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Biotechnology, Genetic Engineering and
Medicine
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Biotechnology (define … see text)
Genetic engineering
Stem cells and regenerative medicine
 Drug design
 Cancer
 Gene therapy
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Virus and epidemic
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Evolution’s “mismatched” diseases
(not in book) and you have them!
What Is Genetic Engineering?
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Genetic engineering: 2 options
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Technique
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Restriction enzymes cut DNA;
“excision”
Insert new DNA nucleotides (e.g.,
A,T,C, or G)
New gene is expressed (via Genetic
Code)
Examples
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Foreign genes inserted
Existing genes altered
Insulin and Starlight Corn
Genetically Modified Organisms
(GMO’s)
Genetic Counseling using “Gene Chips”
Sequencing of Individual’s 20,000
Genes
Question
Biotechnology and genetic engineering focus on
____.
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
Specific genes
Transferring genes from one species to
another
Inserting specific nucleotides into DNA
Genetically modifying crops and animals
All of the above
Question
One of the stumbling blocks for genetic
engineering is that the strands of DNA have to
be cut precisely in order to remove or ”excise”
nucleotides that are “problematic”; this cutting
and removal technology is largely that of a
“micro-scissor” operating at the molecular level
of the double helix.
A.
B.
False
True
Biotechnology, Genetic Engineering and
Medicine
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Biotechnology
Genetic engineering
Stem cells and regenerative medicine
 Crime investigations using DNA
 Drug design (text)
 Cancer
 Gene therapy
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Virus and epidemic
Evolution’s “mismatched” diseases
(not in book)
What Constitutes a Stem Cell?
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Unspecialized cells:
pluripotent
Give rise to more
than 250 specialized
cells in the body
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Fetus development
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Serve as the body’s
natural repair system
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Utilization of
regenerated cell
types from stem
cells for
multiple organs
and cell types
Advantages of Stem cells
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Purpose
Therapies for diseases
 Awaken the natural capacity for self-repair that
resides in our genes
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Example: repairing damaged nerve cells (e.g., spinal cord
injuries)
Potential results
Patients receive own stem cells to treat disease
 No need for donor match
 Compare with kidney and heart donor problems
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Stems Cell Value: Regeneration
of the Eye
Biotechnology, Genetic Engineering and
Medicine


Biotechnology
Genetic engineering
Stem cells and regenerative
medicine
 Crime investigations using DNA
 Drug design (text)
 Cancer
 Gene therapy
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

Virus and epidemic
Evolution’s “mismatched”
diseases (not in book)
DNA Fingerprinting in Criminal
Investigations
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Analysis of DNA in human
tissue
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Process
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Identify criminals/victims
Micro-sample of cells (e.g.,
tooth brush, hair, blood)
Analyze DNA sections
Compare to individual of
interest
Each person = a unique
DNA fingerprint
Question
Stem cells are targets for aggressive R&D in the
medical sciences because stem cells are ___
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
pluripotent
long-lived
can be transferred to other people
suitable for computer design
All of the above
Question
One of the great features of stem cells is that your
stem cells and my stem cells are identical.
A.
B.
True
False
Question
The contentious fight over the use of embryonic stem
cells has largely abated because scientists have been
able to re-establish ____ in many mature cells of
humans (e.g., skin cells).
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
Cell mitosis
embryogenesis
pluripotency
GMO’s
Genetic fingerprinting
Biotechnology, Genetic Engineering and
Medicine


Biotechnology
Genetic engineering
Stem cells and regenerative medicine
 Drug design (text)
 Cancer
 Gene therapy


Virus and epidemic

Evolution’s “mismatched” diseases
(not in book)
Biotechnology, Genetic Engineering and
Medicine


Biotechnology
Genetic engineering
Stem cells and regenerative medicine
 Drug design (text)
 Cancer
 Gene therapy
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
Virus and epidemic

Evolution’s “mismatched” diseases
(not in book)
Cancer: A Different Kind of
Genetic Disease
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Normal Cell
 Genetic “stewardship”
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Cancer
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Cells reproduce without
restraint
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Genetic defect
Usually multiple damaged genes
Collection of diseases
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Genetic defects
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Therapies
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Surgery, radiation,
chemotherapy
Gene therapy
While these are different types of cancer, the root cause of all cancers is the
accumulation of un-repaired genetic mutations that lead to uncontrolled growth (i.e.,
tumors)
Biotechnology, Genetic Engineering and
Medicine


Biotechnology
Genetic engineering
Stem cells and regenerative medicine
 Drug design (text)
 Cancer
 Gene therapy
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
Virus and epidemic

Evolution’s “mismatched” diseases
(not in book)
Gene Therapy
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Gene therapy
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Engineer gene with 100%
functional DNA
(nucleotide excision)
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Replace defective gene
with healthy gene
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in vivo (in the body) and in
vitro (cell culture) followed
by implantation/injection
in vitro Gene Therapy
DNA Repair in the Cell’s DNA
ID “damaged
section of DNA
Excise DNA
strand
Remove damaged
strand
Replace with
engineered strand
Fix the patch
Question
_____ is a disease that occurs in a group of cells
that are reproducing without any normal
restraints on growth.
A.
B.
C.
D.
Neuroplasia
Apotasis
Ulceration
Cancer
Biotechnology, Genetic Engineering and
Medicine


