Biotechnology – manipulation of living things or parts of
living things to produce products useful to humans.
Branches of biotechnology
1. Animal biotechnology
2. Medical biotechnology
3. Industrial biotechnology
4. Environmental biotechnology
5. Plant biotechnology
1. Animal biotechnology – development of transgenic
animals for increased milk or meat production with
resistance to various diseases.
- Salmon that reach mature size in fraction of the
usual time.
- Goats and cows that produce therapeutic
proteins in their milk.
Myelin basic protein – multiple sclerosis.
- Increased milk production because of BST
(Bovine Somatotropin)
- Pigs that produce phytase enzyme in their saliva
2. Plant biotechnology – development of transgenic
plants with resistance to biotic and abiotic stress.
- Resists insects and herbicides
BT corn (Bacillus thuringiensis)
- Increased yields
- Increased nutritional content.
Golden rice
3. Medical biotechnology - large production of various
drugs and hormones
- Human insulin produced from bacteria
- Therapeutic proteins
- Vaccines
4. Industrial biotechnology - commercial production of
various useful organic substances.
- Acetic acid
- Citric acid
- Penicillin
- Development of new chemicals
5. Environmental biotechnology - detoxification of
waste and industrial effluents, treatment of sewage
water and control of plant diseases through the use
of biological agents.
- Bioremediation
- Phytoremediation
History of Biotechnology
Early beginnings of biotechnology
7,000 – 12,000 years ago
- Contain and manipulate edible plants and
animals, creating more reliable food supplies.
- Plant breeding and crop production.
Selection of best plants and saving the seeds
from these plants.
- Meat
- Hooves and horns
- Development of labor-saving devices
- Development of new technologies, gathering
and recording knowledge and producing
specialty goods
- Barter system
- Use of calf stomach for storage vessel for water
and other liquids (renin)
- Storage of fruit juice – fermentation
Bread making
- Wheat-ground to powder-flour
- Addition of yeast
Science of genetics
- Selection of best plants and animals to
reproduce.
- Mid 1800’s (Gregor Mendel)
Theory of Heredity
1. Law of dominance
2. Law of Segregation – each parent provides one
of the two forms of genes for each particular
trait.
3. Law of independent assortment – genes for
certain characteristics are passed from the
parents to offspring and are separate from the
other genes that transmit other traits.
Discovery of cells
1600’s – microscope
1665 – Robert Hook – Cells
19th century – Louis Pasteur (pasteurization)
- Anthrax – pneumonia and blood infection
1920’s – Alexander Fleming (penicillin)