Introduction to Biotechnology

Introduction to Biotechnology

• Biotechnology is a diverse field encompassing various applications
• It draws on several scientific disciplines, including agricultural sciences, medicine, and environmental science
• It's an interdisciplinary field, not confined to a single subject area

Types of Biotechnology

• Ancient Biotechnology: Early history focused on food and shelter, including domestication practices
• Classical Biotechnology: Builds on ancient methods, using fermentation techniques for food production and medicine
• Modern Biotechnology: Manipulates genetic information within organisms, using genetic engineering.

Useful Applications

• Agriculture: Increased crop yield and animal health, and bioremediation/pollution prevention
• Food: Higher quality and safety (improved nutritional value), sustainable food sources, specific consumer needs
• Medicine: Vaccines, therapeutics, and diagnostics
• Environment: Environmental monitoring and bioremediation

Biotechnological Tools

• Antisense technology: Used for regulating gene expression
• Protein engineering: Modifying proteins through targeted changes
• Bioprocessing technology: Methods for industrial production, e.g. chemicals, pharmaceuticals
• Biosensor technology: Used for detection of specific molecules
• DNA chips: Tools for analyzing DNA
• Monoclonal antibody technology: Creating antibodies to target specific molecules
• Tissue engineering: Constructing functional tissues or organs

Scientific Knowledge

• Biochemistry: Study of chemical processes in living organisms
• Molecular biology: Study of biological molecules like DNA and proteins
• Cell biology: Study of the structure and function of cells
• Physiology: Study of body functions
• Immunology: Study of the body's immune system
• Genetics: Study of genes
• Chemical engineering: Use of chemical principles in design and analysis of processes
• Materials science: Study of materials and their properties
• Computer science: Study of algorithms, programming, and computation
• Microbiology: The study of microorganisms, including bacteria and viruses

Plant Tissue Culture

• Plant Tissue Culture: A method for plant propagation, including micro-propagation
• Uses: Growing somatic embryos, chemicals from plants, protoplast fusion, somaclonal variation, and germplasm storage

Plant Genetic Engineering:

• Plant transformation: Changing plants' genetic makeup, using transgenes (engineered genes in organisms)

Products of Agricultural Biotechnology

• Animal growth hormones: bST (bovine somatotropin)

• Herbicide-tolerant crops: Roundup Ready (soybeans, corn), and Liberty Link corn

• Insect-resistant crops: Bt corn, cotton, and potatoes (containing a Bacillus thuringiensis toxin gene)

• Identity-preserved or specific-attribute crops: Crops with specific characteristics (higher oil/starch content, or additional amino acids).

Stakeholders in Agricultural Biotechnology

• Farmers
• Agribusinesses
• Consumers
• Environmentalists
• International traders
• Policy makers

Biotechnology Critics Concerns

• Food safety issues (allergenicity, unknown diseases/consequences, animal products from livestock consuming GM feed)
• GMO controversy, international trade concerns

Regulations of Agricultural Biotechnology

• Environmental Protection Agency (EPA): Involved in regulations related to environmental impact
• Food and Drug Administration (FDA): Regulates food safety.

GMOs

• Transfer of a gene from a soil bacteria to a crop, encoding a protein that becomes a toxin that kills specific insects.
• Gene editing tools like CRISPR-Cas9

Genome Editing Tools

• Restriction enzymes: Enzymes that cut DNA at specific sequences
• Zinc Finger Nucleases (ZFNs): Artificial proteins that target specific DNA sequences for cutting
• Transcription Activator-like Effector Nucleases (TALENs): Artificial proteins that target specific DNA sequences for cutting

Protoplast Fusion

• Technique for combining plant cells from different species, creating hybrid plants. This is accomplished by removing the cell wall, and then fusing them together

PCR Detection

• Rapid testing for pest diseases in crops, such as bananas and papaya, using PCR (polymerase chain reaction).

Evidence of Bt Cotton Productivity

• United States: Yield effect 0–15%
• China: Yield effect 10%
• South Africa: Yield effect 20–40%
• India: Yield effect 60–80%.

Challenges in Agricultural Biotechnology

• Healthy, safe, and sufficient food supply: Improving nutritional value, safety, and storage quality of food.
• Sustainable agriculture: Reducing agriculture's environmental impact (water use)
• Green products: Developing renewable resources like biofuels and chemicals from plants
• Competitiveness, consumer choice, and good governance: Ensuring profitability, consumer demand, safety, legal and environmental issues.

Explore the diverse field of biotechnology, which integrates knowledge from agricultural sciences, medicine, and environmental science. Learn about ancient, classical, and modern biotechnology, and discover how these innovations impact agriculture, food safety, medicine, and the environment.