Biotechnology Introduction
- Biotechnology deals with techniques of using live micro-organisms, plant or animal cells their components or enzymes from organisms to produce products and processes (services) useful to human beings.
- The term biotechnolgy was coined in 1917 by a Hungarian Engineer, Karl Ereky to describe a process for large scale production of pigs.
- Gene manipulation is a fast emerging science.
- It started with the development of recom binant DNA molecules.
- It is named variously as DNA manipulation biotechnology, recombinant DNA technology and genetic engineering.
- The technology mostly involves cutting and pasting of desired DNA fragments.
- It is based on two important discoveries in bacteria :
- Presence of plasmids in bacteria which can undergo replication alongwith and indepen dent of chromosomal DNA.
- Restriction endonucleases (Arber, Nathan and Smith 1970; Nobel Prize in 1978) which can break DNA at specific sites.
- They are appropriately called molecular scissors.
- Berg (1972) was able to introduce a gene of SV-40 into a bacterium with the help of lambda phage.
- Berg is often considered "father of genetic engineering ".
- He was awarded Nobel Prize in 1980.
- The science of recombinant technology took birth when Cohen and Boyer ( 1973 ) were able to introduce a piece of gene containing foreign DNA into plasmid of Escherichia coli.
- Microorganisms were first used to produce some organic compounds like citric acid.
- They were also used to produce antibodies.
- The levels of production of penicillin yield has been improved,But the types of products have not changed.
- They remain the same as those obtained from the natural strains / cell lines.
- In all these processes, only the natural capabilities of the organisms and cells are activities are called old biotechnology.
- Modern Biotechnology Human insulin is also produced from a transgenic Escherichia coli stain that contains and expresses the insulin gene.
- Proteins produced by transgenes are called recombinant pro teins.
- The production technologies based on genetic engineering are termed as modern biotechnology.
- It developed during 1970.
- A definition of biotechnology which covers both traditional views and modern molecular biotechnology has been given by European Federation of Biotechnology (EFB).According to EFB.
- " Biotechnology is the integrated use of biochemistry, microbiology and engineering sciences in order to achieve technological (industrial) application of the capabilities of microorganisms, cultured tissues/cells and parts thereof ".
- Thus definition of biotechnology involves two common factors.
- First the use of biological agents and second the product or service is generated for the well being of humans.
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