A. AMSATH Associate Professor Department of Zoology, Khadir Mohideen College, Adirampattinam-614 701

Definition of Biotechnology Any technique that uses living organisms to make a new product or modify a product or improve plants or animals or to develop microorganisms for specific uses and improve our health is called as biotechnology.

Goals of Biotechnology To understand more about the processes of inheritance and gene expression. To provide better understanding & treatment of various diseases, particularly genetic disorders. To generate economic benefits, including improved plants and animals for agriculture and efficient production of valuable biological molecules.

Genetic Engineering Changing the genetic information of gene in a cell. Specific trait or characters of one organism may be isolated from DNA and moved into the cell of another organism. Gene

Agricultural Biotechnology: Genetically modified crops

Biotech Products of Humulin More than 65% of biotech companies in the U.S. are involved in pharmaceutical production (relating to drugs developed for medical use). Genentech developed Humulin (human insulin) to treat diabetes.

Transgenic Plants And this slide illustrates those steps.

Plant Biotechnology Applicationsn or role of Plant Biotechnology virus-resistant crop plants and livestock. Corn plant produced with high levels of the amino acid Lysine. Delayed ripening = fresher produce. Higher crop yields from drought, disease, cold-tolerant, pest resistant crops. New ornamental plants. High yield cotton, fruits with vaccines and Golden Rice. Higher protein & vitamin content in foods.

Cloning Cloning is process of producing a new organism from cells or tissues of existing organism. In 1996, Dolly is the sheep became the first cloned animal created by the somatic cell nuclear transfer process in Edinburgh Scotland. Most widely used biotech products are recombinant proteins (produced by gene cloning in cell culture)

Stem Cells A stem cell is a cell that has the potential to become any cell type in the human body. Stem cell technologies include immature cells that have the potential to develop and specialize into a variety of other cell types. The easiest place to get stem cells is from an embryo.

Stem Cells Therapy Stem cells are currently being tested to treat everything from Crohn’s disease to baldness! The main areas where stem cells have proven their worth is in bone marrow transplants, replacing damaged heart tissue after a heart attack and replacing damaged nerve tissue which gives hope to anyone who has had a spinal cord injury.

Transgenic Animals Alteration of animals by Genetic Engineering are said to be “transgenic animal”. Example: An organism’s genetic material has been altered to produce more milk and meat.

Transgenic Animal products Improve the animals or the products they produce. Animals may be used to produce products that promote human health. BST hormone use in cows to produce more milk. Pigs engineered to produce human hemoglobin. May improve the milk, meat and eggs.

Biotechnology in Animal Breeding ExtraBovine Somatotropine (BST) BST produced by bacteria can be injected into dairy cattle to increase milk production

Medical Biotechnology Medical applications of biotech include preventative, diagnostic, and treatment. The Human Genome Project is very useful within this field. Gene therapy and stem cell technologies are two up-and-coming fields within the medical area of biotech.

Medicine Biotechnology Therapeutant - product used to maintain health or prevent disease. Biopharmaceuticals – drug or vaccine developed through biotechnology called designer drugs. Biopharming – production of pharmaceuticals in cultured organisms. Certain blood – derived products needed in human medicine can be produced in the milk of goats.

Medicine Biotechnology cont… Some new developments delve into the hereditary material of humans known as gene therapy (cancer, and HIV/AIDS). Therapies that use genes to cure diseases. Diagnostics for detecting genetic diseases and acquired diseases (AIDS). Recombinant vaccines and edible vaccines to prevent disease. .

Biotech drugs for treatment There are more than 80 biotech drugs, and vaccines targeting over 2oo diseases. Nearly 1/2 of new drugs target cancer.

Human growth hormone 1st Genetically Modified Organism (GMO) to produce human protein was E. coli (pictured right) that was given DNA to produce somatostatin (hGH -human growth hormone - 1977).

Biotechnology Techniques in Animal Breeding Artificial Insemination Process of extracting and diluting semen from a male animal for use in a female animal Allows for outstanding genetic characteristics to be spread through a population rapidly with minimal expense and high success. In Vitro Fertilization Process involving the removal of embryos from a female for fertilization and insertion into surrogate mothers for development.

Food and Beverages Use of technology in production and processing food. Use of Yeast in bakery for bread and beverages (Beer, Brandy and Wine) production . Genetically altered crops food production. Conversion of milk into cheese or yogurt.

Microbial Applications Bacteria & yeast are the most frequently used microbes. Better enzymes and organisms for making foods in bakery, Single cell protein (SCP), simplifying manufacture and production processes, and making decontamination processes for industrial waste product (Pseudomons) removal more efficient. Microbes used to clone and produce batch amounts of important proteins.

Aquatic Applications Aquaculture is a common aquatic application of biotech. Aquaculture is the process of raising finfish or shellfish in controlled conditions for food sources. Products include: Transgenic salmon (increased growth). Disease-resistant oysters. Vaccines against viruses that infect aquatic species. Overall, aquatic organisms are thought to be rich and valuable sources for new genes, proteins, and metabolic processes.

Computers in biotechnology computer simulations with virtual reality and other uses help in biotechnology. computer modeling may be done before it is tested with animals. Bioinformatics tools to design new gene products.

Industrial Biotechnology Role in Food processing Beverage industry Production of antibiotics Development of new vaccines, Insulin, etc. Improvement of food quality

Environment Biotechnology Any biotechnological process that may promote a good environment. Problems naturally solved by microorganisms such as bacteria, fungi break down contaminant into a form less harmful or not harmful. Microbes used in maintaining a good environment that promotes our well being. Organisms developed during the gulf war to “eat” oil. Organism used in gold mining to “eat” contaminants. Bioremediation is used to degrade a variety of pollutants.

Biodegradation of Oil Spill In the 1970s, the first U.S. GMO patent was granted to a scientist for a strain of bacteria capable of degrading components in crude oil. In 1989, the Exxon Valdez oil spill in Alaska used Pseudomonas species (oil-degrading bacteria) to clean up the spill.

Bioremediation Bioremediation is the use of bacteria (or fungi) to clean up hazardous environmental wastes. The bacteria essentially turn the dangerous waste products into less hazardous, easy to dispose of, waste. Toxic sludges are eaten by bacteria and releases water and harmless wastes.

Applications of biotechnology in aquaculture Control of reproduction Growth enhancement Genetic characterization Control of diseases Metabolic engineering Transgenesis Fish

Forensic Applications DNA fingerprinting is the classic example of a forensic application. It is used most commonly for law enforcement and crime scene investigation (CSI). It was first used in 1987 to convict a rapist in England. Other applications of DNA fingerprinting include: identifying human remains. paternity tests.

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