Biotechnology is the new wonder of science. It is truly multidisciplinary in nature and it encompasses several disciplines of basic sciences and engineering.
The Science disciplines from which biotechnology draws heavily are microbiology, chemistry, biochemistry, genetics, molecular biology, immunology, cell and tissue culture and physiology. On the engineering side it leans heavily on process chemical and biochemical engineering since large scale cultivation of microorganisms and cells, their down stream processing are based on them.It comes to us as a great blessing. A branch of science that utilizes and manipulates microorganisms for the welfare of mankind is biotechnology. It uses technique that can modify the products, improve qualities of plants and animals and also products generated from microorganisms.
Biotechnology is the applicative part of biology that is multidisciplinary in activity. Everybody these days are aware of different vaccines, probiotic foods, genetically modified foods, biotechnological vegetables, different enzymes and medicines but very few know the technology associated behind these products.Biotechnology utilizes the technique called genetic engineering or recombinant DNA technology where a microorganism is isolated; its genetic material is cut, manipulated, sealed, again inserted in an organism and allowed to grow in a suitable environment under controlled conditions to get the desired product. It looks easy but is a very tedious job and it takes years for a research to achieve its goal.Humulin, the human insulin is a good example of biotechnological product.
Earlier insulin was isolated from pigs but now day’s insulin is produced by genetic engineering where microorganisms are responsible for the production of insulin. That’s why today the rate to insulin demand is equaled the production rate. Biotechnology has contributed towards the exploitation of biological organisms or biological processes through modern techniques, which could be profitably used in medicine, agriculture, animal husbandry and environmental cloning.History of Biotechnology: For thousands of years human beings have used microorganisms to make products – and in so doing have practised biotechnology.
Just as in the past the development of beer, bread and cheese were major breakthroughs, another revolution is now about to overtake medicine: compounds produced using biotechnological methods are opening up entirely new possibilities in medical diagnostics and therapy, and in so doing are bringing about a major restructuring of markets. Biotechnology has led to the development of antibiotics. In 1928, Alexander Fleming Alexander Fleming discovered the mold Penicillium Penicillium.His work led to the purification of the antibiotic by Howard Florey, Ernst Boris Chain and Norman Heatley penicillin penicillin. In 1940, penicillin became available for medicinal use to treat bacterial infections in humans. Rising demand for biofuels is expected to be good news for the biotechnology sector, with the Department of Energy Department of Energy estimating ethanol ethanol usage could reduce U.
S. petroleum-derived fuel consumption by up to 30% by 2030.The biotechnology sector has allowed the U.S. farming industry to rapidly increase its supply of corn and soybeans—the main inputs into biofuels—by developing genetically modified seeds which are resistant to pests and drought. By boosting farm productivity, biotechnology plays a crucial role in ensuring that biofuel production targets are met.
Impact of Biotechnology in Human welfare:Biotechnology has applications in four major industrial areas, including health care (medical), crop production and agriculture, non food (industrial) uses of crops and other products (e.g. biodegradable plastic, vegetable oil, biofuels) and environmental uses. A series of derived terms have been coined to identify several branches of biotechnology, for example:Red biotechnology is applied to medical processes. Some examples are the designing of organisms to produce antibiotics, and the engineering of genetic cures through genomic manipulation.Green biotechnology is biotechnology applied to agricultural processes.
An example is the designing of transgenic plants to grow under specific environmental conditions or in the presence (or absence) of certain agricultural chemicals.White biotechnology , also known as industrial biotechnology, is biotechnology applied to industrial processes. An example is the designing of an organism to produce a useful chemical. Another example is the using of enzymes as industrial catalysts to either produce valuable chemicals or destroy hazardous/polluting chemicals.
Blue biotechnology is a term that has been used to describe the marine and aquatic applications of biotechnology, but its use is relatively rare.Biotechnology in Medicine: Biotechnology is a very vast field and its applications are used in various fields of science such medicine. Medicine is using biotechnology techniques so much in diagnosing and treating different diseases. It also gives opportunities for the people to protect themselves from dangerous diseases.
