Summary
Summary Biotechnology :the future of medicine, agriculture and beyond
- Course
- Institution
Biotechnology is the fusion of science, technology and innovation.
[Show more]
Seller
Follow
Biobudddyy
Content preview
Biotechnology and its ApplicationsGenetically Engineered Crops
● Genetically engineered crops have desirable genes (as of insect/pest
resistance, giving better yield) incorporated in them.
● Genetically modified crops have
○ more tolerance to abiotic stresses such as cold, drought, salinity,
heat, etc.
○ insect/pest resistance
○ reduced postharvest losses
○ efficient mineral usage by plants
○ enhanced nutritional value (e.g., Vitamin A rich rice)
Bt
Cotton
● Bacillus thuringiensis
is a bacterium that produces proteins to kill
certain insects such as lepidopterans (armyworm), coleopterans
(beetles), and dipterans (flies/ mosquitoes).
B. thuringiensis
produces
a protein crystal containing a toxic protein (inactivated state).
● Inactivated toxin Activated toxin (gut of insect)
● Activated toxin binds to the epithelial cells in the midgut of insect and
creates pores that cause lyses and swelling and eventually death of
insect.
● This toxin is encoded by a gene called
Cry
in the bacterium. Genes
encoded by
Cry IAc
and
Cry II
Ab
control cotton bollworms and those
encoded by
Cry IAb
control corn borer.
● Cry genes are introduced into the cotton plants to produce
Bt
cotton,
which is an insect resistant variety of cotton.
RNA Interference (RNAi
)
● RNAi is a method adopted to prevent infestation of roots of tobacco
plants by a nematode
Meloidegyne incognitia
.
● In RNAi, a complementary RNA binds to mRNA to form a ds RNA,
, which cannot translate and hence, its expression is blocked
(Silencing).
● This complementary mRNA may come from
○ infection by RNA viruses
○ transposons (mobile genetic elements)
● RNAi exists naturally in eukaryotes as a method of cellular defence.
● Nematode specific genes (DNA) were introduced in the host plant.
● The introduced DNA forms both sense and antisense RNA.
● Two strands being complementary to each other bend and form ds
RNA, leading to RNAi.
● mRNA of nematode is silenced and the parasite cannot survive in the
transgenic host.
Applications of Biotechnology in Medicine
Recombinant Therapeutics
● With the help of RDT, mass production of efficient therapeutic drugs
can be accomplished.
● These are safe and do not induce unwanted immunological response.
Genetically Engineered Insulin
● Insulin is in great demand due to increase in number of patients with
adult onset diabetes.
● Insulin extracted from animal source (example, slaughtered cattle and
pigs) induce allergy in humans.
● Insulin as a proenzyme consists of 3 peptide chains − A, B, and C.
● Proenzyme insulin Mature insulin
● Mature insulin consists of only two peptide chains − A and B. Both
these chains were separately isolated and introduced in plasmids of
E.
coli
to produce insulin chains.
● Separately produced chains A and B were extracted and combined by
creating a disulphide bond to form mature human insulin.
Gene Therapy
The benefits of buying summaries with Stuvia:
Guaranteed quality through customer reviews
Stuvia customers have reviewed more than 700,000 summaries. This how you know that you are buying the best documents.
Quick and easy check-out
You can quickly pay through credit card or Stuvia-credit for the summaries. There is no membership needed.
Focus on what matters
Your fellow students write the study notes themselves, which is why the documents are always reliable and up-to-date. This ensures you quickly get to the core!
Frequently asked questions
What do I get when I buy this document?
You get a PDF, available immediately after your purchase. The purchased document is accessible anytime, anywhere and indefinitely through your profile.
Satisfaction guarantee: how does it work?
Our satisfaction guarantee ensures that you always find a study document that suits you well. You fill out a form, and our customer service team takes care of the rest.
Who am I buying these notes from?
Stuvia is a marketplace, so you are not buying this document from us, but from seller Biobudddyy. Stuvia facilitates payment to the seller.
Will I be stuck with a subscription?
No, you only buy these notes for $9.39. You're not tied to anything after your purchase.
Can Stuvia be trusted?
4.6 stars on Google & Trustpilot (+1000 reviews)
64438 documents were sold in the last 30 days
Founded in 2010, the go-to place to buy study notes for 14 years now