Introduction to Introduction to BiotechnologyBiotechnology

What is What is Biotechnology?Biotechnology?

Biotechnology applies the knowledge of Biotechnology applies the knowledge of biology to biology to enhance and improve the enhance and improve the environment, health, and food supply.environment, health, and food supply.

Using biotechnology, scientists work to Using biotechnology, scientists work to develop environment-friendly develop environment-friendly alternatives to fossil fuels and plastics; alternatives to fossil fuels and plastics; new medicines, vaccines and disease new medicines, vaccines and disease diagnostic tools; and higher yielding diagnostic tools; and higher yielding and more nutrient-rich crop plants.and more nutrient-rich crop plants.

Definition:Definition:

““The use of The use of living living organisms, cells organisms, cells and and biological biological moleculesmolecules, to , to solve problems solve problems or make useful or make useful products”products”

Biological molecules?Biological molecules?

Are large Are large macromolecules macromolecules

The macromolecules The macromolecules most often utilized in most often utilized in Biotech are:Biotech are:

DNA and RNADNA and RNA

ProteinsProteins

Some Technologies used Some Technologies used in Biotechnology:in Biotechnology:

1. Bioprocessing technology1. Bioprocessing technology 2. Monoclonal antibody technology2. Monoclonal antibody technology 3. Cell culture technology3. Cell culture technology 4. Tissue engineering technology4. Tissue engineering technology 5. Genetic engineering technology5. Genetic engineering technology 6. Bioinformatics technology6. Bioinformatics technology 7. DNA chip technology7. DNA chip technology

1. Bioprocessing 1. Bioprocessing

The use of bacteria, yeast, mammalian The use of bacteria, yeast, mammalian cells and/or enzymes to manufacture cells and/or enzymes to manufacture productsproducts

Large scale fermentation and cell Large scale fermentation and cell cultures, carried out in huge bioreactors, cultures, carried out in huge bioreactors, manufacture useful productsmanufacture useful products

Products: Insulin, vaccines, vitamins, Products: Insulin, vaccines, vitamins, antibiotics, amino acids, etc.antibiotics, amino acids, etc.

2. Monoclonal 2. Monoclonal antibodies ( MCAb) antibodies ( MCAb) Your immune system makes proteins Your immune system makes proteins

called called ANTIBODIESANTIBODIES

Antibodies are produced by cells called Antibodies are produced by cells called B-lymphocytesB-lymphocytes

B lymphocytesB lymphocytes are produced when are produced when your immune system detects a foreign your immune system detects a foreign substance that has invaded your bodysubstance that has invaded your body

Monoclonal Antibody Monoclonal Antibody ProductionProduction Definition: Producing antibodies Definition: Producing antibodies

for medicine by cloning a single for medicine by cloning a single cellcell

Therapeutic Uses of Therapeutic Uses of MCAb MCAb

MCAb are used for Home Pregnancy MCAb are used for Home Pregnancy teststests

Used to diagnose infectious disease Used to diagnose infectious disease such as strep throat and gonorrheasuch as strep throat and gonorrhea

Used to detect cancer (they bind to Used to detect cancer (they bind to tumor cells) tumor cells)

Used to detect diseases in plants and Used to detect diseases in plants and animals, food contaminants and animals, food contaminants and environmental pollutantsenvironmental pollutants

3. CELL CULTURE 3. CELL CULTURE TECHNOLOGIESTECHNOLOGIES

Growing cells in containers or large Growing cells in containers or large bioreactorsbioreactors

Plant cell cultures are used toPlant cell cultures are used to

grow genetically engineered grow genetically engineered

plants that contain useful traits,plants that contain useful traits,

such as resistance to insect pestssuch as resistance to insect pests

Animal cell cultureAnimal cell culture

Used for breeding Used for breeding livestock:livestock:

Bovine zygotes from Bovine zygotes from genetically superior genetically superior bull and cows can bull and cows can be produced in be produced in large numbers to be large numbers to be implanted into implanted into surrogate cowssurrogate cows