The field of biotechnology, genetic engineering, has introduced techniques like gene therapy, recombinant DNA technology and polymerase chain reaction which use genes and DNA molecules to diagnose diseases and insert new and healthy genes in the body which replace the damaged cells. There are some applications of biotechnology which are playing their part in the field of medicine and giving good results:Pharmacogenomics Gene therapy, and Genetic testing cloningPharmacogenomics:It is a word coined the word "pharmacology" and "genomics" comes from. Because of the relationship between pharmaceuticals and genetics study. To design and said that each person's genetic makeup to optimize the production of drugs is able to have their eyes pharmacogenomics.
Pharmacogenomics results in following advantages:Custom development of drugs. Use pharmacogenomics, pharmaceutical companies of protein drugs, enzymes and specific genes and diseases associated with RNA-based molecules can. Especially this - not only drugs but also to maximize the therapeutic effects of surrounding healthy cells reducing the damage had been promised. Determination of appropriate medication doses and more accurate way. One patient of genetics and how well doctors know the body can process and metabolize medicine will be able to identify.
Maximize the value of drugs and more likely to be less. To improve the drug discovery and is in the process.Possible treatments for easy searching of the target gene will be used. Many genes associated with diseases and disorders are. With modern biotechnology, these genes to develop effective new therapies in the form of an objective, which is an important drug discovery process can be used is small. Improving vaccines.
Vaccines Safe and can be designed through genetic engineering organisms produced by the change. Vaccines without the attendant risk of infection, the immune response should be brought to light. It is durable, easy to store, is cheaper and the potential of several strains of the pathogen at a time to engineer it.Genetic testing: Electrophoresis prison Genetic control of the direct examination of the DNA molecule itself is involved. A scientist of the mutated sequences of DNA samples for scanning a patient. The probes of the genome of a person in the middle of the base pairs will complete their search.
If the mutated sequence in the genome of the patient and the flag should check the barrier mutation is present. Researchers in a second type of gene in a patient for the disease in healthy individuals or their descendants, by comparing the sequence of DNA bases of the gene can test. Genetic testing is now used for:carrier selection, or an illness that must receive a copy of the gene affected individuals appear to recognize the disease for two copies; Confirmational diagnosis of symptomatic individualsSex determination; Forensic / identity testing; Newborn selection; Prenatal diagnosis of choice; - The principle of risk assessment of cancer in adults Presymptomatic testing; Adults - the beginning of the disturbances Presymptomatic testing for prediction.However, most of those used in developed countries already have some genetic tests are available.
The test is currently rare genetic disorders such as cystic fibrosis mutations, including sickle cell anemia, Huntington's disease and to identify relevant information available. Recently, more complex test conditions, and a handful of breast, ovarian, such as changes to the detection and colorectal cancer has developed. However, gene tests, and different people and different people may present a particular risk situation, because all the mutations are still too many to ignore them can not be identified.Gene therapy:A new gene, the modified DNA in a human cell to implement an adenovirus vector used is placed on. If treatment is successful, the new gene will make a functional protein.
The gene therapy or even therapy, genetics and treatment of diseases such as cancer and AIDS, acquired to complement or replace defective genes or to enhance general immune function of the project using the usual Genes can be done. The natural (ie, to the body) may be used or gametes (ie eggs and sperm) cells. Natural gene therapy in the genome of the recipient, but has changed with the change this new generation did not pass. Instead, germline gene therapy by parents of sperm and ova for their offspring for the purpose of the transmission change is change. Initially there is a gene therapy treatment are two ways to apply:East vivo, the "body" from the waist - the cells of the patient's blood or bone marrow are removed and grown in the laboratory. Then, a virus carrying the desired gene are in contact with.
The virus and cells that enter the cells of the desired gene becomes part of DNA. The cells in the laboratory to the patient by injection into a vein before being returned have been allowed to develop. Vivo, which "entity" within the meaning of - not the cells are removed from the body of the patient. Instead, the bodies, the cells of the body of the patient to achieve the desired gene are used.
