UNIT 1

I.TEXT
Introduction to Biotechnology

What is Biotechnology?
‘Biotechnology’, the term was coined by a Hungarian engineer, Karl Ereky and is defined as per the UN
convention on biological diversity as, “Any technological application that uses biological system or living
organisms to make or modify the process or products for specific use.”

Biotechnology has touched almost every aspect of human life. Biotechnology dealing with medical and health
care is termed as Red biotechnology. It is Green biotechnology, when it concerns about agricultural processes
and White biotechnology when comes to industrial processes. Blue biotechnology is concerned with the
application of molecular biological methods to marine and freshwater organisms.

The world of Biotechnology:

Biotechnology has marked its presence in medical, industrial, environmental, agricultural, forensics and many
more areas directly touching the lives of human beings and is making a significant difference too.

Red Biotechnology
Biotechnology applied to the medical and health care field is termed as ‘Red Biotechnology’. Intensive research

in this field has not only assured a ray of hope for various life-threatening diseases but has also enhanced the

quality of life. Red biotechnology deals with pharmacogenomics, designing organisms to produce antibiotics

and vaccines, clinical research and trials, gene therapy and diagnostics. The technology is useful in veterinary

science and poultry farming as well.

*Genetic Engineering:
This application of biotechnology is not less than a boon for health care. It cures by altering the genetic material

of an individual. DNA, the genetic material, is manipulated by Gene therapy either to replace the defective

genes or to supplement normal genes using treatments like Ex-vivo (from outside body) or In-vivo (inside the

body).

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Gene splicing, a tool of genetic engineering allows scientists to transfer gene from one organism to another.

This alteration of genetic make-up of organism led to the development of recombinant DNA, which proved a

milestone for production of insulin needed for type-2 diabetes. Some genes of human insulin are transferred to

E-coli bacteria, from which further production of insulin is achieved.

Red biotechnology has played vital role in the development of vaccines too. Genetically altered cowpox is used
against influenza, herpes and hepatitis.

*Pharmacogenomics and Medicines:

The study of pharmaceuticals and genetics, Pharmacogenomics, makes it possible to design and produce drugs
to suit the specific genetic requirements of specific patients. With this technology it is also possible to determine
the dosage of drugs appropriate to a patient as genetic information enables to know the response of body to the
drug. It helps pharmaceutical industry to develop better quality medicines.

Biotech drugs, known as biologics or biotherapeuticals are derived from genetic engineering or manipulation of
proteins in organisms. Unlike conventional drugs, that treat symptoms in a broad way, the biologics are used
specifically.

*Cloning:
The credit of popularization of this novel field goes to ‘Dolly’, the cloned sheep at Roslin institute in1997. This
also triggered hopes of success in developing human clone, which then was just a part of farfetched scientific
fictions. In this technique, a nucleus is removed from one cell and is placed inside an unfertilized egg and can
be allowed to grow identical to the donor of original nucleus.

*Stem cell Therapy:

This new face of advancement in technology has some truly enormous potential. It can completely change the
way of treating deadly diseases like cancer. Stem cells are cells in their initial stage, when they are not yet
specialized to develop into some particular cell. These unspecialized cells can renew themselves for long
periods of time through cell division and under certain biochemical conditions can be made to differentiate, i.e.
grow into specific cell. Thus new cells can be inserted in place of damaged ones to treat the injury and the
characteristic self renewal property allows generation of tissues to replace tissues in affected areas.

Recently scientists succeeded in production of stem cells from endangered species, a breakthrough that could
save animals in danger of extinction

Green biotechnology

Biotechnology has brought a revolution in the field of agriculture. It is now not enthralling to hear about

genetically modified fruits, vegetables available in any season and offering you specific nutritional value.
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‘Trans-genetic plants’ modified for increased resistance to pests and diseases, improved flavour and enhanced

growth in adverse weather conditions have started occupying place in our refrigerators. Not just this, but there is

much more that green biotechnology also known as Plant Biotechnology has done especially alleviating the

pains of farmers. Main research areas and applications include:

*Plant tissue culture:

It is a technique that allows whole plants to be produced from minute amounts of plant parts like the roots,

leaves or stems or even just a single plant cell under laboratory conditions (in vitro) and to preserve the genetic

resources too. The technique thus allows the production of clean, disease free planting material and that too at a

rapid pace.

