Biotechnology Overview

Biotechnology

• Biotechnology utilizes living organisms or their components to create valuable products.
• Traditional biotechnology encompasses centuries-old techniques like fermentation for beer, wine, cheese, and bread production.
• Modern biotechnology involves manipulating genes or inserting portions of one gene into other organisms.
• Examples include plant breeding, cheese and bread making, beer and wine production, animal domestication, vaccination, pasteurization, and cloning.
• Modern biotechnology emerged with the discovery of DNA structure, sophisticated instruments, and enzymes for gene manipulation.
• Down syndrome is characterized by a flattened face, almond-shaped eyes, a short neck, and small ears.
• Klinefelter syndrome results from an extra X chromosome.
• Mutation is a change in the DNA sequence.
• Ruminant animal stomach enzymes (rennet) aid in cheese making.
• Bacteria like Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Acinetobacter baumannii are used to clean up oil spills.
• Cheese aging involves continuous fermentation, leading to ripening.
• Avery's experiment proved DNA as the transforming agent, using enzymes like proteinase, RNase, and DNase.
• Erwin Chargaff identified complementary base pairing (A-T, C-G) in DNA.

DNA Replication and Enzymes

• DNA replication involves unzipping the double helix to create copies. Enzymes like DNA helicase play a key role.
• The 20th century saw rapid advancements in biotechnology due to DNA structure discovery, sophisticated tools, and enzymes.
• Enzymes are crucial in manipulating DNA in genetic engineering applications.

Vaccination and Acquired Immunity

• Edward Jenner pioneered vaccination, a method of providing acquired immunity against diseases.
• Biotechnology includes the production of vaccines.
• DNA is often referred to as the "code of life" as it contains information for an organism's physical and chemical processes.

Fermentation Processes

• Coco vinegar production uses a cheesecloth-covered bottle to allow gas release.
• Aspergillus oryzae (a fungus) is a natural starter culture used in soy sauce fermentation and production.
• Cloning involves creating new organisms from tissues or genetic material, like Dolly the sheep.
• Bacteriophages are viruses that infect bacteria and can serve as alternatives to antibiotics.

Cheese Making

• Acidification, coagulation, separating curds and whey, salting, shaping, and ripening are crucial steps in making white cheese.
• Alcoholic fermentation begins with glucose breaking down into pyruvate, producing alcohol and releasing carbon dioxide.

Nucleic Acids and Protein Synthesis

• Nucleic acids are informational macromolecules, with DNA carrying instructions for protein synthesis.
• Yeast fermentation are used in baking and brewing industries.
• Herbert Boyer and Stanley Cohen revolutionized biotechnology with recombinant DNA technology.
• Karl Ereky coined the term "biotechnology".
• DNA is genetic material with a double helix structure. Hershey and Chase's experiment demonstrated that viral DNA controls host cell functions.
• DNA comprises phosphate, deoxyribose sugar, and A, T, C, and G nitrogenous bases.

Traditional and Modern Biotechnology

• Traditional practices of manipulating and exploiting organisms have been used for centuries.
• Modern methods involve manipulating DNA through tools like enzyme and equipment to achieve desired outcomes.
• Biotechnology involves the use of living things or their products to produce goods/services that are valuable to humans.
• The double helix structure of DNA was discover by Watson and Cricks.

Transcription and Translation

• DNA information is copied to mRNA during transcription.
• Translation converts mRNA into proteins based on the genetic code.
• The genetic code chart correlates mRNA codons to amino acids in protein synthesis.