Biotechnology
Genetic engineering
Stem cells and regenerative medicine
 Drug design (text)
 Cancer
 Gene therapy
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
Virus and epidemic

Evolution’s “mismatched” diseases
(not in book)
Viruses and Human Diseases
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Virus
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Structure
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No metabolism
Cannot reproduce on own
Short segment of nucleic acid as
“information broker” (DNA or RNA)
Protein coat
How it works
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Taken into cell and takes over cell’s
metabolism
Your body produces more
Kills cell
Continues to spread – reproduce as a
contagion
HIV
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Human Immunodeficiency
Virus (HIV)
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Contains RNA as “information
broker” (What is your “broker”)
Incorporated into you cell’s
RNA
Makes new viruses
Cell dies
Virus lives to “fight another
day” – multiple copies
Influenza Pandemics
The Spanish Flu in 1918, killed
approximately 50 million people.
It was caused by the H1N1 strain
of influenza A.
The Asian Flu in 1957 was the H2N2
influenza A strain. Worldwide it is
estimated that at least one million
people died from this virus.
The Hong Kong Flu in 1968
evolved into H3N2. 750,000
people died of the virus
worldwide
Biotechnology, Genetic Engineering and
Medicine


Biotechnology
Genetic engineering
Stem cells and regenerative medicine
 Drug design
 Cancer
 Gene therapy


Virus and epidemic

Evolution’s “mismatched” diseases
(not in book) and you have it/them!
Evolution’s “Mis-match
Diseases”/Maladies
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“Paleolithic (> 20,000 years before present/YBP)
genes in a modern body and modern environment”
Hypothesis:
Genes in the human body evolved in response to
humankind’s 4 million years of evolutionary history in
Africa
 Many of those genes adapted to the paleolithic era (>
20,000 YBP) and before (millions of years)
 In today’s world, many of these genes poorly matched
to the environment and are a liability
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The Origin of Mismatch
Diseases/Maladies
4M
Ardi
Years Before Present
2M
1M
Lucy
H. erectus
0.5 M
0M
H. sapiens
Genetic adaptations to previous environments
poorly adaptive in our contemporary environment
These disease are based on genes whose role is
“mis-matched” for our lifestyles of today
Some “Mismatched
Diseases”/Maladies
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Dental carries
Impacted wisdom teeth
Hypertension (heart)
Smallpox
Flu
Measles
Mumps
Myopia (short-sightedness)
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Pertussis/whooping cough
Many cancers (reproductive
organs in both sexes)
Type 2 diabetes
Plague
Flat feet
Obesity
Lactose intolerance
Total = 50+
“Mis-matched Disease”/Malady:
Dental Carries/Cavities
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Early Paleolithic (> 20,000 YBP) human diet
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Neolithic (< 5,000 YBP) human diet
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Mix of fruits, tubers, nuts and occasional meat
Very little evidence of dental carries in archaeology
Progressive enrichment of carbohydrate-rich foods
Pervasive evidence for dental carries in archaeology
Modern human diet
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Rich in carbohydrates: sugar + starch
Action of starch and sugars on dental surfaces
 Microbes feast on sugars and excrete enamel-destroying acids
 Enamel erodes and carries/cavities follow
Differences in Environments:
Earlier Humankind vs Present Day
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Diet
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Stress
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Less chronic stress
Sleep
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Fruits, tubers and occasional meat
Days w/o adequate caloric intake
~30% lower sugar intake
30-50% less total caloric intake/day
~ 2 hours more per day
Physical Activity
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~30% or more (all demographics and gender)
Look in
this
mirror!
“Mis-matched Disease”/Malady:
Myopia/Short Sightedness
“Mis-match Disease”/Malady:
Myopia
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Mechanics of the eye and “sightedness”
Early Paleolithic (> 20,000 YBP) and before environment
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Beginning in Neolithic (5,000 YBP) coming forward
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Limited need for shortsightedness
Diversity of “sightedness” including distances, geometries and
colors
Slowly increasing need for short sightedness
New demands on shortsightedness: accounting, sewing, tool use, etc
Modern eye use
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Perhaps 50% of time shortsighted (< 18 inches) (e.g., smart phone)
Decline in mix of “sightedness” options
Question
How many “mis-matched” diseases do you already
exhibit?
A.
B.
C.
D.
1-3
4-6
7 - 10
> 10
Biotechnology, Genetic Engineering and
Medicine


Biotechnology
Genetic engineering
Stem cells and regenerative medicine
 Drug design (text)
 Cancer
 Gene therapy
 Mitochondrial DNA
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
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Virus and epidemics
Evolution’s “mismatch” diseases