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What is Biotechnology?
• The application of technology to natural biological processes.– Transgenic– Reproductive– Forensic– Personalized medicine
Biotechnology tools
• Restriction enzymes– Discovered in 1970’s– Naturally occurring enzymes found in
bacteria that cut up DNA from invading viruses.
– Cut at very specific locations on the DNA.– Produce ‘sticky ends’ on DNA, these can
stick to complimentary DNA sequences.– 1,000 different restriction enzymes are
available.
• Plasmids– Rings of DNA material found in bacteria.– These plasmids can be picked up by
bacteria by a process called transformation.
Transgenic Biotechnology
• The splicing of DNA from one species to another.– Human growth hormone
• A hormone that is secreted by the human pituitary gland and is responsible for promoting growth in children.
• Previously collected from dead human bodies. Too little, expensive, unsafe.
• Produced in E. coli bacteria, clinically indistinguishable from that produced in the pituitary gland
Drug Animal Value/animal/year1
AAT sheep $15,000
tPA goat 75,000
Factor VIII sheep 37,000
Factor IX sheep 20,000
Hemoglobin pig 3,000
Lactoferrin cow 20,000
CFTR sheep, mouse 75,000
Human Protein C pig 1,000,000
1Current market price of the drug and supply produced by one animal.
Drug descriptions
AAT alpha-1-antitrypsin, inherited deficiency leads to emphysema
tPA tissue plasminogen activator, treatment for blood clots
Factors VIII, IX blood clotting factors, treatment for hemophilia
Hemoglobin blood substitute for human transfusion
Lactoferrin infant formula additive
CFTR cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator, treatment of CF
Human Protein C anticoagulant, treatment for blood clots
Value of product produced by transgenic animal.
Description of the drug that the transgenic animal produces.
Golden rice has the ability to form its own beta carotene, which the human body converts into Vitamin A.
Reproductive Cloning
• Cloning – to make an exact copy of a single gene or an entire organism.– Dolly the sheep was the first mammal to
be cloned from an adult mammal,– Horses, mules, cows, pigs, cats, mice
have all been cloned.– We do not have the ability to clone
primates.
Forensic biotechnology
• The use of biotechnology to establish identity.– Uses PCR or Polymerase Chain Reaction
to create copies of even the tiniest amount of DNA.
• Criminal data base• 130 prisoners have been freed in the past 15
years based on DNA information that proved their innocence.
•
Personalized medicine
• Adverse drug reactions caused 100,000 deaths last year and are a leading cause of hospitalization.
• Human beings differ from one another in their genetic makeup and these variations can cause different reactions to medications
Controversies in Biotechnology
• Genetically modified food– Proponents see opportunity to feed
starving people– Opponents see potential harm to human
health and the Earth’s ecosystem• Bacillus thuringiensis and genetically modified
cotton plants• Farmers required to plant 20% of crop as non-
Bt plants
• Human cloning– Is it ethical to clone a human being with
the intention of having it develop from an embryo to an adult?
• Genetic profiles– Who has the right to see these? Your
insurance company might like to know if you are susceptible to disease.
– What about your employer, would he hire you if he knows what is in your profile?
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