Biotechnology refers to a branch of molecular biology that deals with the utilization of living processes and living beings for the production of better or improved products important for living things. It can also be said to be the technology that manipulates DNA. The procedures involved in biotechnology are often called genetic engineering. The genetic material in all organisms is DNA. Genes from one organism can be transcribed and translated into another organism. For example, human genes are routinely injected into bacteria to synthesize medical treatment products. Vaccines and human insulin are examples of bacteria products through biotechnology. DNA from two different sources is referred to as recombinant DNA. Individual’s genes of other species are called transgenic.
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
By the end of this lesson, you should be able to:
Biotechnology is an emerging discipline that uses technical processes such as manufacturing with biological compounds. This discipline uses both biomolecular and cellular processes to develop processes and products that can improve lives and the planet’s biological systems.
Biotechnology often overlaps with fields such as immunology, recombinant technology, and genomics. Biotechnology is viewed by many s a modern concept but its applications go way back in history. This was in the form of breeding, increasing cultivation, and therapies. However, in modern times, biotechnology uses complex concepts such as recombinant DNA technology and plant tissue culture. The production of antibiotics and insulin are notable examples of biotechnology. Another commonly used technique of biotechnology is fermentation used in the production of bread and beer. The major applications of biotechnology are in the areas of medicine, industries, agriculture, and the environment.
TYPES OF BIOTECHNOLOGY
Vaccines: these are chemicals that stimulate the immune system of the body to fight pathogens in case they attack the body. This is achieved by inserting weakened versions of the disease into the bloodstream of the body. This makes the body react like it's under attack. The body fights the weak pathogens and, in the process, take note of the pathogen’s cell structure. With this information, the body can fight the pathogen when an individual is exposed. The weakened (attenuated) disease pathogens are extracted through biotechnological techniques like growing the antigenic proteins in crops that are genetically engineered.
Antibiotics. Much has been achieved in the development of antibiotics that fight pathogens for humans. Plants are genetically engineered and grown to produce these antibodies.
Pest Resistant Crops. For example, the transfer of fungus Bacillus thuringiensis genes to crops. This is because the fungus produces Bt protein that is very effective against pests like European corn borer. The production of this protein is the desirable characteristic that scientists would like to see in their plants. They identify the gene and introduce it making corn to produce the protein. This lowers the cost of production as no pesticides have to be used.
Plant and animal breeding. Selective breeding has been practiced for a long time. This practice involves choosing animals with desirable traits to breed to produce offspring with the same or better traits. This can also be done on a molecular level. The genes responsible for these characteristics are pointed out and introduced to other organisms.
Biocatalysts. Biocatalysts such as enzymes to synthesize chemicals have been developed by companies in industrial biotechnology. All organisms produce enzyme proteins. The enzymes that are desired are then manufactured in commercial quantities with the help of biotechnology.
Fermentation. Materials of fermentation can be introduced and grown in different species of plants through biotechnology.
BRANCHES OF BIOTECHNOLOGY BASED ON COLOR CLASSIFICATION
Gold biotechnology. This is also called bioinformatics. This is computational biology. It involves the use of computational techniques and data from biological analysis.
Red biotechnology. This involves medicine and veterinary products. Production of vaccines, development of new drugs and molecular diagnostic techniques, fall under this branch.
White biotechnology. This draws heavily from industrial biotechnology. It involves designing less polluting, energy-efficient, and low resource-consuming processes.
Yellow biotechnology. This involves the application of biotechnology in the production of food. For example, fermentation to make beer and wine.
Grey biotechnology. This involved the application of biotechnology to conserve the environment and protect biodiversity.
Green biotechnology. This is about agriculture that emphasizes creating new varieties of crops, biofertilizers, and biopesticides.
Blue biotechnology. Involved with the use of marine resources to create products.
Violet biotechnology. Deals with the law, philosophical and ethical issues around biotechnology.
Dark biotechnology. This is associated with biological weapons or bioterrorism where toxins and microorganisms are used intentionally to cause death in humans, animals and crops.
Other applications of biotechnology include:
