BBC - GCSE Bitesize Science - Biotechnology : Revision, Print

Sign in

News

Sport

Weather

iPlayer

TV

Radio

More

Search

BBC Radio 1

BBC 1Xtra

Science
Biotechnology

Biotechnology is the alteration of natural molecules using science and engineering to provide goods and services. Enzymes are biological catalysts and can be used in foods as well as washing powders. Biotechnology can be used to improve crops and help people without enough food, but some people are worried about the potential hazards of genetic modification.
Fermentation Fermentation reactions occur when microorganisms take in food and convert it into substances which are useful to them. The microorganisms[microorganism : Another name for microbe. Microscopic (too small to see) organisms such as bacteria and viruses. ] also release waste substances such as carbon dioxide. The most common example of fermentation is when yeast [yeast : Single-celled fungus used in fermentation.] (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) a single-celled fungus - converts sugar (glucose) into alcohol . Here are the word and balanced formulae equations for this process: glucose ethanol + carbon dioxide

To make the production of alcohol as efficient as possible, large vessels are used to cultivate[cultivate : To farm crops or animals. ] the yeast. These are called fermenters[fermenter : Vessels used to cultivate microorganisms on a large scale. ].

Vats in microbrewery

http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/gcsebitesize/science/triple_edexcel/using_biology/biotechnology/revision/print/[10/21/2013 8:25:37 PM]

BBC - GCSE Bitesize Science - Biotechnology : Revision, Print

Fermentation

The following conditions are maintained to maximise growth rates: 1. The fermenter is kept aseptic[aseptic : Containing nothing that could cause disease, such as bacteria, viruses or fungi. ] so only the desired microorganism grows. 2. Nutrients are provided to ensure that the microorganisms always have enough food to grow. 3. The optimum temperature and pH[pH: Scale of acidity/alkalinity. pH below 7 = acidic, pH above 7 = alkaline.] is maintained to ensure maximum growth. 4. There is an oxygen supply because most fermentation reactions are aerobic [aerobic: With oxygen. ]. 5. Agitation (stirring) takes place to ensure that the microorganisms, nutrients and temperature are evenly distributed. Microorganisms and food production We use microorganisms to make a large number of our food and drink products these include bread, yoghurt, cheese and alcohol. Microorganisms are useful because: they grow rapidly they have DNA which is easy to manipulate they can be grown in fermenters in almost any location (the local weather doesnt normally affect their growth) they can be grown using the waste products from other industrial processes You need to know the following two examples of how we use microorganisms to make foods. Mycoprotein This is a general name for all the protein that is grown from fungi[fungus : A large group of eukaryotic organisms that contain single celled yeasts, moulds and mushrooms. ]. It is commonly made in fermenters and grown from the fungus Fusarium. This protein is used instead of meat in a large number of vegetarian foods. Protein is important for growth and repair. Mycoprotein has the added advantage of being low in fat.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/gcsebitesize/science/triple_edexcel/using_biology/biotechnology/revision/print/[10/21/2013 8:25:37 PM]

BBC - GCSE Bitesize Science - Biotechnology : Revision, Print

Quorn products

Yoghurt Making yoghurt also uses microorganisms. Here bacteria [bacteria : Single-celled microorganisms, some of which are pathogenic in humans, animals and plants. Singular is bacterium. ] ferment[fermentation : Type of anerobic respiration carried out by yeast.] the milk and change it into yoghurt. Lactose is the main sugar in milk and the bacteria convert this into lactic acid. This increased acidity[acidity: The level of acid in a substance - the amount by which a substance's pH is lower than 7. Corrosiveness.] sours the milk, giving yoghurt its sharp taste. The lactic acid also helps to thicken yoghurt. Bacterial fermentation can be summarised by the following equation:

How yoghurt is made In order to see this content you need to have both Javascript enabled and Flash installed. Enzyme technology Enzymes are biological catalysts. They increase the rate of chemical reactions without being used up. They are used to make a large number of foods for us. You need to know the following three examples. Making sweets The enzyme invertase (sometimes called sucrase) is used by confectioners to make toffees, chocolates, mints and other soft centres. It is often produced by yeast [yeast : Single-celled fungus used in fermentation.] and breaks down the sugar sucrose into two other sugars called glucose and fructose. Washing powders Many biological washing powders now have enzymes in them to help break down and remove stains. The two types of enzymes used are: proteases - which break down proteins into amino acids carbohydrases - which break down carbohydrates into sugars Vegetarian cheese For many years, cheese was only made using the enzyme chymosin . This used only to be obtained from the stomachs of calves and so strict vegetarians were not able to eat cheese made using chymosin. Now the chymosin is produced by microorganisms after they have been genetically modified [genetically-modified: An organism that has been modified by humans through the introduction of useful genes from a different species. ]. This means that cheese made using chymosin from microorganisms no longer contains animal products - and so vegetarians are able to eat it.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/gcsebitesize/science/triple_edexcel/using_biology/biotechnology/revision/print/[10/21/2013 8:25:37 PM]

BBC - GCSE Bitesize Science - Biotechnology : Revision, Print

Man adding rennet to milk in order to make cheese

Biotechnology experiments You need to know about the following four experiments. Growth of yeast To investigate the growth of yeast, add a standardised small amount of it to a known volume of sugar solution in a series of test tubes. Incubate [incubate: To keep a sample of microbes warm so that the cells reproduce quickly. ] them at different temperatures and measure the height of the froth produced. A higher level of froth indicates more fermentation [fermentation : Type of anerobic respiration carried out by yeast.]. Notice that more froth is produced up to an optimum temperature after which the amount of froth produced reduces.

