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BiotechnologyBiotechnology

IntroductionIntroduction

Biotechnology is a tool of agriscience Promises unprecedented advancements Has real dangers Definition of Biotechnology

Historic ApplicationsHistoric Applications

Living organisms have been used for centuries to alter and improve the quality and types of food for humans and animals

Yeast to make bread rise Bacteria to ferment sauerkraut Bacteria to produce cheese and other dairy

products Microorganisms to make alcoholic beverages Bacteria in silage production

Improving Plant and Animal Performance

Improving Plant and Animal Performance

Improvement by Selection

Improvement by Genetics

Improvement by Biotechnology

Improvement by SelectionImprovement by Selection

Soon followed domestication of the dog, horse, sheep, goat, ox and other animals thousands of years ago

Purchasing, selling, bartering and trading got people animals with desirable traits

Mating plants and animals with desirable traits resulted in selective breeding

Historical evidence in the development of the horse

Improvement by GeneticsImprovement by Genetics

Gregor Johann Mendel Austrian Monk who is credited with discovering

the affect of genetics on plant characteristics Experimented with garden peas Published findings in 1866 People didn’t pay much attention

Improvement by GeneticsImprovement by Genetics

Mendel’s work would have been lost if not recorded

1900 other scientist reviewed, built upon his observations, and conclusions

Today Gregor Johann Mendel is credited for discovering the principles of heredity

Improvement by BiotechnologyImprovement by Biotechnology

Improvement by manipulating the genetic content of cells

Permits more choices for the researcher, more rapid observation of results

New capability with amazing implications

DNA - Genetic Code of LifeDNA - Genetic Code of Life

Over 300,000 kinds of plants

Over 1 million kinds of animals

All are different in some ways

All plants and animals are alike in some ways

All contain DNA


Cloning is common scientific knowledge Early 1980’s Genetic Engineering developed Discovery credited to James Watson and

Francis Crick. Rosalind Franklin actually deserves most of the

credit. function composition transmitter of hereditary information


DNA occurs in pairs of strands intertwined Connected by chemicals called bases Likened to the two sides of a wire ladder Bases likened to the rungs and include:

Adenine (A) Guanine (G) Cytosine (C) Thymine (T)


Examples of traits: hair color tendency for baldness height of plants at maturity tendency of females to have twins

Gene Splicing Gene Mapping

Solving Problems with Microbes

Solving Problems with Microbes

Microscopic plants and animals lend themselves to genetic engineering

Produce quickly and can be genetically engineered to produce products needed by other plants, animals, and humans

One of first commercial products was insulin Used by people with diabetes to control their

blood sugar levels

Improving Plants and AnimalsImproving Plants and Animals

1988- first use of ice-minus 1988 use of genetically altered bacteria for

Dutch Elm Disease BST and PST Roundup and Liberty Ready corn and

soybeans BT Corn

Improving Plants and AnimalsImproving Plants and Animals

Genetic engineering and other forms of biotechnology hold great promise in controlling: Diseases Insects Weeds Other pests

Environment will be enhanced

Waste ManagementWaste Management

Environmental Pollution is a major problem

Landfills are becoming full Old dump sites are

creating problems Waste is piling up Sewage and chemical

disposal is a constant problem

Waste ManagementWaste Management

Genetically altered bacteria are used to feed on oil slicks and spills

Bacteria are being developed to decompose or deactivate dioxin, PCBs, insecticides, herbicides, and other chemicals

Bacteria are under development to convert solid wastes into sugars and fuel

Safety in BiotechnologySafety in Biotechnology

Federal and state governments monitor biotechnology closely

Fear of genetically modified organisms

Policies, procedures and laws have been developed

Gaining in public confidence

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