1. Agenda 4/8 Biotech Intro Uses for Bacteria and Viruses
Phage vs. Gene Therapy
Homework
Chp 20 reading and notes
DNA recombination video and notes
Molecular Biology Video and Notes
Turn in: Nothing?

2. Why is biotechnology important?
By definition, biotechnology is using biological tools to improve the quality of life in a society
With your groups, brainstorm 6 different biotechnology ‘tools’

3. Using Bacteria and Viruses In Biotechnology
Bacteria: unicellular, prokaryotic organisms that are microns
Examples:?
Viruses: acellular infectious agents made of nucleic acid and protein that are nanometers (10^-9)
Living or non living?
Examples?

4. Introduction to Viruses
Viral structure
Viruses are made of nucleic acid (DNA or RNA) and a protein coat called a capsid
Some viruses have an envelope and extra spike proteins
Viral Life Cycle
Viruses must attach and enter host cells
They then hijack the host cell’s machinery to complete DNA or RNA replication and protein synthesis
New viral particles are created, and are released from the cell

5. HIV Structure

6. HIV Viral Life Cycle

7. Lytic and Lysogenic Life Cycles
Viruses have two options for life cycles which result in very different implications for cell function
1. Lytic Cycle- New viral particles are made and released from the cell. Cell lysis causes cell to die
2. Lysogenic- Viral particles enter the cell and insert their genome into the cell where it incorporates into the host genome. No new viral particles are made ….. Yet
Only done by some viruses
Usually studied in a special kind of virus: bacteriophage
Bacteriophage are viruses that infect bacteria

8. Lytic and Lysogenic Cycles

9. Viruses and Cancer

10. Are viruses only bad?
Brainstorm two ways we can use viruses for good use
Think about why we are learning about them in our biotechnology unit

11. Gene Therapy
Gene Therapy is a field that attempts to use viruses to treat various disorders
The general idea is to use viruses to introduce a gene into a cell that would incorporate into the genome and begin making or blocking proteins

12. What characteristics would you need in a virus to use for gene therapy?

13. What characteristics would you need in a virus to use for gene therapy?
Non-pathogenic
Integrates into genome
Easy to administer
Sequenced genome/know a lot about it
Large genome to carry big enough genes

14. Current Gene Therapy Research

15. Bacteriophages Bacteriophages are viruses that infect bacteria
How can we use these to help humans?

16. Bacteriophages Bacteriophage are viruses that infect bacteria
How can we use these to help humans?
Use bacteriophages to deliver toxic effects to bacteria as an alternative to antibiotics
Remember antibiotic resistance!

17. Bacteriophage Therapy
How would bacteriophage be a better treatment for bacterial infections than antibiotics?

18. Bacteriophage vs. Antibiotics

19. Current Status of Bacteriophage Therapy

20. Introduction to Bacteria
Bacteria are prokaryotic, unicellular organisms

21. Horizontal Gene Transfer
Bacteria can transfer genetic material to each other and members of separate species through horizontal gene transfer
1. Conjugation- genetic material on plasmids is transmitted to another bacteria cell. The plasmids often contain resistant or pathogenic genes
2. Transformation- ‘Naked’ DNA is taken up from the environment and incorporated into the bacteria genome
3. Transduction- DNA is transfer to a bacteria cell through a bacteriophage

22. Horizontal Gene Transfer (HGT)

23. HGT Risks for Humans
Conjugation frequently spreads antibiotic resistant genes to other cells or species
Transformation and transduction can increase the pathogenicity of the bacteria

24. HGT and Humans
How can we exploit HGT to our advantage?

25. Recombinant DNA
Using genetic tools, we can insert genes of interest into bacteria and collect the proteins they make
Why would it be advantageous to use bacteria cells for this?

26. Recombinant DNA and Insulin
Also used for..

27. Future Research for Viruses and Bacteria
Gene therapy: More clinical trials
Bacteriophage treatment: Determine side effects, effectiveness, reaction to resistant mutations
Bacteria
Antibiotic resistance: Block HGT (?), More details about normal flora and immune response
Genetic engineering: More products (already a pretty solid procedure)