Fermentation by Yeast

Yoghurt making To investigate yoghurt making, heat some milk in a beaker at 40C for a few minutes. Add a starter culture [culture: In microbiology, a colony of microbes, typically on an agar plate. ] of bacteria (Lactobacillus), and cover and incubate until it sets. You could check whether differences in temperature or pH[pH: Scale of acidity/alkalinity. pH below 7 = acidic, pH above 7 = alkaline.] affect the time it takes for the yoghurt to set. Production of lactose-free milk Lactose is the main sugar in milk that is broken down into galactose and glucose by the enzyme lactase. Measure out two identical volumes of milk. Add some lactase to one and keep both volumes in the same conditions overnight. In the morning use Benedicts solution [Benedict's solution: A solution that can be

http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/gcsebitesize/science/triple_edexcel/using_biology/biotechnology/revision/print/[10/21/2013 8:25:37 PM]

BBC - GCSE Bitesize Science - Biotechnology : Revision, Print

used to test for the presence of a reducing sugar (or the presence of an aldehyde group). ] to test for glucose - which should only be present in the milk to which you added the enzyme.

Benedict's test for sugars

Enzymes in food production Pectin is a sugar which is found in the cell walls of plants. It is broken down by the enzyme pectinase. Cut up two identical portions of fruit. Place one in a beaker of water (the control) and the other in a beaker of water containing pectinase. After five minutes filter both solutions and record the volume of liquid produced. The portion of fruit exposed to the pectinase should produce more liquid.

Temperature and enzyme activity

Recombinant DNA technology - Higher tier This process involves moving the gene[gene: The basic unit of genetic material inherited from our parents. A gene is a section of DNA which controls part of a cell's chemistry, particularly protein production. ] (or genes) responsible for making a protein into a different organism. It commonly involves moving genes into bacteria [bacteria : Single-celled microorganisms, some of which are pathogenic in humans, animals and plants. Singular is bacterium. ] which can then be grown in huge numbers in fermenters[fermentation : Type of anerobic respiration carried out by yeast.]. These will make large quantities of the protein which can be collected. All insulin [insulin: A hormone that regulates the level of sugar in the blood. It is produced in the Islets of Langerhans in the Pancreas. ] used by people with diabetes[diabetes : A serious disease in which the body is unable to regulate blood sugar. ] is now made in this way. In the past, it was made from the pancreases of pigs and oxen [oxen : The plural of ox. An ox is a bovine animal (eg cow) that has been trained to pull something for humans.]. The process for making insulin using recombinant DNA technology is as follows: 1. The human gene for insulin production is identified and removed using

http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/gcsebitesize/science/triple_edexcel/using_biology/biotechnology/revision/print/[10/21/2013 8:25:37 PM]

BBC - GCSE Bitesize Science - Biotechnology : Revision, Print

enzymes called restriction enzymes . 2. The same restriction enzymes are used to cut open a plasmid (a small, circular section of DNA [DNA: The material inside the nucleus of cells, carrying genetic information. DNA stands for Deoxyribonucleic Acid. ]). 3. A ligase enzyme is then used to seal the human gene into the plasmid. 4. The plasmid is then inserted into a bacterium - which is grown into huge numbers of bacteria that all produce the human insulin.

Fusion cell cloning

Restriction enzymes Restriction enzymes do not cut directly across the double strand of DNA because this would involve cutting any section of DNA into many different pieces and it would not be easy to remove an entire gene. Instead they cut across the double strands at two different places. The place where they cut across the DNA is called a sticky end. Restriction enzymes can be used to cut out specific genes, and also cut open places in the plasmid DNA where the genes will fit exactly.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/gcsebitesize/science/triple_edexcel/using_biology/biotechnology/revision/print/[10/21/2013 8:25:37 PM]

BBC - GCSE Bitesize Science - Biotechnology : Revision, Print

This diagram shows the action of sticky ends.

