13.2 Biotechnology
Biotechnology is a rapidly advancing scientific field that applies technological methods to living organisms to produce useful biological products. It encompasses diverse disciplines colour-coded by specialisation, with major applications in agriculture, medicine, forensics, and environmental management.
Learning Objectives
- Define biotechnology and identify its colour-coded fields of activity.
- Explain the application of gene therapy in treating genetic diseases using viral vectors.
- Describe the steps and applications of DNA profiling in forensic investigations and parentage disputes.
- Explain how insect-tolerant plants (Bt crops) are produced and how they function.
- Describe the use of bioremediation, specifically Alcanivorax borkumensis, in treating oil spills.
- State the contributions and importance of biotechnology in agriculture, medicine, forensics, and environmental management.
Steps in the DNA Profiling Process
A sequential 7-step procedure from initial biological sample collection to the final processed X-ray film.
Short Explanation
Definition
Biotechnology is a field that utilises technology or methods to manipulate organisms for the production of biological products. Its aims are to improve the quality of livestock and crops, and to develop the application of microorganisms for specific purposes.
Colour Classification
Biotechnology is colour-coded by specialisation. The four main fields highlighted are green (improving agricultural products), white (industrial processes involving microorganisms), yellow (food and nutrition), and blue (marine biotechnology).
Gene Therapy
Gene therapy treats or prevents genetic diseases by inserting a normal gene into the patient to replace an abnormal gene. A virus acts as a vector to deliver the normal gene into the target cell.
DNA Profiling
DNA profiling identifies individuals based on their unique DNA bands. Restriction enzymes cut DNA into fragments, and gel electrophoresis separates those fragments according to size.
Bt Crops
Bt crops contain a gene from the soil bacterium Bacillus thuringiensis. The gene produces Bt toxins that damage the digestive system of feeding insect pests, killing them.
Bioremediation
Bioremediation uses bacteria to clean up environmental pollutants. Alcanivorax borkumensis relies on oil as its energy source to degrade marine oil spills.
CRISPR Technology
Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats (CRISPR) is an active research technology used to edit genomes during gene therapy.
Contributions of Biotechnology to Life
Biotechnology brings substantial benefits to agriculture, medicine, forensics, and environmental preservation.
- Tissue culture and cloning techniques expedite plant reproduction to produce high-grade livestock and crops.
- High-yielding and faster-maturing paddy varieties.
- Animal cloning enables mass reproduction of disease-resistant clones, such as Dolly the sheep.
- Hormones expedite animal growth and maturity.
- Modifies an individual's genetic content.
- Reduces the risk of mental diseases.
- Prevents specific diseases like cancer and inherited diseases.
- Helps individuals carrying dwarf genetics to have normal children.
- Assists mothers facing difficulty conceiving.
- Identifies criminals using biological tissues or body fluids such as blood, semen, skin, and hair follicles.
- Microbes expedite the decay of human-made waste products.
- Microbes degrade faeces completely.
- Reduces pollution to protect human health and the environment.
Try to Answer First
Answer in your mind, then press “Check Answer”.
What is the role of a virus in gene therapy?
Why are Bacillus thuringiensis genes transferred into crops such as cotton and corn?
What is bioremediation and which bacterium is used to treat marine oil spills?
Common Mistakes
- Confusing the role of restriction enzymes with gel electrophoresis: restriction enzymes cut DNA into fragments, while gel electrophoresis only separates those fragments according to size.
- Stating that identical twins have different DNA profiles: identical twins possess identical DNA sequences, making them the only exception where DNA profiles cannot distinguish between two individuals.
- Assuming Bt toxins kill pests by poisoning the soil: Bt toxins are produced internally by the genetically modified plant and kill pests only when the pests feed on the plant tissue, affecting their digestive system.
Concept Misunderstandings
Gene therapy alters every single gene in the human body.
Gene therapy specifically targets abnormal or defective disease-causing genes in targeted cells by inserting a functional normal copy of that particular gene.
Bioremediation introduces toxic chemicals into seawater to dissolve oil slicks.
Bioremediation is an eco-friendly biological technique using living bacteria, such as Alcanivorax borkumensis, that naturally utilise oil as an energy source to break it down.
Summary
- Biotechnology is the manipulation of biological organisms to generate useful products across multiple colour-coded disciplines.
- Gene therapy cures or prevents genetic disorders, such as cystic fibrosis and muscular dystrophy, by replacing defective genes with normal genes via viral vectors.
- DNA profiling identifies individuals by extracting DNA, cutting it with restriction enzymes, separating fragments with gel electrophoresis, and hybridising with radioactive probes on a nylon membrane.
- Bt crops contain a gene from Bacillus thuringiensis that produces pest-destroying toxins, reducing pesticide dependency.
- Bioremediation employs bacteria like Alcanivorax borkumensis to break down crude oil spills in marine environments.
- Biotechnology brings substantial benefits to agriculture, medicine, forensics, and environmental preservation.
Short Activity
Objective: test your understanding of biotechnology applications and terms.
A. Objective Quiz
Which bacterium is inserted into plant genomes to produce insect-tolerant crops such as Bt cotton and Bt corn?
What is the primary function of gel electrophoresis in the DNA profiling process?
B. Fill in the Blanks
The method that utilizes bacteria such as Alcanivorax borkumensis to clean up environmental pollutants and oil spills in the ocean is known as .
In gene therapy, a normal gene is delivered into a patient's cell to replace an abnormal gene by using a as a vector.
C. Matching / Drag and Drop
Drag each biotechnology application or term to its correct description. On a phone, tap a choice first, then tap the matching box. Tap the Answer Choices area to return a selected item.
C. Match the Term to Its Description
Write the correct term next to each description.
| Description | Term |
|---|---|
| 1. Inserting a normal gene via a virus to treat diseases like cystic fibrosis | |
| 2. Identifying individuals based on unique DNA band patterns from biological samples | |
| 3. Using bacteria to break down crude oil molecules and ocean pollutants | |
| 4. Plant engineered with bacterial genes to secrete toxins that kill insect pests |
Answer choices: Gene therapy • DNA profiling • Bioremediation • Bt crop
