Download bsaa animal biotechnology worksheet

ANIMAL BIOTECHNOLOGY
Illinois Biological Science Applications in Agriculture Lesson C1–3 • Page 1
Student Learning Objectives. Instruction in this lesson should result in
students achieving the following objectives:
1 Identify the major areas of biotechnology in animal science.
2 Explain various molecular biotechnology methods.
3 Discuss applications of molecular biotechnology.
4 Discuss applications of organismic biotechnology.
Anticipated Problem: What are the major areas of biotechnology in animal science?
I. Biotechnology is the management of biological systems for the benefit of people and
their environment. It is also viewed as the application of science in food and fiber
production. Biotechnology has been used for hundreds of years. Using yeast to make
bread and bacteria to make cheese are everyday examples of biotechnology. Animal
biotechnology is the application of biotechnology methods to improve animals. There are
two major areas of biotechnology in animal science. They are:
A. Molecular biotechnology—Molecular biotechnology is changing the structure and
parts of cells to change the organism. It begins with the atom. Molecular biotechnology
often changes the physical appearance of an organism. In some cases, undesirable traits
may develop along with those that are desired.
B. Organismic biotechnology—Organismic biotechnology deals with intact or complete
organisms. The genetic makeup of the organism is not artificially changed. This is the
most widely used type of biotechnology.
Illinois Biological Science Applications in Agriculture Lesson C1–3 • Page 3
Anticipated Problem: What are some of the various molecular biotechnology methods?
II. The number of molecular biotechnological methods has increased. The result of this
work has improved animal production. Three of the most common methods are:
A. Genetic Engineering—Genetic Engineering is a form of biotechnology in which
genetic information is changed to make a new product. Through this process, sections of
the DNA strand are cut out and new sections are inserted. Gene transfer is the moving of
a gene from one organism to another. Genetic engineering is a means of complementing
traditional breeding programs.
B. Recombinant DNA—Recombinant DNA is gene slicing. Genes are cut out of a DNA
strand with a restriction enzyme that works like a scalpel. They are then inserted into
circular DNA molecules in bacteria plasmids. Plasmids are circular pieces of DNA
found outside the nucleus in bacteria. The plasmid is inserted into the cell that is to be
altered. This allows the DNA of two different organisms to be combined. This is a very
complicated and complex procedure. Most cells die in the process. Many surviving cells
do not have the new DNA present in the nucleus.
C. Transgenic Animals—A transgenic animal is an animal that has incorporated a
foreign gene into its cells. This animal can pass to its offspring this transgene, or altered
gene. All of the cells within the transgenic animal contain this transgene. Some common
transgenic methods are:
1. Microinjection—This is the most common method used. InjectingDNAinto a cell
using a fine diameter glass needle and a microscope constitutes microinjection.
2. Particle injection—Particle injection is using a microprojectile unit to shoot tiny
particles coated with DNA into cells. Microprojectile units are sometimes called
particle guns. Both methods have relatively low success rates.
Anticipated Problem: What are some of the applications of molecular biotechnology?
III. There have been several major improvements discovered through the use of
molecular biotechnology. They can be broken down into several categories.
A. Human health—Animals are being used to study several different types of diseases
found in humans. Insulin was once extracted from the pancreas of slaughtered cattle
and hogs. This extraction process was very expensive. Sometime the insulin from the
animals caused allergic reactions to the diabetics who used it. Through molecular
biotechnology, insulin is now produced artificially in laboratories. This artificial insulin
is of higher quality and less expensive to produce. This is just one example of a product
being developed through biotechnology that will benefit human health. Many more are
on the horizon.
B. Food production—Increasing the levels of beta casein in milk decreases the time
required for rennet coagulation and whey expulsion in making cheese. This lowers total
processing time and cost. Also through biotechnology, the fat content in milk can be
reduced to make fat-free cheese and ice cream. If a substance known as kappa casein is
increased 5 percent in milk, it makes it more stable and easier to ship. These are only a
few examples of food products that have been developed through biotechnology. Soon,
many new foods will be introduced on the market that are high in quality.
C. Livestock production—The use of biotechnology has increased growth rate,
efficiency, and disease resistance in livestock. This has made livestock production cost
decline and aids in the supply of a low cost food supply.
Anticipated Problem: What are some applications of organismic biotechnology?
IV. Most animal management practices done in livestock production are organismic
biotechnology. Several examples of this area of biotechnology are:
A. Greater fertility—Increasing the reproductive capacity of top animals is important to
producers. Two methods to increase the reproductive capacity of animals are:
1. Superovulation—Superovulation is getting a female to release more than the usual
number of eggs during a single estrous cycle. Hormones are injected to assure more
eggs.
2. Embryo transfer—Embryo transfer is taking an embryo from its mother and
implanting it in another female. The embryo completes development in the recipient.
