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Unlock This CourseBiotechnology is one of the most exciting areas of modern science. It involves using living organisms, or parts of them, to make useful products or solve problems. Think of it as getting bacteria, plants, or animals to work as tiny factories, producing everything from life-saving medicines to better food crops.
This field has revolutionised medicine, agriculture and industry. From the insulin that helps diabetics manage their condition to crops that can resist pests, biotechnology touches millions of lives every day.
Key Definitions:
Scientists can now cut and paste genes like editing a document. They use special enzymes called restriction enzymes to cut DNA at specific points, then use other enzymes called ligases to join new genes in place. It's like molecular surgery, but instead of fixing broken bones, we're fixing or improving genetic instructions.
Medicine has been transformed by biotechnology. Before these techniques, many treatments were impossible or extremely difficult to produce in large quantities.
Diabetes affects millions of people worldwide. Before biotechnology, insulin had to be extracted from pig and cow pancreases - a slow, expensive process that sometimes caused allergic reactions. Now, human insulin is made by genetically modified bacteria.
The human insulin gene is inserted into bacterial DNA using plasmids (small circular pieces of DNA).
The modified bacteria are grown in large fermentation tanks where they multiply rapidly.
The bacteria produce human insulin, which is then purified and packaged for medical use.
Children with growth hormone deficiency used to receive hormone extracted from human cadavers - a risky and limited supply. Genetically engineered bacteria now produce unlimited, safe human growth hormone. This has helped thousands of children grow to normal height and improved their quality of life dramatically.
Traditional vaccines often used weakened or dead pathogens, which could be dangerous. Biotechnology allows scientists to produce just the safe parts of pathogens that trigger immunity, without any risk of causing disease.
The hepatitis B vaccine is made using genetically modified yeast cells that produce the virus's surface protein. This gives immunity without any chance of infection. During the COVID-19 pandemic, mRNA vaccines represented another biotechnology breakthrough, teaching our cells to make a harmless piece of the virus that triggers immune protection.
Farming faces huge challenges: feeding a growing population, dealing with climate change and reducing pesticide use. Biotechnology offers solutions through genetically modified (GM) crops.
Bt corn contains a gene from the bacterium Bacillus thuringiensis, which produces a protein toxic to certain insects but harmless to humans. This means farmers can grow corn without using as many chemical pesticides.
Reduced pesticide use, higher yields, crops that can grow in harsh conditions and enhanced nutrition. Golden rice, for example, contains extra vitamin A to help prevent blindness in developing countries.
Some crops are modified to resist specific herbicides. This allows farmers to spray fields to kill weeds without harming the crop. Roundup Ready soybeans can survive glyphosate herbicide, making weed control much easier.
The first GM food approved for sale was the Flavr Savr tomato in 1994. Scientists modified it to stay firm longer after ripening, reducing waste during transport. Though it wasn't commercially successful due to other factors, it paved the way for modern GM crops that now feed millions of people worldwide.
Industry uses biotechnology to make processes more efficient and environmentally friendly. Instead of harsh chemicals and high temperatures, biological processes often work at normal temperatures and produce fewer toxic waste products.
Enzymes are biological catalysts that speed up chemical reactions. Industrial biotechnology uses enzymes in many processes:
Proteases break down protein stains, lipases tackle grease and amylases remove starch-based stains.
Pectinases clarify fruit juices, lactase makes lactose-free milk and rennet (now often from GM microorganisms) helps make cheese.
Cellulases break down plant material to produce ethanol, offering a renewable alternative to fossil fuels.
Microorganisms are used to produce various industrial chemicals. Genetically modified bacteria can produce plastics, vitamins, amino acids and even spider silk proteins for making super-strong materials.
Biotechnology helps solve environmental problems through bioremediation - using organisms to clean up pollution.
Certain bacteria naturally eat oil. Scientists can enhance these bacteria or add them to oil spill sites to speed up cleanup. This biological approach is often more effective and less harmful than chemical methods.
Some plants can absorb heavy metals from contaminated soil. Scientists are developing plants that can clean up sites polluted with lead, mercury, or radioactive materials, turning environmental cleanup into a growing process.
Biotechnology raises important questions about safety, ethics and environmental impact. While GM crops can help feed the world, some worry about long-term effects on ecosystems. The ability to modify human genes offers hope for treating genetic diseases but raises questions about enhancement versus treatment.
Key concerns include: Will GM crops harm beneficial insects? Could antibiotic resistance genes spread to bacteria? Should we modify human embryos? How do we ensure biotechnology benefits everyone, not just wealthy countries?
Regulation varies worldwide. The EU requires labelling of GM foods, while other countries have different approaches. Scientists continue studying long-term effects while developing new applications.
CRISPR-Cas9 technology allows precise gene editing, like using molecular scissors and glue. This could cure genetic diseases, improve crops more precisely and even bring back extinct species. The first CRISPR-edited babies were born in 2018, sparking global debate about the ethics of human genetic modification.
Biotechnology continues evolving rapidly. From lab-grown meat that could reduce environmental impact of farming to personalised medicines based on individual genetic profiles, the applications seem limitless. Understanding these technologies helps us make informed decisions about their use in society.