Biotechnology,
Genetic Engineering and Cloning in Biology.. Are they the same? These
terms are easily confused by my students. Or maybe, these fields are not
really understood by them. So, my dear students.. wait no more..
Biotechnology
has been around almost as long as the human species. The first attempts
at agriculture involved the spreading of seeds on the ground and the
harvesting of the plants that grew from them. Over time they noticed
that certain plants from the same species had superior characteristics.
By selecting seeds from these desirable plants they were able to produce
a greater amount of high quality food. Similar practices led to the
development of many breeds of domestic animals. For example the domestic
cow has been developed to produce good milk or meat. The biological
processes of microorganisms were used for 6,000 years to make useful
food products, such as bread and cheese, and to preserve dairy products
and crops.
Early examples of biotechnology involved manipulating entire organisms. Today it is possible to manipulate organisms at the molecular level. During the 1960s and '70s the understanding of biology reached a point where began the use of the smallest parts of organisms, their cells and molecules, in addition to using whole organisms. The biological molecules most often used are nucleic acids, such as DNA, and proteins. The concept of the gene has changed from that of particles or 'unit characters' to that of segments of the DNA molecule. Bioengineering involves the manipulation of specific genes. For example the gene for human growth hormone can be extracted and inserted into bacteria that will in turn manufacture the hormone.
Early examples of biotechnology involved manipulating entire organisms. Today it is possible to manipulate organisms at the molecular level. During the 1960s and '70s the understanding of biology reached a point where began the use of the smallest parts of organisms, their cells and molecules, in addition to using whole organisms. The biological molecules most often used are nucleic acids, such as DNA, and proteins. The concept of the gene has changed from that of particles or 'unit characters' to that of segments of the DNA molecule. Bioengineering involves the manipulation of specific genes. For example the gene for human growth hormone can be extracted and inserted into bacteria that will in turn manufacture the hormone.
Biotechnology: A Collection of Technologies
Better
meaning of the word biotechnology can be derived by simply changed
singular noun to its plural form; 'biotechnologies', because
biotechnology is a collection of technologies using cells and biological
molecules.
Cells
and molecules are extraordinarily specific in their interactions.
Because of this specificity, the tools and techniques of biotechnology
are quite precise and are tailored to operate in known, predictable
ways. As a result, the products of biotechnology will be better targeted
to solving specific problems, generating lesser side effects and having
fewer unintended consequences. Specific, precise, and predictable are
the words that best describe today's biotechnology.
What are some technologies included in Biotechnology?
- Fermentation
- Cell and Tissue Culture
- Genetic Modification or recombinant DNA technology
- Genetic engineering technology
- Antisense technology
- Protein engineering technology
- Monoclonal antibody technology
- Biosensor technology
- DNA fingerprinting and diagnostic techniques
- Biodegradation
