BIOTECHNOLOGY
Q. Define biotechnology.
BIOTECHNOLOGY
Biotechnology
is the commercialization of cell and molecular biology.
‘Controlled
use of biological events like cells or cellular components for beneficial use
is called biotechnology.’
OR
‘The
use of living organisms, cells or cellular components for the production of
compound or precise genetic improvement of living things for the benefit of
mankind.’
Q. Define genetic engineering.
GENETIC ENGINEERING
The
artificial manipulation, modification, and recombination of DNA or other
nucleic acid molecules in order to modify an organism or population of an
organism is called genetic engineering.
Q. What is cloning?
CLONING
The
isolation of DNA fragment from one organism and to splice it to another DNA
fragment then put into any organism is called cloning. It is used to produce
identical copies.
Q. What are the two basic objectives of genetic
engineering?
BASIC OBJECTS OF GENETIC
ENGINEERING
Following
are the two basic objectives of genetic engineering:
·
To
learn more about the ways nature works
·
To
make use of this knowledge for practical purpose
Q. Describe the objectives of human genome
project.
HUMAN GENOME PROJECT
Following
are the projects of human genome project:
·
Determining
the human DNA sequence
·
Understanding
the function of the human genetic code
·
Identifying
all of the genes
·
Determining
their functions
·
Understand
how and when genes are turned on and off throughout the lifetime of an
individual
Q. Describe the importance of biotechnology.
IMPORTANCE OF
BIOTECHNOLOGY
Following
are the scopes and importance of biotechnology.
In
medicine
·
Production
of antibody
·
Production
of hormones e.g. insulin
·
DNA
fingerprinting is used for identification of criminals, parents etc
In
agriculture
·
Plant
cell, tissue, and organ culture are used for rapid and production of fruits and
flowers.
·
Genetic
engineering techniques are utilized to produce transgenic plants with desirable
genes like disease resistance, herbicide resistance etc.
In
industry
·
Production
of alcohol and antibiotics
·
Production
of pharmaceutical drugs
In
environment
·
To
control pollution, depletion of natural resources
·
Production
of bio-pesticides instead of using chemical pesticides.
Q. What is fermentation?
FERMENTATION
Fermentation
is the process by which living organisms such as yeast or bacteria are used for
the production of useful compounds.
Q. Describe the types of anaerobic
fermentation.
Types of anaerobic
fermentation
There
are two types of anaerobic fermentation:
a. Lactic acid fermentation
b. Ethanol fermentation
Lactic acid fermentation
In
such type of fermentation, pyruvic acid from glycolysis breaks into lactic
acid.
In
this process, NAD+ reduces to NADH.
Lactic
acid fermentation occurs in streptococcus and lactobacillus
which in turn produces yogurt and variety of cheese.
Alcoholic fermentation
In
such type of fermentation, pyruvic acid changes into alcohol and CO2.
During alcohol fermentation, NAD+ also forms from NADH, allowing
glycolysis to form ATP.
It
is used for the production of bread, wine and bio fuels.
This
process occurs in yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae
Q. Explain why does the bread dough rises?
Yeast
in bread dough use alcoholic fermentation and produce CO2 gas. CO2
forms the bubble in the bread that causes bread to expand.
Q. Name the products obtain from fermentation.
Not
only food and beverages are produces via fermentation but non food products are
also obtained from fermentation.
Following
foods can be produced from fermentation.
·
Dairy
products
o
Yogurt,
o
Cheese,
·
Cereal
products,
o
Cake
fruits
o
Bread
·
Vegetable
products
o
Candy,
o
Fruit
juice,
o
Flavorings.
·
Beverages
o
Beer,
o
Wine,
o
Cidar.
Following non food items are also produced from fermentation.
·
Antibiotics,
·
Detergents,
·
Insulin,
·
Growth
hormones
FERMENTER
Fermenters
are the containers that are used to grow bacteria and fungi on large scale.
Q. What are the advantages of Fermenter?
ADVANTAGES OF FERMENTER
·
To
provide a controlled environment.
·
Fermentor
optimizes the growth of organisms
·
Fermentor
may hold several thousand liters of growth medium
·
Fermentor
allows the production of material in bulk quantities.
·
Medicines,
boosters, hormones are prepared in Fermentor.
Q. What are the applications of genetic
engineering?
APPLICATIONS OF GENETIC
ENGINEERING
Genetic
engineering helps to:
·
Identify
the gene that produces the protein of interest
·
Cut
the DNA sequence that contains the gene from a sample of DNA
·
Place
the gene into a vector (like plasmid or bacteriophage)
·
Induce
the cells to activate the gene and produce the desired protein.
·
Extract
and purify the protein for therapeutic use.
Q. Explain the genetic engineering tools.
GENETIC ENGINEERING
TOOLS
·
Restriction enzymes
Some enzymes are used as a defense by bacteria to cut up DNA
from viruses.
·
DNA Ligase
This enzyme is used to repair the broken DNA. it also
attaches the gene segment to DNA.
·
DNA Vector
DNA vector may be plasmid or bacteriophage
o
Plasmid
Plasmids are
circular units of DNA. They can be engineered to carry genes of interest.
o
Bacteriophage
Bacteriophage
can be engineered to carry recombinant DNA
·
The GMO (genetically modified organism) contains the gene of
interest and manufactures the desired products.
Q. What is GMO?
Cells
that have recombinant DNA are called GMO. GMO stands for genetically modified
organism.
When
segments of DNA are cut and pasted together to form a new sequence, called
recombinant DNA.
When
this recombinant DNA is inserted into the cell, the cell use this modified
blueprint and their own cellular machinery to make the protein encoded by the
recombinant DNA.
Q. What are the major achievements of genetic
engineering?
Achievements
of Genetic Engineering
·
Creation
of a new synthetic vaccine for foot and mouth disease.
·
A
vaccine has developed against coccidiosis via avian protein to immunize chicken
against avian coccidia.
·
Genetic
transformation made possible the treatment of sleeping sickness
(trypansomiasis)
·
Molecular
biology has introduced genetic therapy that direct the intervention in genetic
makeup of an individual.
·
Cloning
of human organs has been possible.
·
Genetically
modified (GM) foods posses’ specific traits such as tolerance to herbicides or
resistance to insects or viruses.
·
Adding
a gene from insect killing bacteria to cotton so when insects eat the cotton,
they got poison.
·
Production
of human insulin from E.coli bacteria
·
Discovery
of p-53 which normally keeps the cell under control and works best to suppress
cancer cells.
·
Scientists
are also successful in the insertion of human genes to sheep so that they
secrete alpha-1 antitrypsin (substance to treat lung disease)
Q. What is single cell protein?
SINGLE CELL PROTEIN
The
term Single cell protein was coined by Prof. C.L. Wilson. He represents the microbial
cells grown in mass culture and harvested for the use as protein sources in
foods or animals feed.
SCP
is a protein extracted from cultured algae, yeasts or bacteria and used as a
substitute for protein rich foods, especially in animals feed or as dietary
supplements.
SCP
is not a pure protein but refers to whole cells of bacteria, yeasts,
filamentous fungi or algae that contains carbohydrates, proteins, lipids,
nucleic acids, minerals salts, vitamins.
Microorganisms
can be used to ferment some of the vast amounts of waste minerals, such as
straws; wood and wood processing wastes; food, cannery and food processing
wastes; and residues from alcohol production or from human or animal excreta.
