BY: ROMY PABLA SBI4U The History and Ethics Behind Biotechnology 8 000 BCE: humans domesticated plant crops, and livestock and potatoes were first cultivated for food. 500 BCE: the Chinese used mouldy soybean curds to become the first antibiotic to treat infections and ailments. In the year 100: The first insecticide was produced in China from powdered chrysanthemums In 1665: Robert Hooke described microscopic observations of plant tissues, and was the first to coin the term cell. In Quebec, Jean Talon established Canada's first brewery using biotechnological practices (yeast and fermentation). Dutchman, Anton van Leeuwenhoek, gave the first complete descriptions of (protozoa) that he called animalcules. He also observed red blood cells. Anton van Leeuwenhoek, maker of microscopes, discovered bacteria in 1675. 1833: enzymes were discovered and a few years later in 1838, a Swedish chemist discovered the first protein. 1835: Theodor Schwann and Matthias Schleiden proposed the cell theory. Prussian physician Rudolf Virchow declared every cell originates from another cell. Theodor Schwann and Matthias Schleiden proposed that all organisms are composed of cells. 1859: Charles Darwin published his book On the Origin of Species 1869: Friedrich Miescher, a Swiss biochemist investigated the composition of DNA using pus cells. He discovered that the nuclei of cells contained large quantities of a substance that did not act like protein, although proteins were thought to be the hereditary material at the time Meischer called this substance nuclein because it was found in the nucleus of the cell, later renamed DNA when its chemical composition was determined. Charles Darwin published his book On the Origin of Species in 1859. Louis Pasteur, a French chemist, developed pasteurization, a process that protects food by heating it to kill dangerous microbes. He also became known for his vaccination technique against anthrax, which was successfully administered against rabies in French chemist Louis Pasteur developed pasteurization. In the 1900s: Luther Burbank, the father of modern plant breeding, developed more than 800 new strains of fruits, vegetables, and flowers. Plant breeders crossbred cotton to create multiple varieties. Farmers first inoculated fields with nitrogen fixing bacteria to improve yields. Nitrogen is vital to all living matter, and is an essential constituent of amino acids. From 1870 to 1910: Botanist William James Beal produced the first experimental corn hybrid in the laboratory. In 1919 The word biotechnology was used for the first time in print. Luther Burbank, the father of modern plant breeding, developed the Burbank potato, which is now the Russett potato used by McDonald's restaurants. In 1922: Canadians Sir Frederick Banting and C. H. Best succeeded in isolating insulin from the pancreas in 1922, winning the Nobel Prize in 1923 in Physiology or Medicine. In the 1920s: Frederick Griffith tried to develop a vaccine against pneumonia, which led to his discovery of the process of transformation. Frederick Banting, co-discover of insulin for the treatment of diabetes. In 1928: Scottish bacteriologist Sir Alexander Fleming discovered penicillin as an antibiotic and was later awarded the Nobel Prize. In 1941: A. Justin, a Danish microbiologist, coined the term genetic engineering Sir Alexander Fleming discovered penicillin as an antibiotic in 1928. In 1943 Canadian scientist Oswald Theodore Avery isolated pure DNA. In 1944 Oswald Avery, Colin MacLeod, and Maclyn McCarthy lay the groundwork for modern genetics and molecular biology. They prove that DNA contained within the nucleus of a cell is genetic material Oswald Avery was the first to isolate pure DNA. In 1952: Alfred Hershey and Martha Chase used radioactively labelled viruses and infected bacterial cells, and observed that the infected bacterial cells contained radioactivity originating from the DNA of the virus suggesting that DNA is hereditary material. In 1953: Rosalind Franklin produced an X-ray diffraction pattern of DNA that suggested it was in the shape of a double helix. James Watson and Francis Crick were the first to describe the double helix of DNA. Rosalind Franklin did not get the recognition she deserved during that time, while James Watson, Francis Crick, and Maurice Wilkins were awarded the Nobel Prize in 1962 for their discovery. James Watson along with Francis Crick and Maurice Wilkins became the first scientists recognized to describe the double helix structure of DNA. 1955: The Salk polio vaccine was licensed in North America and mass immunization for polio occurred in schools in the 1960s. 1958: DNA was produced in a test tube for the first time. 1968: Marshall W. Nirenberg and Har Gobind Khorana were awarded the Nobel Prize for deciphering the genetic codes of the 20 amino acids. In 1968, the genetic code is deciphered. In the 1970s: Norman Borlaug became the first plant breeder to win a Nobel Prize for his work on new wheat varieties that increase yield by 70%. American microbiologist Daniel Nathans discovered the first restriction enzyme. New wheat varieties increase yields by 70% Restriction enzymes cleave DNA In 1972: DNA ligase, which links DNA fragments together, is used for the first time. The first synthetic recombinant molecule created by combining DNA from two viruses is accomplished. Paul Berg, along with Frederick Sanger and Walter Gilbert developed techniques for attaching selected parts of DNA molecules to bacterial DNA In 1973: Stanley Cohen and Herbert Boyer developed recombinant DNA technology, considered to be the birth of modern technology. They completed the first successful genetic engineering experiment by inserting a gene from an African clawed toad into bacterial DNA. Recombinant DNA the insertion of a gene into a plasmid and then into a bacterial cell. In 1983: The first genetically engineered product, human insulin, was approved for sale in Canada Kary Mullis devised the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) Late 1980s: Genetically engineered hepatitis B vaccine was approved for use in Canada The defective gene for cystic fibrosis was found at Toronto's Hospital for Sick Children. Cystic Fibrosis is a genetic disorder which affects many areas of the body. In 1997 Dolly became the first cloned mammal. In 2002 Successful immunization of mice against Alzheimer's was discovered Canada produced Starbuck II, the first cloned bull derived from the world famous Hanoverhill Starbuck. 2001: The faculty of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Montreal used cloning technology to produce three identical calves. Dolly's remains are exhibited at the Museum of Scotland. In 2003: The Human Genome Project was completed ahead of schedule. In 2004: The Supreme Court of Canada votes 5-4 in the case of Schmeiser versus Monsanto, maintaining Monsanto's patent on a gene providing greater certainty on intellectual property protection in Canada. In 2005 The first commercial DNA vaccine for a viral disease in salmon is licensed. Karyotype of human chromosomes In 2006: Researchers from the University of Toronto restored some movement in rats paralysed from spinal cord injuries using transplanted brain cells taken from adult mice. Commercial human insulin was produced from genetically modified sunflower plants. The first vaccine against certain types of the human papillomavirus was approved. In 2007: McMaster researchers discovered embryonic stem cells and kept them in their own environment to allow them to specialize or become other cells. HPV Virus Stem Cells Who knows what discoveries will be made in the next 20 to 30 years to enhance or hinder development in the health, agricultural, and environmental sector of biotechnology. Maybe you will be the one to make the new discoveries. DNA ligase acts like a glue and joins fragments of DNA together by joining the bonds. Resources Biotech CanadaAgriculture and Agri-Food Canada Council for Biotechnology InformationUnless otherwise indicated, all images in this activity are from the public domain or are clipart.com or Microsoft clipart and are used with permission.