Biotechnology and its applications

2. AHMAD BUKHARI
M.S Natural Sciences (SA-CIRBS)
Islamic International University
Islamabad 8/20/2020
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3. 8/20/2020
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4. Introduction
Biotechnology is an interdisciplinary science including not only biology, but
also subjects like
 mathematics,
 physics,
 Chemistry,
 and engineering.
Biotechnology is the use of biological processes, organisms, or systems
to manufacture products intended to improve the quality of human life.
The earliest biotechnologists were farmers who developed improved
species of plants and animals by cross pollenization or cross breeding.
In recent years, biotechnology has expanded in sophistication, scope, and
applicability.
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5. Monoclonal
Antibodies
Molecular
Biology
Cell
Culture
Genetic
Engineering
Anti-cancer drugs
Diagnostics
Culture of plants
from single cells
Transfer of new
genes into animal
organisms
Synthesis of
specific DNA
probes
Localisation of
genetic disorders
Tracers
Cloning
Gene therapy
Mass prodn. of
human proteins
Resource bank
for rare human
chemicals
Synthesis
of new
proteins
New
antibiotics
New types of
plants and
animals
New types
of food
DNA
technology
Crime solving
Banks of
DNA, RNA
and proteins
Complete
map of the
human
genome 8/20/2020
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6. Application
of Biotechnology in
Different Field
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7. Food Biotechnology
 Food biotechnology is the
application of technology to
modify
 genes of animals,
 plants,
 and microorganisms
 to create new species
which have desired
production,
 for marketing,
 or nutrition related
properties.
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8. 1) Extended Shelf Life
 The first steps in genetic
modification were for food
producers to ensure larger
profits by keeping food
fresher, longer.
 This allowed for further
travel too and longer
availability at markets, etc…
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9. Example: Long Shelf Tomatoes
 These genetically modified
tomatoes promise less waste and
higher profits.
 Typically, tomatoes produce a
protein that softens them after
they have been picked.
 Scientists can now introduce a
gene into a tomato plant that
blocks synthesis of the softening
protein.
 Without this protein, the
genetically altered tomato softens
more slowly than a regular
tomato, enabling farmers to
harvest it at its most flavorful and
nutritious vine-ripe stage.
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10. 2) Efficient Food Processing
 By genetically modifying food
producing organisms, the
wait time and quantity of
certain food processing
necessities are optimized.
 Again this is a money saver.
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11. Example: Rennin Production
 The protein rennin is used to
coagulate milk in the
production of cheese.
 Rennin has traditionally been
made in the stomachs of
calves which is a costly
process.
 Now scientists can insert a
copy of the rennin gene into
bacteria and then use
bacterial cultures to mass
produce rennin.
 This saves time, money,
space and animals.
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12. Medical biotechnology
Medical biotechnology also refers as red biotechnology.
Medical processes such as
getting organisms to produce new drugs,
or using stem cells to regenerate damaged human tissues
and perhaps re-grow entire organs.
The main reason for medical biotechnology
is to prolong life.
to ease suffering of palliative care patients
to increase accessibility for people with disabilities
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13. 1) Monoclonal Antibodies (mAb)
 They are so called because
they are clones of an
individual parent cell.
 Remember, antibodies are
specific proteins that target
pathogens invading our body.
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14. 1) Monoclonal Antibodies (mAb)
 This technology is used
primarily to fight off cancer
cells as these monoclonal
antibodies can be “trained” to
target markers that show up
on cancer cells.
 The mAbs will then destroy
the cancer cell and go looking
for more.
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15. 2) Bioprocessing
 Bioprocessing is the mass
production of human proteins,
vaccines, etc… by genetically
modifying bacteria or viruses.
 This allows for a large
quantity of the desired
product to be created in a
short amount of time and for a
relatively low cost.
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16. 2) Bioprocessing
 The main product currently
bioprocessed is insulin, the
human protein responsible for
lowering blood sugar after
eating.
 The human gene for insulin is
placed into bacteria, these are
cultured and allowed to
produce insulin which is
collected, purified and sold to
the millions of diabetics
worldwide.
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17. 3) Stem Cells
 A stem cell is a cell that has
the potential to become any
cell type in the human body.
 Everyone has stem cells, but
they are very hard to access.
 The easiest place to get stem
cells is from an embryo.
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18. 3) Stem Cells
 Stem cells are introduced into
a damaged area of the body
where, under the right
conditions, will replace the
damaged area.
 Often times stem cells are
grown in a lab first to ensure
the right conditions and then
placed into a sick person.
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19. 4) Tissue Engineering
 A form of regenerative
medicine, tissue engineering
is the creation of human
tissue outside the body for
later replacement.
 Usually occurs on a tissue
scaffold, but can be grown
on/in other organisms as
shown on the right.
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20. 4) Tissue Engineering
 Tissue engineers have
created artificial skin, cartilage
and bone marrow.
 Current projects being
undertaken include creating
an artificial liver, pancreas
and bladder.
 Again, we are far from
replacing a whole organ, but
just looking for “refurbishing”
our slightly used ones at the
moment.
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21. Environmental Biotechnology
 Environmental biotechnology
is the solving of
environmental problems
through the application of
biotechnology.
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22. Why environmental biotechnology?
 It is needed to:
 eliminate the hazardous
wastes produced by our
other technologies.
 distinguish between
similar species and
ensure species are not at
risk of extinction.
 create alternative energy
sources (i.e. Biofuel).
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23. 1) Bioremediation
 Bioremediation is the use of
bacteria (or fungi) to clean up
hazardous environmental
wastes.
 The bacteria essentially turn
the dangerous waste products
into less hazardous, easy to
dispose of, waste.
 Plants are also being tested in
some areas to do this job
(Sunflowers at Chernobyl
removed Cesium and
Strontium).
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24. 2) Biosensors
 A biosensor uses a biological
entity (i.e. bacteria) to
monitor levels of certain
chemicals.
 OR uses of chemicals to
monitor levels of certain
biological entities (i.e.
pathogens).
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25. 2) Biosensors
 Current uses of biosensors
include:
 Detecting levels of toxins
in an ecosystem
 Detecting airborne
pathogens (i.e. anthrax)
 Monitoring blood glucose
levels
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26. 3) Biofuels
 A biofuel is a plant derived
fuel that is deemed more
environmentally friendly that
current fuel sources as they
all release less carbon dioxide
into the atmosphere.
 Ethanol from corn is placed in
many gasoline varieties in
North America.
 Biodiesel is fuel made from
used cooking oil.
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27. Industrial Biotechnology
also known as white biotechnology.
It is a multidisciplinary technology and includes the integrated
application of disciplines such as
biochemistry,
microbiology,
molecular genetics and
process technology
to develop useful processes and products, based on microbial,
animal or plant cells, their organelles or enzymes as biocatalysts.
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28.  Industrial biotechnology is used to
produce a wide variety of bulk and
fine chemicals like
alcohol,
lactic acid,
citric acid,
vitamins,
amino acids,
solvents.
antibiotics,
biopolymers,
bio-pesticides,
industrial enzymes,
steroids, etc
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29. A vast range of useful products can be produced by industrial
biotechnology. These fall within the categories of :
fine chemicals,
pharmaceuticals,
food additives and supplements,
vitamins,
pesticides,
bio-plastics,
solvents,
bulk chemicals and
biofuels
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