What is Biotechnology?

Bio = Life

Technology = inventions that make life better

Definition

Manipulation of living organisms and organic material to serve human needs.

What are some examples that you can think of?

Another definition

“Any technique that uses living organisms or substances from those organisms to make or modify a product, to improve plants or animals, or to develop microorganisms for specific uses”-The Office of Technology Assessment of the U.S. Congress

What are the benefits of Biotechnology?

Medicine Human Veterinary Biopharming – production of medicine

in organisms such as farm animals and microbes

Environment Agriculture Food products Industry and manufacturing

Why Change an organism?

To get desirable traits Economic gain Increase production Disease resistance

Examples

Crops that are genetically modified to resist pests

Crops that produce materials that have particular qualities

GMO’s

GMO- genetically modified organisms. The natural genetic material of the

organism has been altered. Roots in bread making, wine

brewing, cheese and yogurt fermentation, and classical plant and animal breeding

Genetic engineering

Manipulation of genes is called genetic engineering or recombinant DNA technology

Genetic engineering involves taking one or more genes from a location in one organism and either Transferring them to another organism Putting them back into the original

organism in different combinations

Impact on Society The Genetically Modified Organism GMO’s: Good or Bad???

Some countries ban GMO products Are we eating GMO’s Today?

Concerns

Some countries have banned GMO’s and others have turned down food that has been genetically modified.

Countries that have banned GMO’s

Twenty-six countries have banned GMO’s, including Switzerland, Australia, Austria, China, India, France, Germany, Hungary, Luxembourg, Greece, Bulgaria, Poland, Italy, Mexico and Russia.

Significant restrictions on GMOs exist in about sixty other countries.

Why?

Critics say that genetic engineering may: disrupt the sequence of a food’s genetic

code disturb the functions of neighboring

genes, which can give rise to potentially toxic or allergenic molecules

alter the nutritional value of food produced.

Why?

Key areas of controversy: Should GMO food be labeled? The role of government regulators? The objectivity of scientific research and publication The effect of GM crops on health The environment The effect on pesticide resistance? The impact of GMO crops for farmers? The role of GMO crops in feeding the world

population?

Concerns

Transfer of genes to the natural population Unexpected impact on environment and to

other organisms Expanse of G.E organisms Safety of foods Secondary pests Non-target organisms Biodiversity

Issues/Concerns

A GMO crop, once released in the open, reproduces via pollination and interacts genetically with natural varieties of the same crop, producing what is called genetic contamination

Issues/Concerns

Insects & weeds can develop resistance, resulting in infestations & new superbugs

Issues

Some groups or individuals see the use of GMO as meddling with biological processes that have naturally evolved over long periods of time

while others are concerned about the limitations of modern science to fully comprehend all of the potential negative ramifications of genetic manipulation.[

Safeguards The Biotech industry is highly regulated The FDA regulates pharmaceuticals,

medical devices, food additives and whole foods.

The USDA approves field tests for genetically altered plants

The EPA regulates production of biotech pesticides, insecticides and fungicides

The genetic connection

Genetics is the biology of heredity Gregor Mendel discovered the

effect of genetics on plant characteristics with his experimentation with garden peas

He was one of the first scientists to study heredity

Genetics and Biotechnology

Heredity is the transmission of characteristics from an organism to its offspring through genes in reproductive cells

Mendel determined that traits could be passed onto offspring and that some traits were dominant over others

Genetics and Biotechnology

These genes are located in the nucleus of the cell and are contributed from each parent.

They are made up of DNA which determines what that cell will become.

Genetics and Biotechnology

In the past, selective breeding was used exclusively to pass on desired genes from parents to their offspring.

It all comes down to DNA

Deoxyribonucleic acid is found in ALL living cells

All DNA is similar in structure and function

DNA Structure DNA is composed of 2

chains wound around each other in a spiral, called a double helix.

The chains are made up of units called nucleotides.

DNA Structure

The Nucleotide units are made up of a nitrogen base, a sugar and a phosphate group.

Is this a new process?

