Download Classical Biotechnology File

Classical Biotechnology
•Application &
refinement of
fermentation techniques
to industry. (use of
cells or enzymes to
produce large quantities
of useful substances)
•limited to
chemicals/organisms
produced in nature
• Mass production of
biotech products made
possible by invention of
fermenters (a.k.a.
bioreactors), large
growth chambers for
cultivating cells.
Classical Biotechnology
Fermenters (Bioreactors)
• In conjunction with aseptic technique and steam sterilization,
can be used to produce huge variety of products.
• Different products achieved by manipulating
1) species of microorganism
2) substrate fed to microbes
3) environmental conditions
Alcohol
• Breweries & distilleries
• large scale alcohol production since early 1700’s.
• 1886 – process for making Brewer’s yeast refined – still in use
today.
• Originally
discovered by
accident.
• Wine allowed to
sit in shallow
barrels, oxidized
by acetic acid
bacteria via
aerobic
fermentation.
• Requires
exposure to air
(O2).
Vinegar
Explosives & Organic
• Glycerol
(sweetener,
Solvents
WWI (Germany) – products for explosives
moisturizer,
made by manipulation of fermentation
lubricant and
process to yield products other than ethanol.
preservative for
rubber, and the
organic portion of
some widely used
explosives and
medications )
• Acetone
• Butanol
Organic Acids
•
•
•
•
Citric acid
lactic acid
acetic acid
produced
for food
processing.
• Developed in
1940’s (WWII).
• Antibioticproducing fungi &
bacteria are
cultured &
fermented.
• Antibiotic is
purified from
fermentation
products.
• Methods for
increasing yields
were developed.
• Penicillin – 1st
antibiotic
commercially
produced.
Antibiotics
• Microorganisms
change chemical
structure of a
substrate (starting
material) into a
desired product.
• In 1950’s, cholesterol
 cortisone or sex
hormones (estrogen,
progesterone).
• Insulin made in bulk.
Hormones,
enzymes, amino
acids, vitamins,
pigments
• Fermenters allow large
quantities of
microorganisms to be
grown & dried as a
source of protein for
humans & animals.
• First used in Germany
during WWI.
• Vegemite – yeast
extract, popular in
Australia, NZ
• Brewer’s yeast & baker’s
yeast mass-produced
early 1900’s.
Single-cell Protein
Vaccines &
Monoclonal
Antibodies
• fermentation
techniques on
the largest
scale.
Wastewater
Treatment