Human Embryonic Human Embryonic Stem Cell (ESC) Stem Cell (ESC)

ESC are undifferentiated cells ESC are undifferentiated cells that have the potential to that have the potential to develop into any cell in the develop into any cell in the human bodyhuman body

One source of ESC is the One source of ESC is the human blastocyst – inner mass human blastocyst – inner mass of cell gives rise to the ESC of cell gives rise to the ESC lineslines

Other sources of ESC are being Other sources of ESC are being discovered and developeddiscovered and developed

4. Tissue engineering 4. Tissue engineering technologytechnology

A combination of cell biology and materials A combination of cell biology and materials sciencescience

Creates semi synthetic tissues in the laboratoryCreates semi synthetic tissues in the laboratory

Uses natural collagen and synthetic polymers to Uses natural collagen and synthetic polymers to produce artificial skin produce artificial skin

The goal is to be able to create complex organs The goal is to be able to create complex organs as replacement for diseased or injured organsas replacement for diseased or injured organs

5. Genetic engineering 5. Genetic engineering technologytechnology

Makes use of Recombinant DNA Makes use of Recombinant DNA technology technology

““The recombining of genetic material The recombining of genetic material from two different sources”from two different sources”

It is the next step, after selective It is the next step, after selective breeding, in changing the genetic breeding, in changing the genetic makeup of organismsmakeup of organisms

Products of genetic Products of genetic engineeringengineeringTransgenic bacteria – Transgenic bacteria –

Bacteria that produces Bacteria that produces human insulinhuman insulin

Transgenic plants – Plants Transgenic plants – Plants that glow in the dark (firefly that glow in the dark (firefly gene)gene)

Plants that are resistant to Plants that are resistant to disease, to frost – (GM)disease, to frost – (GM)

Transgenic animalsTransgenic animals

Mice with human genesMice with human genes

Animal with extra copies of Animal with extra copies of growth hormone genes, growth hormone genes, that grow faster and that grow faster and produce leaner meatproduce leaner meat

Chicken resistant to Chicken resistant to bacteria that causes food bacteria that causes food poisoningpoisoning

CloningCloning

““The use of a single cell from an The use of a single cell from an adult to grow an entirely new adult to grow an entirely new individual that is genetically individual that is genetically identical to the organism from identical to the organism from which the cell was taken”which the cell was taken”

Why clone?Why clone?

Scientist hope that cloning will help Scientist hope that cloning will help them save endangered speciesthem save endangered species

The technology is controversial for The technology is controversial for many reasons – including the fact many reasons – including the fact that cloned animals may suffer from that cloned animals may suffer from genetic defects and health problemsgenetic defects and health problems

What about Human What about Human Cloning?Cloning?

At this point, it is not known whether At this point, it is not known whether human cloning from specialized cells human cloning from specialized cells with adult genetic material is even with adult genetic material is even possiblepossible

The only potentially acceptable use The only potentially acceptable use of human cloning deals with simply of human cloning deals with simply cloning human cells for cell therapy or cloning human cells for cell therapy or tissue engineering tissue engineering

6. Bioinformatics 6. Bioinformatics technologytechnology

Use and organization of information Use and organization of information about biologyabout biology

Interface of computer science, Interface of computer science, mathematics and molecular biologymathematics and molecular biology

Objective is to use database Objective is to use database management to map and compare management to map and compare genomes, determine protein structure, genomes, determine protein structure, design drugs, identify genes, etc.design drugs, identify genes, etc.

7. DNA 7. DNA Chip Chip TechnologyTechnology

A combination of the semiconductor A combination of the semiconductor industry and molecular biologyindustry and molecular biology

Consists Tagged DNA on a Microchip that Consists Tagged DNA on a Microchip that can be read using lasers, computers and can be read using lasers, computers and microscopesmicroscopes

Allows tens of thousands of gene to be Allows tens of thousands of gene to be analyzed on a single microchip. Used to analyzed on a single microchip. Used to detect mutations and diagnose genetic detect mutations and diagnose genetic diseases.diseases.