No, biotechnology has been around since at least ancient Egypt(4000 bc) The use of yeast to make bread rise. Fermentation techniques to make wine

History of Biotechnology

Early civilizations also used bacteria to produce cheese and enzymes to produce yogurt.

Major event timeline

1972 – three scientists developed a modified DNA molecule by transplanting or recombining DNA from two different organisms.

Major events timeline

1980’s numerous medicines were

developed to help patients with AIDS, stroke, heart disease, asthma, cancer

Diagnostic tests were developed for pregnancy, AIDS, Cancer and other conditions

Major events timeline

1982 – The first biotech drug, human insulin, was approved for sale. Insulin occurs naturally in most human beings. A

lack of insulin production results in Diabetes. Prior to 1982, insulin was harvested from blood

of other animals (expensive) Human insulin was developed by moving an

insulin gene from a human cell to cells of a bacterium (E.coli) Higher supply of insulin and less expensive

Major Events Timeline

1988 Congress funded the Human

Genome Project – one of the most ambitious undertakings of the biotech community.

Purpose – decode the entire genetic sequence of humans

Completed in 12 years

Major Events Timeline

1990’s In Vitro testing technique unveiled Flavrsavr tomato produced, first whole

food produced through biotechnology First mammal cloned, Dolly the sheep Commercial genetically modified crops

grown worldwide reach 5 million acres

Major Events Timeline

2000’s Genetically modified crops growth

reaches 122 million acres in more than 18 countries

First complete food plant, rice, is sequenced

Japanese develop a biotech coffee bean that is naturally decaffeinated

Major Events Timeline

2000’s Bioethanol for commercial biofuel

production is achieved in Canada California votes pass Proposition 71

supporting embryonic stem cell research

Major Events Timeline

2001 Rice genome sequenced, the first

food plant genome, which could help create nutrient rich rice to help feed people in developing countries

“Golden Rice”

What Did These Individuals Contribute to Biotechnology?

Anton van Leeuwenhoek

Discovered cells Bacteria Protists Red blood

What Did These Individuals Contribute to Biotechnology?

Gregor Johan Mendel

Discovered genetics

What Did These Individuals Contribute to Biotechnology?

James Watson and Francis Crick

Discovered DNA

What Did These Individuals Contribute to Biotechnology?

Ian Wilmut Created the first

cloned mammal, the Dorset ewe Dolly

The Science Behind Biotechnology

Gene Mapping

Used to determine which genes are responsible for certain traits and their locations

It is the first step in isolating a gene. Offers evidence that a disease transmitted

from parent to child is linked to one or more genes.

Gene Mapping

Genetic maps have been used successfully to find the single gene responsible for rare inherited disorders, like cystic fibrosis and muscular dystrophy.

Guiding scientists to the many genes that are believed to interact to bring about more common disorders, such as asthma, heart disease, diabetes, cancer and psychiatric conditions.

Gene Mapping – how?

Blood or tissue samples. Scientists isolate DNA from a sample

and examine it for the unique patterns of bases seen only in family members who have the disease or trait.

These characteristic molecular patterns are referred to as markers.

Gene Mapping – how?

DNA markers can tell them roughly where the gene is on the chromosome.

Genetic Markers?

Markers can tell a researcher the identity of the person a DNA sample came from.

This makes markers extremely valuable for tracking inheritance of traits through generations of a family,

Useful in criminal investigations and forensic science

Genetic Engineering

Once the genes are located, scientists can use genetic engineering to move genes from one cell to another

This is done through the use of gene splicing

Gene Splicing

You can also take an undesirable trait and replace it with a desirable trait

Scientists use bacterial or viral Vectors to carry the new gene into the organism

Importance of Recombinant DNA

Improve plants and animals performance through the manipulation of genes

Alter characteristics or performance of microorganisms

Importance of Recombinant DNA

Control Insects, disease, weeds and other pests through genetic engineering.

Less use of chemical pesticides and more genetic use of biological controls result in a safer environment.

The future?

Scientists have recently extracted DNA from the fur of mammoths that died 50,000 years ago

Endangered species populations Nanobiotechnology Embryonic stem cells? Cloning humans? Designer babies?