Unit C: Competency 7.00 – Explain the historical development of the biotechnology industry

 What is biotechnology?  Root Words – Bio and Technology  The use of living organisms and their cells to solve problems or make useful products for the greater good of mankind and the environment

 How long have living organisms met our needs?  For thousands of years through sustenance and comfort : food, shelter, clothing, fuel  So what makes biotechnology different if it’s the use of living organisms to make life better?  Modification of living organism and their cells through technological advancements

 The Stone Age! (10,000 years ago)  When we domesticated plants and animals we inherently changed their genetics, how?  Selective Breeding – we took away their natural breeding procedures  8,000 Years Ago  Our ancestors used bacteria, yeast and fungus, how?  Microbial fermentation where these microbes converted grapes into wine, milk into cheese and yogurt, and grains into bread

 Virtually all antibiotics come from microbes  Vitamins added to breakfast cereals  Enzymes that convert cornstarch to high- fructose corn syrup (which is in lots of products)  Farmers used microbes since the 19 th century to control insect crop pests and inoculate nitrogen-fixing bacteria into soil to increase crop yield  Microbes used to treat sewage  Certain vaccines come from live (weakened) bacteria

 Robert Hooke (1665)  Invented the compound light microscope  First to observe cells in cork – first to really apply the word “Cell”  Sometimes called “The Father of Modern Science”

 Anton Van Leeuwenhoek (1675)  A Dutchman who is credited with the discovery of bacteria using a simple microscope  The “Father of Microscopy”

 Gregor Mendel (1863)  Austrian Monk who conducted the first genetics experiments using pea plants  Considered the “Father of Genetics”

 Louis Pasteur (1870s)  Disproved the notion of spontaneous generation  A hypothetical process that stated living matter could generate from nonliving matter “spontaneously”  Described the role of bacteria in spoilage and the science behind fermentation  Created the rabies vaccine

 James Watson & Francis Crick (1953)  Englishman from Cambridge University and American from Chicago responsible for the discovery of the double helix structure of DNA  Used X-Ray photography to take pictures of the DNA structure _how_he_discovered_dna.html

 Paul Berg (1972)  Stanford University scientist  First developed recombinant DNA technology  A method for insertion of genetic material from one organism to another

Unit C: Competency 7.02 – Discuss the Importance of the Biotechnology Industry

 Industry Characteristics  Research is conducted by small companies, large corporations, and public universities

 Industry Characteristics  Funding comes from a variety of sources including both public (government) and private (companies and foundations) sources  Example: California passed their own $300 billion referendum for research in stem cells in ‘04  Focuses on a variety of research areas including health/medicine, food science, environmental science, & Agriscience

 Impact of the Biotechnology Industry  Genetically modified organisms are consumed by millions of people almost everyday  Almost 56% of all soybean plantings worldwide are genetically engineered (especially in the US)

 Impact of the Biotechnology Industry  Genetically modified crops were produced on more than 167 million acres in 18 countries in 2003, a 15% increase from 2002  The US was the largest single producer with more than 60% of the total acreage in production

 The NC Biotech Center predicts that the biotechnology industry in the state will contribute more than $25 billion in annual income each year within the next 25 years

Unit C: Competency 7.03: Examine the historical impact of biotechnology on the field of agriculture

1.(1750 BC – Early Civilizations) Origins of biotechnology emerge in methods of food production and plant and animal breeding – 1. Use of bacteria to produce cheese (food preservation) 2. Use of natural enzymes in yogurt 3. The use of yeast in bread 4. Process of fermentation to make wine and beer

2.(1869) DNA is discovered in trout sperm by German, Friedrich Miescher

3.(1919) The word biotechnology is first used by a Hungarian agricultural engineer 4.(1940s-1950s) The race began amongst scientists to discover the structure of DNA

5.(1980) The U.S. Supreme Court Approves the patenting of genetically altered organisms

6. (1980s-1990s) A variety of Genetically modified Organisms (GMOs) and biotechnology techniques are introduced in fields of agriculture and medicine -Recombinant DNA technology – extracts DNA from one organism for use in another, allowing for more rapid and specific improvements in plants and animals -Plant Tissue Culture – gains widespread acceptance as a method to quickly and cheaply produce genetically identical plants

7.(1990s) First transgenic organisms are introduced in widespread agricultural production, mainly in agronomy -BT corn and soybeans are introduced offering an easier way for farmers to have insect resistance -A gene was taken from the Baccilus thuringensis bacterium and inserted into the corn -These gene contains an endotoxin that kills Lepidoptera larvae, which is the European Corn Borer ndy_fanny/default.asp

8.(1997) Dolly is the first animal to be cloned from diploid cells in Scotland 9.(90s-present) Human cloning is outlawed in the US and the first concerns over the use of human stem cells in research begin to arise