The Development of Molecular Biotechnology

Ancient History of Biotechnology

Biotechnology is... Concerned with the production of commercial products generated by the metabolic action of micro-organisms. The application of scientific and engineering principles to the processing of material by biological agents to provide good and services.

Biotechnology is... “the industrial production of goods and services by processes using biological organisms, systems, and processes,” and it has been firmly grounded in expertise in microbiology, biochemistry, and chemical engineering.

Principal steps of a bioengineered biotechnology process. Upstream processing Fermentation and transformation Downstream processing Mutagenesis is employed to enhance product yields focused on creating mutants by using chemical mutagens or UV radiation.

Limitation of Mutagenesis If a mutated strain overly synthesized a compound, other metabolic functions often were impaired. The growth during large-scale fermentation is decreased. The process was tedious and time-consuming, and costly. The large numbers of colonies had to be selected, screen, and tested. It was the improvement of an existing inherited properties rather than the expansion of its genetic capabilities.

Molecular Biotechnology It is an exciting scientific discipline that is based on the ability of transferring specific units of genetic information from one organism to another

Modern Biotechnology ...the deliberate manipulation of DNA molecules to produce commercial products from living organisms. This process, called genetic engineering or recombinant DNA technology, is an important aspect of biotechnology. Biological Revolution!

Modern Biotechnology

Recombinant DNA Techniques Bacteria are the workhorses of modern biotechnology. To work with genes in the laboratory, biologists often use bacterial plasmids. Plasmids are small, circular DNA molecules that are separate from the much larger bacterial chromosome.

Plasmids can easily incorporate foreign DNA. Plasmids are readily taken up by bacterial cells. Plasmids then act as vectors, DNA carriers that move genes from one cell to another.

Many scientific disciplines contribute to molecular biotechnology, generating a wide range of commercial products.

Biotechnology’s Impact Human Health Veterinary Medicine, Animal Science, and Livestock production Agriculture and Plant Science Education Law Enforcement Biotechnology Products Waste Management Energy Production

In 1982, the world’s first genetically engineered pharmaceutical product was produced. Humulin, human insulin, was produced by genetically modified bacteria. Humilin was the first recombinant DNA drug approved by the FDA.

Corn has been genetically modified to resist insect infestation. This corn has been damaged by the European corn borer. Bacillus thuringiensis, Bt – toxin gene. Less pesticides used. Soybean, cotton, and potatoes.

“Golden rice” has been genetically modified to contain beta-carotene. Our bodies use beta-carotene to make vitamin A.

Farm and “Pharm” Animals While transgenic plants are used today as commercial products, transgenic whole animals are currently only in the testing phase. These transgenic sheep carry a gene for a human blood protein. This protein may help in the treatment of cystic fibrosis. In 2009, FDA approves first drug produced in a genetically engineered goat.

Biotechnology’s Impact Law Enforcement - “DNA Detective”

DNA Fingerprinting and Forensic Science DNA technology has rapidly revolutionized the field of forensics. Forensics is the scientific analysis of evidence from crime scenes. DNA fingerprinting can be used to determine whether or not two samples of genetic material are from a particular individual.

Short Tandem Repeat (STR) Analysis How do you prove that two samples of DNA come from the same person? Scientists use STR analysis to compare the number of repeats between different samples of DNA. Short tandem repeats (STRs) Are repetitive sequences of DNA that are repeated various times in the genome.

Short Tandem Repeat (STR) Analysis

The DNA fragments are visualized as “bands” on the gel. The bands of different DNA samples can then be compared.

Figure 12.14

Gel Electrophoresis Can be used to separate the DNA fragments obtained from different sources.

Figure 12.12

Concerns and Consequences

Concerns and Consequences Molecular biotechnology can contribute benefits to humanity: Provide diagnosis, prevent, or cure a wide range of infectious and genetic diseases. Increase crop yields and quality, minimizing applications of hazardous agrichemicals. Develop microorganisms that will produce chemicals, antibiotics, polymers, amino acids, enzymes, and various food additives. Develop livestock and other animals that have genetically enhanced attributes. Facilitate the removal of pollutants and waste materials from the environment. Provide “green” energy.

Concerns and Consequences Social concerns and consequences that must be addressed: Will some genetically engineered organisms be harmful either to other organisms or to the environment? Crops carrying genes from other species might harm the environment. GM foods could be hazardous to human health. Transgenic plants might pass their genes to close relatives in nearby wild areas.

Concerns and Consequences Social concerns and consequences that must be addressed: Will the development and use of genetically engineered organisms reduce natural genetic diversity? Should humans be genetically engineered? Genetic engineering of gametes and zygotes has been accomplished in lab animals. Should we try to eliminate genetic defects in our children? Should we interfere with evolution in this way? Should genetically engineered human growth hormone be used to stimulate growth in HGH-deficient children?

Concerns and Consequences Social concerns and consequences that must be addressed: Will new diagnostic procedures undermine individual privacy? Advances in genetic fingerprinting raise privacy issues. What about the information obtained in the Human Genome Project? How do we prevent genetic information from being used in a discriminatory manner?

Concerns and Consequences Social concerns and consequences that must be addressed: Will medical therapies based on molecular biotechnology superseded equally effective traditional treatments? Will the quest for patents inhibit the free exchange of ideas among research scientists.

Concerns and Consequences Social concerns and consequences that must be addressed: Will financial support for molecular biotechnology constrain the development of other important technologies? Will the emphasis on commercial success mean that the benefits of molecular biotechnology will be available only to wealthy nations? Will agricultural molecular biotechnology undermine traditional farming practices?

Concerns and Consequences Strict laboratory safety procedures have been designed to protect researchers from infection by engineered microbes. Procedures have also been designed to prevent microbes from accidentally leaving the laboratory.

Concerns and Consequences Negotiators from 130 countries (including the United States) agreed on a Biosafety Protocol. The protocol requires exporters to identify GM organisms present in bulk food shipments. Several U.S. regulatory agencies evaluate biotechnology projects for potential risks: Department of Agriculture Food and Drug Administration Environmental Protection Agency National Institutes of Health