Biotechnology

Definition
 The word biotechnology has come from two words namely bio (meaning biology) and technology (meaning
technological application).
 Defined as the industrial application of living organisms and their biological processes such as biochemistry,
microbiology, genetic engineering, etc. in order to make best use of the microorganisms for the benefit of
mankind.
 Biotechnology is applied in many areas to produce foods and medicines, in the development of new
diagnostic tools, gene therapy, DNA finger-printing for forensic purposes etc.
History
History of Biotech can be divided into three phases:
1. Ancient Biotechnology
2. Classical Biotechnology
3. Modern Biotechnology
Ancient Biotechnology (Pre-1800)
Most of the biotech developments before the year 1800 can be termed as ‘discoveries’ or ‘developments’. If we
study all these developments, we can conclude that these inventions were based on common observations about
nature.
 Humans have used biotechnology since the dawn of civilization.
 After domestication of food crops (corn, wheat) and wild animals, man moved on to other new observations
like cheese and curd. Cheese can be considered as one of the first direct products (or by-product) of
biotechnology because it was prepared by adding rennet (an enzyme found in the stomach of calves) to sour
milk.
Classical Biotechnology (1800-1945)
The Hungarian Károly Ereky coined the word “biotechnology” in Hungary during 1919 to describe a
technology based on converting raw materials into a more useful product. In a book entitled Biotechnologie, Ereky
further developed a theme that would be reiterated through the 20th century: biotechnology could provide
solutions to societal crises, such as food and energy shortages.
Modern Biotechnology (1945-present)
The Second World War became a major impediment in scientific discoveries. After the end of the second
world war some, very crucial discoveries were reported, which paved the path for modern biotechnology.
The origins of biotechnology culminate with the birth of genetic engineering. There were two key events that
have come to be seen as scientific breakthroughs beginning the era that would unite genetics with biotechnology:
One was the 1953 discovery of the structure of DNA, by Watson and Crick, and the other was the 1973 discovery by
Cohen and Boyer of a recombinant DNA technique by which a section of DNA was cut from the plasmid of an E. coli
bacterium and transferred into the DNA of another. Popularly referred to as “genetic engineering,” it came to be
defined as the basis of new biotechnology.
In Britain, Chaim Weizemann (1874–1952) developed bacterial fermentation processes for producing organic
chemicals such as acetone and cordite propellants. During WWII, he worked on synthetic rubber and high-octane
gas.
Today, biotechnology is being used in countless areas including agriculture, bioremediation and forensics,
where DNA fingerprinting is a common practice. Industry and medicine alike use the techniques of PCR,
immunoassays and recombinant DNA.
Genetic manipulation has been the primary reason that biology is now seen as the science of the future and
biotechnology as one of the leading industries.
Types of biotechnology
Biotechnology is roughly divided into three main parts:
1. Medical Biotechnology (Red Biotechnology)
 Medical biotechnology is the use of living cells and other cell materials for the purpose of bettering
the health of humans.
  Essentially, it is used for finding cures as well as getting rid of and preventing diseases.
 The science involved includes the use of these tools for the purpose of research to find different or
more efficient ways of maintaining human health, understanding pathogen, and understanding the
human cell biology.
2. Agricultural Biotechnology (Green Biotechnology)
 Agricultural biotechnology focuses on developing genetically modified plants for the purpose of
increasing crop yields or introducing characteristics to those plants that provide them with an
advantage growing in regions that place some kind of stress factor on the plant namely weather and
pests.
3. Industrial Biotechnology (White Biotechnology)
 This field of biotechnology is connected with industry.
 It uses moulds, yeasts, bacteria and enzymes to produce goods and services or parts of products.
 It offers a wide range of bio-products like detergents, vitamins, antibiotics etc.
 Most of the white biotech processes results in the saving of water, energy, chemicals and in the
reduction of waste compared to traditional methods.
Field of biotechnology
1. Cloning
 Cloning describes the processes used to create an exact genetic replica of another cell, tissue or
organism.
 The most famous clone was a Scottish sheep named Dolly.
 There are three different types of cloning:
 Gene cloning, which creates copies of genes or segments of DNA
 Reproductive cloning, which creates copies of whole animals
 Therapeutic cloning, which creates embryonic stem cells.
2. Tissue Culture
 Tissue culture, a method of biological research in which fragments of tissue from an animal or plant
are transferred to an artificial environment in which they can continue to survive and function.
3. Genetic Engineering
 Genetic engineering, also called genetic modification, is the direct manipulation of an organism's
genome using biotechnology.
 Genes are the chemical blueprints that determine an organism's traits.
 Genetic engineering is the process of transferring individual genes between organisms or modifying
the genes in an organism to remove or add a desired trait or characteristic.
Application of biotechnology
1. Agriculture
 Biotechnology has helped in production of crops with improved disease resistance; herbicide
tolerance and insecticide-resistance.
 Plants with improved nutritional value for livestock etc. have also been bred through biotechnology.
 Control of pests: One application of biotechnology is in the control of insect pests.
 Manufacturing and bio-processing: With the help of new biological techniques it has become possible
to grow on large scale, the plants that produce compounds for use in detergents, paints, lubricants
and plastics etc.
 Food and drinks: With biotechnology, it has now become easy to process foods and their products.
2. Industry
 Biotechnology has been used in the industry to produce new products for human consumption.
 Food additives have been developed which help in the preservation of food.
 Microorganisms are used in the mass production of items such as cheese, yoghurt, alcohol, etc.
3. Health and Medicine
 Fighting infectious diseases: Biotechnology is used extensively in the study of infectious diseases such
as SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome), influenza, etc.
  Development of vaccines and antibiotics: Using technology, microorganisms are used to develop
antibiotics and vaccines to cure diseases.
 Treating genetic disorders: Disease can occur when genes become defective due to mutations.
 In forensic science: With the help of new techniques such as DNA fingerprinting, it has now become
easy to identify criminals and have many other applications.
4. Environment
 Cleaning up and managing the environment: Cleaning up the environment using living organisms is
called bioremediation.
5. Nutrient Supplementation
 One of the biggest uses of biotechnology is the infusion of nutrients into food in situations such as
aid.
 Therefore, it provides food that holds heavy nutrients known to help fight disease or starvation.
6. Strength Fibres
 One of the materials with the strongest tensile strength is spider webs.
 Biotechnological techniques have been used to pick the genes found in spiders and their infusion in
goats to produce the silk proteins in their milk.
7. Biofuels
 One of the biggest applications of biotechnology is in the energy production sector.
 There is a need to protect the globe’s future by finding alternative environmentally friendly fuel
sources.
Impact of biotechnology
Biotech is helping to heal the world by harnessing nature's own toolbox and using our own genetic makeup. Biotech
improves crop insect resistance, enhances crop herbicide tolerance and facilitates the use of more environmentally
sustainable farming practices. Biotechnology is:
 Reducing rates of infectious disease;
 Tailoring treatments to individuals to minimize health risks and side effects;
 Creating more precise tools for disease detection Combating serious illnesses and everyday threats
confronting the developing world
 Improving manufacturing process efficiency
 Reducing use of and reliance on petrochemicals;
 Using biofuels to cut greenhouse gas emissions
 Decreasing water usage and waste generation
 Generating higher crop yields with fewer inputs;
 Lowering volumes of agricultural chemicals required by crops-limiting the run-off of these products into the
environment;
 Using biotech crops that need fewer applications of pesticides
 Developing crops with enhanced nutrition profiles that solve vitamin and nutrient deficiencies;
 Producing foods free of allergens and toxins
 Improving food and crop oil content to help improve cardiovascular health.