BIO 201: Introduction to Biotechnology

What is Biotechnology?

• Biotechnology is the manipulation of living organisms and organic material to serve human needs, covering many diverse applications
• Examples of biotechnology include yeast in bread and alcohol production, using bacteria to kill other harmful organisms, cloning, and genetic engineering
• Biotechnology involves many different fields and has many exciting benefits, such as advancements in pharmaceuticals and selective pesticide technology

Bangladesh and Biotechnology

• In 2013, Bangladesh commercialized Bt eggplant, becoming the first developing country to take a public sector genetically modified food crop to benefit smallholder farmers
• Bt eggplant carries a gene that makes it resistant to the main crop pest, fruit and shoot borer
• Bt eggplant enables farmers to dramatically reduce their use of insecticides by 80% or more, protecting their health and the local environment

Biomass in Biotechnology

• Biomass is renewable organic materials that come from plants and animals, such as wood, agricultural crops or wastes, and municipal wastes
• Biomass is used to produce energy by direct burning or processing into biofuels such as ethanol and methane
• Feedstock is raw material that supplies machines in industry

Genetic Engineering in Biotechnology

• Genetic engineering is a modern modification and subspecialty of biotechnology
• It deals with the specific and targeted modifications of the genetic material of bacteria, plants, or animals to stimulate them to biosynthesize the desired products of the gene

Fermentation in Biotechnology

• Fermentation is the process of converting carbohydrates to alcohol or organic acids using microorganisms (yeasts or bacteria) under anaerobic conditions
• Fermentation produces energy by anaerobically converting nutrients to alcohols and acids
• Fermentation has advantages, such as:
  • Producing complex molecules like proteins that cannot be made chemically
  • Having higher percentage yield
  • Not requiring extreme temperatures or pH
  • Having greater specificity due to enzyme-catalyzed reactions
• Fermentation also has disadvantages, such as:
  • Being contaminated by unwanted microorganisms
  • Having a slower process than chemical processes
  • Requiring handling of large volumes of water
• Fermentation has various uses, including:
  • Chemical sector: producing ethanol, organic acids, enzymes, and polymers
  • Pharmaceuticals: producing antibiotics, chemical drugs, vaccines, and diagnostics
  • Energy: producing ethanol, methane, and biomass
  • Food: producing dairy products, beverages, baking, and high-fructose syrup
  • Agriculture: producing animal feed, microbial pesticides, and plant cell and tissue culture

Bioreactor

• A bioreactor is a large vessel in which microorganisms are grown to produce a desired product
• The desired product is separated from the rest of the mixture

Enzyme Technology

• Enzymes are only found in living cells but can be extracted and used for various purposes
• Enzymes can keep functioning in vitro, even when separated from their cells
• Enzymes can be used in various applications, including:
  • Biological detergents: using protease and amylases
  • Baking industry: using alpha-amylases and proteases
  • Brewing industry: using enzymes from barley
  • Dairy industry: using rennin, lipases, and lactases
  • Starch industry: using amylases and glucose isomerase
  • Textile industry: using amylases
  • Leather industry: using enzymes from dog and pigeon waste, and trypsin

This quiz covers the basics of biotechnology, including its definition, applications, and techniques such as genetic engineering, fermentation, and enzyme technology. It is based on Smith's chapter 1-5.