CLASS NOTES FOR

BIOTECHNOLOGY

Mr. Johnson

Biology

2nd semester 2016

Biotechnology – The artificial manipulation of the DNA in

living things to make useful products.

Examples of Biotechnology

I. DNA Fingerprinting

A. The method used to find the unique pattern of a

person’s DNA sequence.

B. Has NOTHING to do with actual fingerprints!!!

(It’s called that because it’s unique just like a fingerprint, get it?)

C. DNA fingerprint can be made from any body cell

that has DNA.

D. Steps in the process:

1. Add restriction enzymes to a DNA sample to cut it

apart in certain places (between N-bases).

2. The sample of DNA, which is now chopped up pieces

of many different lengths, is put into one end of a sheet

of gel.

3. An electrical current is run through the gel. Since DNA

has a negative charge, the pieces will move to the

positive end of the gel.

4. The small pieces of DNA move quickly through the gel,

and the larger pieces move slowly.

5. When the electricity is turned off, the result is a pattern

of bands called a DNA fingerprint. This process is called

“gel electrophoresis”.

Illustration of the process of gel electrophoresis:

Electrophoresis Practice Scenarios

II. Stem Cells (videos: 1(0:40-3:00), 2(42:00-46:00), 3(entire clip) w/ questions) A. Cells that are not differentiated and can become any cell type in your body.

B. Two main sources of stem cells: 1. Embryonic stem cells

conception-10 days old

controversial because embryo must be destroyed.

2. adult stem cells

differentiated cells “backed up” until undifferentiated.

taken from any of the 220 different cell types in your body.

III. Cloning

A. The process of creating genetically identical tissues or

individuals from a single cell.

B. How its done:

1. Remove and discard the DNA from a donor egg cell.

2. Inject the desired DNA into the empty donor egg cell.

3. Put the cell with the new DNA into the uterus of a

surrogate mother and let it develop into a baby.

Just for example, let’s clone your dead dog:

…or even an extinct animal!!!

Benteng (extinct)

Surrogate cow (for her egg)

BABY BENTENG!!! (April 1, 2003)

Egg back into surrogate cow (fancy incubator)

C. Two types of / uses for cloning: reproductive & therapeutic

1. Reproductive cloning – producing an entire new individual identical to the parent.

Ex) Dolly the sheep

Scotland, 1996

Died 2003 Original cloned

“Nicky” “Little Nicky”

17 year-old ($50,000)

died 2003 born 2004

Egg from any donor dog with the DNA removed from its nucleus.

Pet Cloning in Korea

De-Extinction!!!

2. Therapeutic cloning – producing only certain body parts.

Replacement cells or organs (nerves, liver, etc.)

where the real potential and research is!

Ex) Clone human stem cells to grow human organs in lab animals…

…or even in a beaker!!!

Ex) Using therapeutic cloning for de-extinction: Falcons (11:00-11:36)

Falcon Skin Cells

Falcon Adult Stem Cells

De-Differentiating Re-Programming

Skin Cells

Falcon Testis Cells

(Cloned)

Falcon Ovary Cells

(Cloned)

Falcon Adult Stem Cells

Falcon Skin Cells

De-Differentiating Re-Programming

Skin Cells

Male Falcon

Skin Cells

Female Falcon

Skin Cells

III. Genetic Engineering A. Adding, removing or changing parts of the DNA of an organism.

B. Clustered regularly-interspaced short palindromic repeats (aka: CRISPR)

1. A quick and accurate tool for editing DNA sequences.

2. Uses a common bacteria whose natural defense against viruses is

to cut the virus’ DNA in specific places to disable it.

3. We can easily re-direct the bacteria to cut any DNA in any specific

place and insert new DNA.

4. Makes MANY things that were once impossible EASY!

C. Examples of Genetic Engineering:

1. Inserting genes into crop plants

to make them resistant to disease

or to grow faster or bigger.

*GMO’s – Genetically Modified Organisms

2. Replacing defective genes with

healthy ones to eliminate diseases.

3. De-Extinction – Find the small differences between the genes of an

extinct organism and a similar organism today and

replace them.

4. For fun: Transgenic Organisms!

IV. Eugenics (eu=good, genos=genes)

A. Genetically “improving” the human race.

B. goals: to produce healthier, more intelligent people.

C. began in ancient civilizations with the practice of infanticide. (300)

D. History of eugenics: 1. Defined in 1865 with Darwin’s

ideas of evolution.

2. 1920’s: a. selective breeding & sterilization b. killing institutionalized and imprisoned c. marriage restrictions d. segregation

3. 1930’s=Nazi Germany a. “racial hygiene” b. extermination of “inferior” groups of people

*mentally handicapped *criminals *non-European *physically handicapped

4. modern methods of eugenics:

a. prenatal screening & aborting unhealthy embryos.

b. “Designer Babies” *Genetic Counseling - selecting the best

DNA from mom & dad.

*Genetic Engineering - artificially combining DNA from multiple sources in a lab.

Science Friday (5Feb2016)

E. Pros & Cons

Possible Benefits Possible Problems

less disease

higher social IQ

lower “social cost”

who decides what traits are “bad”?

“good” qualities could go out of style

discrimination of “non-designed” people.