*Plant Genetic Engineering:

The technique of selective, deliberate transfer of genes to produce new improved crops has made it possible to
grow genetically engineered crops for enhanced features as in cotton, sweet potato etc. Also, crops that can
withstand environmental stress may be developed. Genes with characters to cope with drought, salty soil and
other conditions may completely solve the problem of spoilage of crops.

There are now seen to be three generations of genetically modified plants. The first contains genes with
required traits that are significant from the standpoint of cultivation, such as herbicide tolerance or resistance to
insects and disease. Cultivation of such plants brings benefits to farmers in the form of lower use of pesticides
or labour. The second generation consists of plants whose improved traits manifest themselves in the final
stage of their use. Such plants will be a source of improved food products. The genes introduced into them may
alter the function of certain proteins. For instance, an improved amino acid composition or an increased content
of a certain vitamin (such as in the modified “Golden Rice,” with an increased provitamin A content) may
improve food quality and help prevent dangerous diseases, such as childhood blindness caused in Asia by
vitamin A deficiency. Genetic modification may also contribute to improving the flavour of fruits and
vegetables, or to reducing allergen content in foods. Such modification therefore generates direct benefits for
consumers. The third and latest generation consists of GM plants that function like bio-factories, producing
concrete substances utilized in various industries.
GM: Genetic modification
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GMO: Genetically Modified Organism

Plants with an altered fatty acid synthesis pathway are finding applications in the production of industrial oils
and can also produce biopolymers to replace petroleum-derived compounds. Altering the properties of many
kinds of crops genetically to get some special features and proteins has helped a lot, mainly for crops with
industrial and medicinal values.

*Bio fertilizers and bio pesticides:

Insects and pests are no more a headache for farmers if they employ biotechnological methods to make their
crops immune to them. Another way offered by biotechnology is bio fertilizers and pesticides. The use of bio
fertilizers not only save a big amount of money spent on chemical fertilizers but also help to avoid the ill effects
of chemical fertilizers on crops.

‘Hybridization’, ‘Molecular marker assisted breeding’ are some of the various applications of green
biotechnology aimed to create crops with specific traits and yielding better quality.

White Biotechnology
With the distinguished potential witnessed in medical and agriculture sectors, the industrial processes cannot
remain untouched. When dealing with industrial processes, it is termed as White biotechnology. It deals with
the production of various products, from bread to biodiesel! Enzymes and organisms are employed for the
processing and production of chemicals and other products. Such fermentation and enzymatic processes are also
economical and eco-friendly as compared to their physical and mechanical processes.

White Biotechnology is significantly affecting chemical, textile, paper, food, mining and cosmetics industries,
by introducing environment friendly biological processes in place of traditional methods dependent on
petroleum based synthetics. The use of enzymes for washing processes at textile industries is a good example,
where biological processes have halved the cost and energy employed. It is also used for purification of water
with certain bacteria, production of bio degradable plastics, enzymes in food manufacturing, insulin production
and many more.

White Biotechnology is also concerned with production of alternative energy resources. Production of ethanol
as a substitute of gasoline, from starch and carbohydrates begun the era of Bio fuels. Ongoing research in this
field is promising and we can hope for a future fuelled by eco-friendly Bio fuels; changing ‘hydrocarbon
economy’ to ‘carbohydrate economy’.

Blue biotechnology
Blue biotechnology is concerned with the application of molecular biological methods to marine and freshwater
organisms. It involves the use of these organisms, and their derivatives, for purposes such as increasing seafood
supply and safety, controlling the proliferation of noxious water-borne organisms, and developing new drugs.