Biotechnology

1.  New Millennium:-

                        Maturing of stem cell research (2005 in South Korea.. Therapeutic cloning) and genomics (gene chips, proteomics, “transcriptomics”).

     2.Cloning:-

        Cloning is creating a genetically identical copy of something (DNA strand, a cell, an organ or an entire Organism).

   Cloning is done to create cells for research, maintain desirable genetics, and save human and animal lives.

(3) DNA Finger printing:-

DNA fingerprinting was discovered by Alec. J. Jeffrey in 1984 at the University of Leicester, UK.

“The technique used for determination of bases sequence in the genetic make up of an individual for identification is called DNA FINGER PRINTING.”

The pattern of bands in a gel electrophoresis is known as a genetic fingerprint or a ‘genetic profile’.

Also known as DNA profiling or DNA testing or DNA typing.

DNA fragments show unique patterns from one person to the next.

± DNA fingerprinting is used for identification the pattern of certain sequences in parts of DNA.

± DNA is isolated, copied, cut into pieces, and separated based on size using gel electrophoresis.

         

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Practical applications of DNA Finger printing:-

DNA analysis can be used for catching criminals, establishing  parentage, finding how closely organisms are related and many other  applications.

                                Following are the practical application of DNA FINGER PRINTING.

i) Paternity and maternity

ii) Criminal identification and forensics

iii) Personal identification.

       i.            Paternity and Maternity:-

     Every individual (person) inherits his or her variable number of tandem repeats (VNTRs) or Short Tandem Repeats (STRs) to his offspring.

               Parent-child VNTR's  pattern analysis has been used to solve standard parents-identification cases.

Paternity Testing:-

NOTE:

[In addition to diagnosing a number of different diseases, RFLP analysis can be used for disputed paternity suits.  DNA from the mother, child, and potential fathers are received in the form of blood samples or cheek swabs.  Once the DNA has been isolated, RFLP analysis can be done to determine the paternity of the child.  This is possible because children receive their DNA only from their mother or father, that means that any bands a child has must also be represented by one parent or the other. In this example, the highlighted bands that did not come from the mother must have come from the father.  You can see by examining the data that father 2 matches every band with the child that did not come from the mother.  Therefore father 1 can be excluded and father 2 can be identified as this child’s biological father.  Every year roughly 250,000 paternity suits are filed in the United States.  Using RFLP analysis, verifying a child’s parentage and resolving child support or custody disputes is relatively easy.]

·        Answers:

·        Child 4 is adopted.

·        Child 2 is the child from the mother’s previous marriage.

·         Child 1 and Child 3 are own children.

ii) Criminal Identification and Forensics:-

·        DNA isolated from blood, hair, skin cells, or other genetic evidence left at the scene of a crime can be compared.

·        DNA fingerprints can be used to link suspects to biological evidence – blood or semen stains, hair, or items of clothing.

Criminal Identification and Forensics:

Ø Answers:

Ø All of the DNA fragments of Scarlet can be found in the crime scene sample making her the most likely suspect.

iv)             Personal Identification:-

           The notion of using DNA fingerprints as a sort of genetic bar code to identify individuals.

           This means that every person/individual DNA print is given a special code, which help in the identification of different organisms.

OTHER APPLICATION

Health care:-

·        To provide personalised and preventive medicine based on genetic predisposition, targeted screening, diagnosis and innovative drug treatments (pharmacogenomics).

·        To offer replacement tissues and organs   (stem cell research, xenotransplantation) .

·        To find cures for half of the world’s diseases

·        To replace existing cures which is becoming less effective (e.g antibiotics)

·        To enable cheaper, safer and more ethical production of traditional and new drugs (e.g growth hormone, Insulin, Hepatitis B vaccine (Recombivax HB^(R)etc)

Agricultural Biotechnology:-

Development of transgenic plants and animals (Genetically modified organisms, GMOs).

Insect resistant cotton:-

Bt toxin kills the insect attacking cotton.

Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt):-

                       BACILLUS THURINGIENSIS is a common soil bacterium which produces chemicals that are toxic to certain insects (larvae of moths and butterflies, beetles and flies).

Terminator Technology:-

Also called Genetic Use Restriction Technology (GURT).

Methods for restricting the use of genetically modified plants by causing its second generation (F2) seeds to be sterile.  (Suicide seeds)

Bovine somatotropin (a hormone injected to cows to increase milk production).

Non-food uses of crops

·        Complex molecules for the manufacturing, energy and pharmaceutical industries

·        Biodegradable plastics, new polymers, etc.

Environment:-

·        Bioremediation (conversion of pollutants into harmless forms) of polluted air, soil, water and waste (via genetically engineered microorganism (GEMs))

·        Psudomonas diminuta degrade pesticides (parathion, methylparathion etc).

·        Any biotechnological process that may promote a good environment

·        Organisms developed during the gulf war to “eat” oil

·        Organism used in gold mining to “eat” contaminants.