APPLICATIONS OF APPLICATIONS OF BIOTECHNOLOGYBIOTECHNOLOGY

Most of the commercial application of Most of the commercial application of biotechnology is in three markets:biotechnology is in three markets:

MEDICAL MEDICAL

AGRICULTURALAGRICULTURAL

ENVIRONMENTAL ENVIRONMENTAL

MEDICAL BIOTECHNOLOGYMEDICAL BIOTECHNOLOGY

*To detect and diagnose many diseases *To detect and diagnose many diseases and medical conditions more quickly and medical conditions more quickly

and with greater accuracy and with greater accuracy

*Designer drugs*Designer drugs

*Gene therapy to correct genetic disease*Gene therapy to correct genetic disease

*Cell therapy to produce replacement *Cell therapy to produce replacement tissues and organstissues and organs

MEDICAL BIOTECHNOLOGYMEDICAL BIOTECHNOLOGY

Cancer Therapy to suppress Cancer Therapy to suppress tumor genes and prevent or tumor genes and prevent or cure cancercure cancer

Design and production of Design and production of vaccinesvaccines

Vaccine delivery systems Vaccine delivery systems (goats that produce milk (goats that produce milk with a malaria antigen in it)with a malaria antigen in it)

MEDICAL BIOTECHNOLOGYMEDICAL BIOTECHNOLOGY

FORENSICSFORENSICS

DNA fingerprinting DNA fingerprinting allows for the allows for the identification of identification of individuals by individuals by analyzing section of analyzing section of DNA that vary widely DNA that vary widely from one individual to from one individual to anotheranother

AgriculturalAgriculturalBiotechnologyBiotechnology

Designer Plants – Genetically modified Designer Plants – Genetically modified organisms (GMO) with inserted genes.organisms (GMO) with inserted genes.

Genetically Modified plants can be Genetically Modified plants can be resistant to disease, frost, insectsresistant to disease, frost, insects

GM can be a factory for GM can be a factory for pharmaceuticals: tobacco pharmaceuticals: tobacco plant that produces Hemoglobinplant that produces Hemoglobin

Plants that yield a healthier Plants that yield a healthier and higher than normal crop and higher than normal crop to improve our food supplyto improve our food supply

Animal AgricultureAnimal Agriculture

Livestock that is Livestock that is engineered to resist engineered to resist disease – No more Mad disease – No more Mad Cow Disease!Cow Disease!

Cattle that produces Cattle that produces human pharmaceutical human pharmaceutical productsproducts

Cattle with increased Cattle with increased muscle mass and less fat muscle mass and less fat for healthier food supplyfor healthier food supply

EnvironmentalEnvironmental Biotechnology Biotechnology

Cleaning up pollution Cleaning up pollution through through Bioremediation:Bioremediation:

“ “The use of microbes to The use of microbes to digest and convert digest and convert unwanted waste unwanted waste material into harmless material into harmless substances”substances”

Cleaning oil spills using Cleaning oil spills using living organism living organism

BIOETHICSBIOETHICS

Advances in biotechnology will Advances in biotechnology will give rise to problems, issues and concerns give rise to problems, issues and concerns

humans have never before faced:humans have never before faced:

**Safety of Genetically Engineered FoodSafety of Genetically Engineered Food**Genetic testing and screening vs. privacy Genetic testing and screening vs. privacy

issuesissues**Ethical questions concerning cloning and Ethical questions concerning cloning and

stem cellsstem cells**Role of the Government in regulating Role of the Government in regulating

researchresearch

““Each individual has a Each individual has a responsibility to see that responsibility to see that biotechnology is developed biotechnology is developed and used wisely. and used wisely.

We must do whatever we can We must do whatever we can to avoid mistakes and to avoid mistakes and ensure that biotechnology ensure that biotechnology benefits not only us but also benefits not only us but also the other organisms that the other organisms that share this planet with us”share this planet with us”