This presentation will give you an in-depth look at modern techniques and appliations of biotechnology. It will get you thinking about the potential for biotechnology to change your lives in the future. Please take Cornell Notes on the following slides.

1. Unit 1, Lesson 2
AOHS
Biotechnology
Modern Biotechnology
Copyright © 2014‒2016 NAF. All rights reserved.

2. Modern biotechnology has powerful methods
• Determining the order of DNA bases
• Used to detect genetic diseases (e.g., sickle cell anemia)
DNA Sequencing
• Moving genes between organisms
• Used to turn bacteria into natural factories (e.g., for
HGH)
Recombinant DNA technology (rDNA)
• Transferring a nucleus to a new cell
• Used to create clones (e.g., Dolly the sheep)
Somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT)
• Making millions of copies of a segment of DNA
• Important in forensic science (e.g, get crime scene DNA)
Polymerase chain reaction (PCR)

3. DNA sequencing determines the order of
nucleotide bases
• There are many
methods for
sequencing DNA
• Can tag each base
with a different
chemical label, then
read the order of labels
DNA sequencing with fluorescent dye
labels

4. The Human Genome Project was the biggest DNA
sequencing effort in history
The mouse genome has about 20,000 different genes.
How many genes do you think are in the human genome?
• Human Genome Project sequenced one complete set of
human DNA (a genome)
• A human genome = about 3 billion bases
• Sequence provides map of human genome
• Can tell where any DNA segment comes from
• Humans vary, but only 1 out of 300 bases is different, so
map still works
• Under 10% of genome is genes (make proteins)

5. DNA sequencing has gotten cheaper and faster
• Human Genome
Project = $2.7
billion and 13 years
• Your genome
today = $7,000 and
10 weeks
The dropping cost of sequencing a
human genome

6. Recombinant DNA (rDNA) moves genes
between organisms
Identify and isolate gene for
useful product (e.g., human
insulin production gene)
Cut open a circular bacterial
genome
Insert new gene
You have created a new
(recombinant) life form!
Bacteria will make a gene
product (e.g., human insulin)

7. rDNA has ethical and safety concerns
How do you feel about using rDNA to make pets? How is this
similar to and different from using selective breeding?
In the 1970s, the scientific
community developed guidelines
on safe and ethical use of rDNA.
But could rDNA still be used to
create super organisms or
devastating biological weapons?
Are current applications of rDNA
acceptable? Colored rDNA fish
are for sale, and rDNA cats are in
progress.
The color of these GloFish™ is
due to a gene transferred from
jellyfish.

8. Somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT) is used in
cloning and stem cell research
Cloned cells can be implanted in a surrogate mother
to produce an infant, or separated and used in stem
cell research.
Dolly, the first cloned
mammal, was produced
using SCNT.

9. The polymerase chain reaction (PCR) copies DNA
PCR is an artificial method of
duplicating DNA
Primers (short segments of
DNA) determine which DNA
segment to duplicate
Enzyme (Taq) catalyzes
replication of DNA segment
Repeated cycles =
millions of copies of
DNA segment

10. Biotechnology helps detect and treat disease
Some medical
applications of
biotechnology:
Detect genetic diseases (DNA
sequencing)
Sequence cancer tumors to determine
the best drug to use against them
(PCR, DNA sequencing)
Use bacteria as factories to produce
drugs (rDNA)
Clone patient’s cells to grow custom
replacement tissue (SCNT)

11. Agricultural
applications of
biotechnology:
Produce crops resistant to disease and
pests (rDNA)
Produce foods with better nutritional
content and longer shelf life (rDNA)
Determine the source of bacterial
contamination of food (PCR, DNA
sequencing)
Biotechnology helps feed a growing population
How do you feel about using rDNA with crops and livestock? How is it
similar to and different from selective breeding?

12. Environmental
applications of
biotechnology:
Engineer organisms to detect and
remove pollution (rDNA)
Understand genetic diversity of
endangered species (PCR, DNA
sequencing)
Improved crops require fewer chemical
pesticides and fertilizers (rDNA)
Use plants, like soy, as fuel
Biotechnology helps protect the environment

13. Forensic science
applications of
biotechnology:
Use paternity testing to determine fatherhood
(DNA sequencing)
Compare DNA from a crime scene with DNA of
the suspect (PCR, DNA sequencing)
Identify victim remains in mass disasters and
missing person cases (PCR, DNA sequencing)
Determine if meat is from an
endangered species
(PCR, DNA sequencing)
Biotechnology helps solve crimes

14. Many biotechnology advances began as basic research
What are some arguments for and against the use of
tax dollars to support basic research in biotechnology?
Basic research is research aimed at understanding how things
work, without a goal of whether the results will have a real-world
application.
Most basic research is done in university labs and funded by the
government.
Basic research often leads to big advances in biotechnology that
do have real-world applications.
Determining the structure of DNA was basic research, as was the
initial development of rDNA.

15. Modern biotechnology methods have many applications
These methods are used in medicine, agriculture, environmental
work, forensic science, and other fields. Basic research
improves our understanding of biology and often generates
useful methods.
Four important
biotechnology
methods are:
DNA sequencing (determining the
order of DNA bases)
rDNA (moving genes between
organisms)
SCNT (transferring a nucleus to a new
cell)
PCR (copying DNA)