Biotechnology and the world food supply The population of the world is rapidly increasing as can be seen in the graph below:

Human population growth over the last 10,000

This rise in population is partly responsible for the lack of food that exists in certain countries. Other reasons for the shortage of food include: poor quality soils and water shortages poverty - meaning people cant afford to buy seed or equipment to grow crops wars To meet the demands of an increasing population, we must increase the amount of food we produce. This can be done by conventional plant-breeding programmes and pest management strategies. It can also be done by genetic modification . This is when a section of DNA [DNA: The material inside the nucleus of cells, carrying genetic information. DNA stands for Deoxyribonucleic Acid. ] is moved from one organism [organism : A living being - plant, animal, fungus or bacterium. ] into another. There are several common examples of genetic modification: Sweet potato

http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/gcsebitesize/science/triple_edexcel/using_biology/biotechnology/revision/print/[10/21/2013 8:25:37 PM]

BBC - GCSE Bitesize Science - Biotechnology : Revision, Print

Vitamin A deficiency - which is common in some African and south-east Asian countries - often leads to blindness in children. To combat a deficiency in this particular vitamin, scientists have produced a sweet potato with increased levels of vitamin A. Purple tomatoes Tomatoes have now been genetically modified to have an antioxidant [antioxidant : A chemical that prevents another chemical from reacting with oxygen. ] pigment called anthocyanin (a type of flavonoid [flavonoid: A group of chemicals found in plants that cause specific colours and have biochemical roles. ]). This is thought to have anti-cancer properties. It is present in high levels in purple-coloured fruits like blackberries. When tomatoes were genetically modified they turned purple. Agrobacterium tumefaciens This is a bacterium which is used as a vector when scientists create some genetically-modified [genetically-modified: An organism that has been modified by humans through the introduction of useful genes from a different species. ] plants. A common example is how scientists used Agrobacterium tumefaciens to make herbicide-resistant crops. The process is as follows: 1. A crop plant with a natural resistance [resistance : The opposition in an electrical component to the flow of electricity through it. Resistance is measured in ohms. ] to a herbicide [herbicide: A chemical that kills unwanted plants. ] is identified. 2. The specific gene[gene: The basic unit of genetic material inherited from our parents. A gene is a section of DNA which controls part of a cell's chemistry, particularly protein production. ] (or genes) responsible for this resistance is identified and cut out using restriction enzymes[restriction enzyme : An enzyme that cuts DNA at specific base sequences, which are used in genetic modification. ]. 3. The DNA is inserted into Agrobacterium tumefaciens which is then inserted into the embryos [embryo : The developing human offspring inside the womb ] of the crop plant. 4. These plants then grow into adult plants which are resistant to the herbicide - so that when the fields are sprayed, only weeds are killed. Bang Goes The Theory explains genetic modification of papaya plants In order to see this content you need to have both Javascript enabled and Flash installed. Read on for higher Bacillus thuringiensis - Higher tier This bacteria [bacteria : Single-celled microorganisms, some of which are pathogenic in humans, animals and plants. Singular is bacterium. ] naturally produces a toxin [toxin : A type of natural poison produced by an organism, often as a form of protection.] which is poisonous to many insects. The gene[gene: The basic unit of genetic material inherited from our parents. A gene is a section of DNA which controls part of a cell's chemistry, particularly protein production. ] for producing this poison has been inserted into crop plants which are now resistant[resistant: Opposing something, or fighting against it. Many strains of bacteria have become resistant to types of antibiotics, which means that it is more difficult to kill them. ] to these insect pests. However, there are advantages and disadvantages to doing this. The advantages of using this type of bacteria are: Less insecticide has to be used Crop yield is higher The disadvantages of using this type of bacteria are: The toxin could kill other, harmless insects

http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/gcsebitesize/science/triple_edexcel/using_biology/biotechnology/revision/print/[10/21/2013 8:25:37 PM]

BBC - GCSE Bitesize Science - Biotechnology : Revision, Print

The Bacillus thuringiensis gene could be transferred into other wild plants Some insect species have already evolved resistance to the toxin The ethics of genetically modifying crops Not all people agree with genetic modification. Some people think that there might be long-term problems that scientists dont know about yet, or that genes from genetically-modified crops might spread to other plants and make superweeds. Biofuels A biofuel is a renewable fuel made from sustainable[sustainable: Activity which does not use up or destroy resources or the environment, so that it can continue to be done in the future. ] sources such as animal or food waste, wood and alcohol. Biofuels are a green alternative to fossil fuels[fossil fuel: Fuel, such as coal, oil and natural gas, made from the remains of ancient plants and animals. ]. Common examples include using vegetable oil or alcohol in cars, sometimes mixed with petrol. A biodiesel refining plant in Motherwell 35,000 tonnes of old cooking oil and animal fat is filtered each year and chemically converted into diesel fuel In order to see this content you need to have both Javascript enabled and Flash installed. Biofuels are carbon neutral. This means that they only release as much carbon dioxide when they are burnt as was used to make them originally by photosynthesis. In this way, they dont increase the amount of carbon dioxide in our atmosphere. Some people worry that biofuels also have their drawbacks for instance, large areas of land are used to grow some biofuels. This area of land might have been forest before, but now cannot act as a carbon dioxide sink (a process whereby carbon dioxide is removed from the atmosphere). Also, the land now cannot be used by local people to produce their food.

More from Biotechnology

CBBC CBeebies Comedy Food History

Learning Music Science Nature Local

Northern Ireland Scotland Wales Full A-Z

Mobile site

Terms of Use Privacy Cookies

BBC 2013 The BBC is not responsible for the

content of external sites. Read more.

About the BBC Accessibility Help Contact the BBC Parental Guidance

http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/gcsebitesize/science/triple_edexcel/using_biology/biotechnology/revision/print/[10/21/2013 8:25:37 PM]