HUM 101 Spring semester 2013-2014

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

Lecturer: Faruk Berat AKCESME (MSc)

BIOTECHNOLOGY • Biotechnology is the use of living systems and

organisms to develop or make useful products, or "any technological application that uses biological systems, living organisms or derivatives thereof, to make or modify products or processes for specific use.

Here we see bean has many seed coat colors and patterns in nature

Nature has a rich source of variation

BIOTECHNOLOGY

Blue Biotechnology

Green Biotechnology

Red Biotechnology

White Biotechnology

Blue Biotechnology/Marine Biotechnology

To describe the marine and aquatic applications of biotechnology, but its

use is relatively rare.

 the application of molecular and cellular biology to marine and fresh water

organisms for the purpose of identifying, developing, and enhancing

products derived from these organisms

Green Biotechnology /Plant Biotechnology

Applied to agricultural processes.

Examples:

• domestication of plants

via micropropagation

• designing of transgenic plants to grow

under specific environments in the

presence (or absence) of chemicals.

Green biotechnology might produce more environmentally friendly

solutions than traditional industrial agriculture

Red biotechnology/Medical biotechnology

Applied to medical processes. Examples:

• examples are the designing of organisms to produce antibiotics

White Biotechnology/Industrial biotechnology

 Applied to industrial processes

Example:

• designing of an organism to produce a useful chemical

• using of enzymes as industrial catalysts to either produce

valuable chemicals or destroy hazardous/polluting chemicals

An industrial biotechnology plant for the production of modified wheat starch and

gluten

Pioneers in Biotechnology

Antony van Leeuwenhoek 1675 Discovers bacteria using a simple

microscope

Gregor Mendel 1863

Austrian monk who conducted the first genetics experiments using pea plants in the mid 1800s.

Often considered the founder of genetics.

Louis Pasteur 1870’s Disproved the notion of

spontaneous generation, describing the role of bacteria in spoilage and the scientific basis for fermentation

Created the rabies vaccine

Robert Hooke 1665 Invented the compound light

microscope First to observe cells in cork

James Watson & Francis Crick

1953 Englishmen

responsible for the discovery of the double helix structure of DNA using X-ray photographs

Paul Berg 1972 Stanford University

scientist who first developed recombinant DNA technology, a method for insertion of genetic material from one organism into another.

Historical Development of

Biotechnolgoy

1750 B.C. Origins of “biotechnology” emerge in

methods of food production and plant and animal breeding• Use of bacteria to produce cheese (food

preservation)• Use of natural enzymes in yogurt• Use of yeast to produce bread• Use of fermentation for producing wine and

beer

1869 DNA is discovered in trout sperm by

German Miescher

1919 The word “biotechnology” is first

used by a Hungarian agricultural engineer.

1940’s-1950’s Widespread work is undertaken to

investigate the structure and function of DNA

1980 The U.S.

Supreme Court approves the patenting of genetically altered organisms.

1980’s-1990’s A variety of GMO’s and biotechnology

techniques are introduced in fields from agriculture to medicine• Recombinant DNA technology-extracts DNA

from one organism for use in another, allowing more rapid and specific improvements in plants and animals

• Plant Tissue Culture-gains widespread acceptance as a method to quickly and cheaply produce genetically identical plants

1990’s First transgenic organisms (GMO’s)

are introduced in widespread agricultural production, particularly in the area of crops.• Bt corn and soybeans are introduced

offering “natural” insect resistance by the introduction of a gene from the bacterium Baccillus thuringensis

1997 Dolly is the first animal cloned from

diploid cells is produced in Scotland

Late 1990’s-Early 2000’s Human cloning

is outlawed in the U.S. and the first concerns over the use of human stem cells in research begin to arise.

Genetically modified Organism Also called genetically modified organisms (GMO), or GE foods

(Genetically engineered).

Created by inserting DNA from one organism into another (I.e. fish

genes into apples) OR modifying an organism’s DNA to attain a

desirable trait. (I.e. a tomato with reversed DNA to slow down

ripening).

Examples of GMO In 1994, the Flavr Savr tomato was introduced as the first GM food. It is

supposed to be“tastier, firmer and fresher” than the average tomato.

Golden rice – enriched rice containing beta-carotene (Vitamin A). This

vitamin is not found in normal rice.

Bt corn – corn containing a chemical normally found in bacteria (Bacillus

thuringiensis). This is toxic to insects, not humans. Insects try to eat the

plant and die.

Herbicide resistant plants (roundup ready corn). These plants are immune

to a certain herbicide, so they live while all the other plants in the field are

killed.

What is benefits?

Reduces the use of pesticide

Decreases soil erosion

Helps protect water

Conserves land & fossil fuels

What is benefits?

• Farmers are able to see higher crop

yields with biotechnology crops due

to:

• Less competition in the field between crop

and weeds;

• Less crop loss due to insect damage or

plant disease.