INTRODUCTION TO BIOTECHNOLOGY

Biotechnology Engineering

Subject:
English Class

Student:
Edgar Fernando Asiain Hernandez

Professor:
Elda Herrera

Group:
IB 1001

Tuesday, December 3rd, 2019

ESSAY ABOUT BIOTECHNOLOGY 2

Introduction to biotechnology

Biotechnology is a science that studies living organism. The current knowledge of

organisms has allowed its modification to get benefits for humanity. The molecular biology plays

an important role in the genetic modification providing information about the genetic code inside

the cells. The cells are smallest unit of life capable of independent existence. The genetic

instructions are inside the nucleus in the form of chromosomes. The chromosomes are composed

of DNA chains and when they are expressed control the phenotypic and genotypic characteristics

in an organism.

Knowing the genetic mechanism has allowed the introduction of new genes in the

organism creating and improving organisms with phenotypic and genotypic characteristics

different from the original species. These organisms are called transgenic.

In agriculture, transferring modified DNA to a plant has different objectives being one of

the main ones the increase food production and quality thanks to the addition of new features

such as resilience, herbicide resistance, harvestable quantity, flavor, nourishing quality and

spoilage resistance. An important characteristic in plants is the resistance to insects, pests,

bacteria, viruses and fungi, which affects their physical and organoleptic characteristics as well

as influencing their growth. There are chemicals against these pests, however, they are normally

harmful to the consumer. The update of resistance genes in plants is usually more useful because

it reduces the use of chemicals in agriculture. Agrobacterium is a bacterium commonly used to

transfer modified DNA to plants.

Biotechnology has not only been applied in plants. In animals, it has been used for the

cloning of animals such as sheeps and pigs, in order to use the organs of the clones to transfer
ESSAY ABOUT BIOTECHNOLOGY 3

them to humans due to their compatibility. In addition to cloning, genetic modification in

animals is of great importance because it allows modifying the production of molecules of

interest such as proteins, enzymes or antibodies.

Biotechnology together with molecular biology has allowed us to modify organisms by

conferring new beneficial characteristics for humanity. In agriculture, it has allowed the creation

of transgenic plants with characteristics of interest such as resistance to pests, increased

productivity, quality and resilience. In animals, cloning can be a long-term tool that could reduce

the costs of animal production, produce organs and tissues for transplants in humans as well as

transgenic molecules for human consumption. The reduction in the cost of molecular biology

techniques will allow biotechnology to have a greater reach in less time, improving the quality of

life in the world. The next step for biotechnology is its application in human genetic

modification, which could reduce diseases, especially those of hereditary origin, however, an

ethical debate must be passed to deduce the effects in the short and long term. We are probably

at the beginning of a new era where the quality of life will be greater every time or where only

one sector of the population will benefit.