By: Sameen Noushad Rida Tahir

Bio-Technlogy- introduction

Biotechnology is the use of

living systems and organisms

to develop or make useful

products, or "any

technological application

that uses biological systems,

living organisms or derivatives

thereof, to make or modify

products or processes for

specific use“

Techniques The Two important technique which enable development of modern

biotechnology:

Basic steps involved in processBasic steps involved in process

Isolating genomic

DNA

Isolating genomic DNA from the donor.

Fragmenting this DNA

Fragmenting this DNA using molecular scissors.

Basic steps involved in Basic steps involved in processprocess

Insertion of DNA in a

vector

Screening the

fragments

Screening the fragments for a “desired gene”.

Inserting the fragments with the desired gene in a ‘cloning vector’.

Basic steps involved in Basic steps involved in processprocess

Introducing in Host

Culturing the cells

Transformation of host cell

Introducing the recombinant vector into a competent host cell

Culturing these cells to obtain multiple copies or clones of desired DNA fragments

Using these copies to transform suitable host cells so as to express the desired gene.

Application of biotechnology in agriculture- Bt crops

Bacillus thuringiensis Soil bacterium. Produces a protein that has

insecticidal properties. Traditionally used as spray.

Mechanism of Bt

Bt crops are now commercially available.For Eg.

Bt Rice Bt Cotton Bt Tomato

Bt Brinjal Bt Soybean

Bt Potato

Bt Corn

Agrobacterium tumefaciens

Soil bacterium. Causes crown gall tumors in

dicotyledonous plants. T DNA (gall producing gene)

occurs in Ti plasmid. Ti plasmid is used as vector for

higher plants. Many genetically modified

plants are produced using A. tumifaciens.

Tumor

Mechanism

Desirable genes such as Cry gene and Nif gene is cloned inside A. tumifaciens and then transferred into another plant.

Examples

1. Flavr savr tomato

Longer shelf life.

Antisense DNA is introduced that retards ripening

2. Golden Rice

Greater pro vitamin A content.

Genetically engineered.

Some useful aspects of GM plants in agriculture:

Applications of bio technology in medical fields

One of the biggest uses in biotechnology is for medicinal purposes.

Some of the biggest areas of application in the medicinal field include

Production of human and animals vaccines

New biotechnology can be applied to produce human and animal vaccines.

Vaccines for food and mouth diseases, cancer, polio, tuberclousis, etc. have been developed.

Diagnosis of infection diseases

Advancement in biotechnology has made it possible to make an easy, early, quick and correct diagnosis of infections diseases.

Diagnostic kits have been developed for AIDS, cancer, foot and mouth diseases, tuberculosis, etc.

Using the biotechnolgy tools like Enzymes Linked Immuno-sorbant Assay (ELISA), PCR based technique and RIA Assays.

Production of antibiotics and vitamins

Using the genetic engineering technique, various antibiotics have been developed and are being in use.

Transfer of gene

The gene of interest can be inserted into body using recombinant DNA technology or genetic engineering. Eg to make chimeras.

New Biotech Breakthroughs that Will Change Medicine

From a spit test for cancer to a shot that helps your body re-grow nerves along your spinal cord, these new advances in the world of medicine blur the line between biology and technology—to help restore, improve and extend our lives.

Decay-Fighting Microbes Bacteria living on teeth convert sugar into

lactic acid, which erodes enamel and causes tooth decay.

Florida-based company ONI BioPharma has engineered a new bacterial strain, called SMaRT, that cannot produce lactic acid—plus, it releases an antibiotic that kills the natural decay-causing strain.

Dentists will only need to swab SMaRT, now in clinical trials, onto teeth once to keep them healthy for a lifetime.

Artificial Lymph Nodes

Scientists from Japan's RIKEN Institute have developed artificial versions of lymph nodes, organs that produce immune cells for fighting infections.

Cancer Spit Test

Forget biopsies—a device designed by researchers at the University of California-Los Angeles detects oral cancer from a single drop of saliva

Smart Contact Lens Glaucoma, the second-leading

cause of blindness, develops when pressure builds inside the eye and damages retinal cells.

Contact lenses developed at the University of California-Davis contain conductive wires that continuously monitor pressure and fluid flow within the eyes of at-risk people.

The lenses then relay information to a small device worn by the patient; the device wirelessly transmits it to a computer.

This constant data flow will help doctors better understand the causes of the disease.

Liver Scanner How healthy is your

liver? Until recently, answering that question often required a painful biopsy. French company EchoSens has developed a machine that scans the organ for damage in just 5 minutes

Conclusion

Biotechnology remains a flourishing field of science. Who knows what's next? Flying humans? Walking fish? Robots to do our work? Or perhaps; mass destruction.

Only the future can tell!