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Biotechnology

Biotechnology involves the use of living organisms and biological systems for various applications in medicine, agriculture, industry, and the environment. It has historical roots in traditional methods like fermentation and has evolved into modern techniques such as genetic engineering and cloning. Key areas include medical applications like insulin production and gene therapy, agricultural advancements through GM crops, and ethical considerations surrounding GMOs and cloning.

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8 views6 pages

Biotechnology

Biotechnology involves the use of living organisms and biological systems for various applications in medicine, agriculture, industry, and the environment. It has historical roots in traditional methods like fermentation and has evolved into modern techniques such as genetic engineering and cloning. Key areas include medical applications like insulin production and gene therapy, agricultural advancements through GM crops, and ethical considerations surrounding GMOs and cloning.

Uploaded by

memonsaba373
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We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Chapter: Biotechnology – Key Notes

1. Definition of Biotechnology
• Biotechnology is the use of living
organisms, cells, or biological systems
to develop products or processes for
specific use.
• It integrates biology with technology
for medical, agricultural, industrial, and
environmental applications.

2. Historical Background
• Traditional biotechnology: Use of
microbes in fermentation (e.g. making
bread, yogurt, alcohol).
• Modern biotechnology: Based on
genetic engineering, tissue culture,
cloning, and recombinant DNA
technology.
3. Branches of Biotechnology

Branch. Focus Area


Red Biotechnology. Medical field.
vaccines, antibiotics, gene therapy

Green Biotechnology. Agriculture –


GM crops, pest-resistant plants

White Biotechnology. Industrial


biofuels, enzymes in detergents

Blue Biotechnology. Marine


resources – medicines from aquatic life

4. Tools of Modern Biotechnology


• Genetic Engineering: Direct
manipulation of DNA to alter genetic
makeup.
• Recombinant DNA Technology:
Combining DNA from two different
species.
• Restriction Enzymes: Molecular
scissors that cut DNA at specific sites.
• DNA Ligase: Enzyme that joins DNA
fragments.
• Vectors: DNA carriers (e.g., plasmids,
viruses) used to transfer genes.
• PCR (Polymerase Chain Reaction):
Amplifies a small DNA segment into
millions of copies.
• Gel Electrophoresis: Separates DNA
fragments based on size.

5. Applications of Biotechnology

Medical
• Insulin Production: Human insulin
produced by genetically engineered
bacteria.
• Vaccines: Hepatitis B vaccine via
recombinant technology.
• Gene Therapy: Replacing defective
genes in diseases like SCID.
• Diagnosis: PCR-based diagnosis of
genetic disorders and infections.

Agriculture
• GM Crops: Pest-resistant (Bt cotton),
drought-tolerant, vitamin-rich (Golden
Rice).
• Tissue Culture: Growing plants from
cells for rapid propagation.

Industrial
• Enzyme Production: Detergent
enzymes, cheese-making enzymes.
• Biofuels: Ethanol from sugarcane,
biodiesel from algae.

Environment
• Bioremediation: Using microbes to
clean oil spills, toxic waste.
• Bio-pesticides and Bio-fertilizers:
Environmentally friendly farming.

6. Cloning
• Cloning is the production of
genetically identical copies.
• Types:
• Gene cloning: Copying genes.
• Therapeutic cloning: Producing
tissues/organs.
• Reproductive cloning: Creating whole
organisms (e.g., Dolly the sheep, 1996).

7. Ethical Issues in Biotechnology


• GMO safety: Impact on health and
environment.
• Gene editing risks: Unintended
mutations.
• Cloning ethics: Moral concerns over
human cloning.
• Bio-patenting: Ownership of genes
and living organisms.
8. Future Prospects
• CRISPR technology: Precise gene
editing tool.
• Personalized medicine: Tailored
treatment based on genetic makeup.
• Synthetic biology: Designing new
biological systems from scratch.

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