Download What Is Biotechnology?

What Is Biotechnology?
An Introduction
BioScience Survey
Biotechnology in History?
Man manipulating living things to
produce plants, animals, or substances
with desired characteristics.
Fermentation
Using yeast or fungus to ferment fruit or
grain solutions into alcoholic beverages
Adding bacteria/yeast/fungus to milk in
order to make cheese or yogurt.
Low tech
Selective Breeding
 Controlling which
individuals breed and
working to predict
outcomes.
 Goal: produce animals
and plants in a form
desired.
 Fast horses
 Disease resistant plants
 Sheep producing high
yields of wool
 Cows producing high
yields of milk
Modern Biotechnology
Technology Allows...
Scientists to
manipulate cells
and molecules.
Cells are used to
produced desired
products using
cellular processes
DNA replication
Protein synthesis
Exocytosis
Key to Biotechnology
 Central Dogma of Biology:
 DNA contains sections of nucleotides that code for
specific proteins.
 Proteins are the primary product of
biotech companies.
 Proteins compose:
 Hormones, receptors, enzymes, main structural
component of cells and tissues.
 Most key actions accomplished by proteins
Technology used in
Biotech
Recombinant DNA
Cutting &
recombining
lengths of DNA.
Inserting new
DNA into host
cells for
expression of the
gene and creation
of the product
(protein).
Example...
Diabetes
Pancreas does not produce the protein
insulin which breaks down sugars.
DNA with gene to produce insulin
spliced into host cells.
Host cells mass produce human insulin!
Expressing the insulin gene.
Mass quantities of insulin produced and
collected.
Polymerase Chain
Reaction
Small sample of
DNA stimulated to
replicate itself.
Temperature
changes and
enzymes copy DNA
MANY times.
Allows easier
analysis of DNA
samples
DNA Electrophoresis
 Used to identify or find
similarities between DNA
samples.
 DNA is cut into sections by
restriction enzymes.
 Enzymes always cut at
same base pattern.
 Resulting similarities in
fragment lengths used to
ID DNA samples.
 Paternity testing
 Forensic investigations
Stem Cell Therapy
 Stem cells can be influenced to grow into any
body cell.
 Pleuripotent
 Stem cell source: red bone marrow (adult
stem cells), umbilical cord blood or embryos.
 Scientists use hormones/chemicals to control
and influence stem cells to grow into specific
cell types.
 Hope is to insert those cells to fix serious
disorders: leukemia, Parkinson’s disease.
Actual Embryos or
Stem Cells.
One of these
became Mrs.
Butler’s Son,
Benjamin.
Genomics
Using computers to take data from
labs and sequence the order of
bases on huge DNA molecules.
Order of bases allow
understanding of location of genes.
Human Genome Project mapped
where genes are located on DNA.
Where does Biotech
happen?
Companies
Producing drugs, agricultural or
industrial products.
Medical or industrial instruments
Reagents or test kits for research
Processing data, sequencing DNA
Research institutions
Universities
Governmental Agencies
National Institute of Health
Communicable Disease Control
Biotech Companies
Apply scientific
research to make a
product.
Purpose is to make
a profit.
Funds allow further
research.
FDA very involved,
safety is key.
Research institutions
Scientists focused on
gaining new
knowledge and
contributing to
scientific
understanding.
Results of research
published in journals,
presented at
conferences.
How do research labs
function?
Lead scientist directs focus of lab
Graduate students and fellow scientists
work on questions within topic of lab.
Research funded by grants from
government or foundations.
Professors at major universities must
conduct research and publish papers to
maintain position in university.
Data contributes to drug development
or new understandings of proteins.
What now?
We review cellular processes utilized in
biotech.
Will examine recent research by
scientists.
Will learn about structure of proteins
and details about genetics.
We conclude with an intriguing biotech
lab!