B. Increased production—Three methods used to increase production are:
1. Milk hormones—Injections of milk hormones cause the cow’s mammary system to
become more productive. The most common milk hormone is bovine somatotropin
(bST). Since bST is a naturally occurring hormone, it has been widely accepted
in the dairy industry.
2. Meat hormones—Injections of meat hormones causes the animal to produce more
muscle cells resulting in larger and leaner cuts of valuable meat.
3. Growth implants—Growth implants are small pellets placed under the skin. They
promote growth by making the animal more feed efficient.
C. Enhancing animal nutrition—The greatest results of biotechnology have been seen in
animal nutrition. Some of the enhancements are:
1. Digestibility testing—Tests are made by getting samples from the digestive systems
of animals after they have eaten. This information is used to improve feed use and
animal growth.
2. Controlled feeding—Computer chips can be put in a monitor around the animal’s
neck, ear tag or under the skin. A computerized feeding station will read the chip
and regulate the amount of feed the animal receives. Daily feed intake by the animal
is used to aid in the detection of health problems.
ANIMAL BIOTECHNOLOGY
Part One: Matching
Instructions: Match the word with the correct definition.
a. Biotechnology
e. Genetic Engineering
b. Microinjection
f. Molecular biotechnology
c. Organismic biotechnology
g. Transgene
d. Recombinant DNA
h. Gene transfer
i. Embryo Transfer
j. Superovulation
_______1. Changing the structure and parts of cells to change the organism
_______2. A form of biotechnology in which genetic information is changed to make a new
product.
_______3. Altered gene
_______4. Injecting DNA into a cell using a fine diameter glass needle and a microscope
_______5. The management of biological systems for the benefit of people and their
environment.
_______6. Taking an embryo from its mother and implanting it in another female
_______7. The genetic makeup of the organism is not artificially changed.
_______8. Gene slicing
_______9. The moving of a gene from one organism to another.
______10. Getting a female to release more than the usual number of eggs during a single
estrous cycle.
Part Two: Fill-in-the-Blank
Instructions: Complete the following statements.
1. A ______________ ______________ is an animal that has incorporated a foreign gene into its
cells.
2. _______________ _______________ is using a microprojectile unit to shoot tiny particles
coated with DNA into cells.
3. Molecular biotechnology often changes the ________________ appearance of an organism.
Illinois Biological Science Applications in Agriculture Lesson C1–3 • Page 9
4. Biotechnology has been used for _________________ of years.
5. The use of biotechnology has __________________ growth rate, efficiency, and disease
resistance in livestock.
6. The most common milk hormone is _______________ _________________.
7. Daily feed intake by the animal is used to aid in the detection of ___________ problems.
8. Injections of meat hormones causes the animal to produce more __________ cells.
9. ____________ _______________ is the most widely used type of biotechnology.
Part Three: Multiple Choice
Instructions: Circle the letter of the correct answer.
_______1. Biotechnology in agriculture consists of all of the following except:
a. equipment engineering
b. genetic engineering
c. cell cultures
d. tissue cultures
_______2. Which is a product of biotechnology in the agriculture industry?
a. leaner meat in cattle
b. cloning
c. BST
d. all of the above
_______3. Which type of biotechnology involves changing the structure of the cell?
a. superovulation
b. molecular biotechnology
c. organismic biotechnology
d. embryo transfer
_______4. All of the following are true about genetic engineering except:
a. it is a form of biotechnology in which genetic information is changed to make a new product
b. DNA strands are cut out and new sections are inserted
c. genes are not allowed to be moved from one organism to another
d. it is a means of complementing traditional breeding programs.
Part Four: Short Answer
Instructions: Answer the following statement.
Explain the two types of biotechnology.
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Assessment
TS–A
Technical Supplement
BIOTECHNOLOGY
1. What is genetic engineering?
It is a biotechnological technique that involves the alteration of the genetic makeup
of an organism to produce a desired effect.
2. What is the potential of genetic engineering in animals?
Better disease resistance of animals, better feed efficiency, more milk production,
more nutritious meat, and lower cholesterol levels.
3. How is genetic engineering currently being used in the animal industry?
One example is insulin. Insulin is produced, the insulin gene is then put into bacteria,
huge amounts of this genetically engineered bacteria is produced, when bacteria
is grown, they produce insulin, and bacteria is killed and the insulin is extracted.
4. What is cloning?
Cloning is the duplication of an animal from the genetic material found in a cell of
an animal. Even though clones have the same genetics, they do not always have the
same phenotypic expression.
5. What are concerns over genetic engineering?
There is a fear that this technology could get into the wrong hands and produce
unwanted organisms. There are concerns that species might be produced that could
be harmful. Some may even argue that using this technology is unethical because
you are tampering with nature.
Illinois Biological Science Applications in Agriculture Lesson C1–3 • Page 27