Introduction to Biotechnology and Life Hierarchy

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Study Notes

Biotechnology involves using living materials or organisms for commercial or industrial purposes.
The term was coined in 1919 by Hungarian agriculture engineer "Károly Ereky".

Ancient biotechnology includes practices like beer making, wine making, bread baking, cheese production, and improving crop and livestock species through crossbreeding.
Modern biotechnology encompasses advancements like:
- Isolation of penicillin: discovered by Alexander Fleming in 1928.
- Genetic engineering: exemplified by the insertion of toad DNA into E. coli bacteria by Herb Boyer and Stanley Cohen in 1973.
- Insulin, erythropoietin, and interferon alpha production.
- Genome editing: emerged in 2013.
- 3D Bioprinting of human organs: a breakthrough in 2022.

The global biotechnology market was valued at USD 1.37 trillion in 2022.
The FDA has approved over 900 biotech products, with an additional 2,200 in development.
Biotechnology offers solutions for:
- Resource depletion
- Environmental pollution
- Health hazards

The world population has significantly increased from 6,143,493,823 in 2000 to 7,820,705,136 in 2020.
Projections estimate a population of 9,735,033,990 in 2050 and 8,184,437,460 in 2025.

Red biotechnology: Medical applications like drug production, stem cell therapy, and organ regeneration.
White biotechnology: Industrial processes such as new chemical production, biofuel development, and enzyme engineering.
Green biotechnology: Agricultural applications like pest-resistant crops, disease-resistant livestock, and phytoremediation.
Blue biotechnology: Marine and aquatic applications including controlling waterborne organisms and bioremediation.

Medical biotechnology:
- Forensics
- Genetic testing for disease identification and pedigree analysis.
- Drug discovery and resistance studies.
Industrial biotechnology:
- Production of chemicals like acetone, butanol, acetic acid, and plastics.
- Modification of household products like enzyme-containing detergents.
- Bioremediation of toxic waste like trichloroethylene, oil, and coal waste.
- Pharmaceutical production like Herceptin and Vitravene.
Agricultural biotechnology:
- Genetically modified foods: Flavr savr tomato (first commercial GMO).
- Herbicide-tolerant plants: Roundup resistance in soybeans.
- Phytoremediation: removal of toxic metals like cadmium, zinc, and lead from the soil.
Marine biotechnology:
- Discovery of medicines and therapeutic tools from marine sources.
- Examples: Yondelis for ovarian cancer, Prialt for AIDS pain management.

Anton van Leeuwenhoek (1632 – 1723):
- The "Father of Microbiology".
- Improved the microscope and discovered bacteria, protists, and red blood cells.
Gregor Mendel (1822-1884):
- Founder of modern genetics.
- Pea plant experiments established the laws of Mendelian inheritance.
Walter Sutton (1877–1916):
- Proposed the Boveri-Sutton chromosome theory, applying Mendelian inheritance to chromosomes.
Thomas Morgan (1866-1945):
- Nobel Prize winner for discoveries about the role of chromosomes in heredity.
- Determined how genes are transmitted through chromosomes.
Sir Alexander Fleming (1881–1955):
- Discovered lysozyme and penicillin.
- Shared the Nobel Prize with Howard Florey and Ernst Chain for penicillin discovery.
Ernst Ruska (1906-1988):
- Nobel Prize winner for designing the first electron microscope.
Rosalind Franklin (1920 – 1958):
- English chemist whose research contributed to understanding DNA and RNA structures.
- Her work was crucial for the discovery of DNA's double helix structure.
James Watson, Francis Crick, and Maurice Wilkins (1953):
- Jointly received the Nobel Prize for determining the structure of DNA.
Sir Ian Wilmut (1944-2023):
- Leader of the research group that cloned Dolly the sheep in 1996.
Jennifer Doudna and Emmanuelle Charpentier (2013):
- Discovered CRISPR-Cas9, a powerful gene editing technology.
- This technology allows for precise modifications, disruptions, or replacements within genes.