Biotechnology

• the combination of biology and technology has been making many products better for many years.

• Products such as bread, cheese, and yogurt by using the best ingredients to make the best products.

Selective Breeding • many meat products have been bred to

contain less fat. • In addition, many of the fruits and

vegetables we consume have been selectively bred to be larger, sweeter, hardier, and even juicier.

How do farmers selectively breed their livestock and

crops?• Out of thousands of bean plants, they might

select a plant that produces many pods and then breed it with a bean plant that resists fungus infections; hoping for a plant which produces many pods and is resistant to fungus infections.

Genetic Engineering

• A new technology that humans can use in order to alter genetic instructions (DNA) in organisms.

• Usually done to give them more desirable traits.

• Aka: Gene Manipulation.

Is this a new technology?

• The idea of altering the DNA is new; the idea to alter organisms is not new.

• Old Technology = select the best plants or animals and breed them with a desirable mate (Example: race horses or dogs) Aka: Selective Breeding.

• New Technology = scientists could add better genes (pieces of DNA) to an organism to give it better traits like bigger muscles. Aka: Genetic Engineering.

How is it done?

Animal cell

Bacterial cell

DNA (AKA: plasmid)

DNA

Restriction Enzyme (cuts the DNA)

Recombinant DNA

1. a restriction enzyme is used to cut a segment of DNA from a human cell. (This segment has the desired gene)

2. a circular piece is cut away from the bacteria’s DNA.

3. when the piece of human DNA is mixed with the bacteria’s DNA, they join in a closed loop.

4. The closed loop is inserted into another bacteria cell.

5. The DNA produces the mRNA with the correct sequence of bases, which in turn leads to the production of the correct protein. The DNA, RNA and protein will be produced every time the cell divides.

How is Gene Engineering used?

• It is used to produce human insulin for Diabetics:• Previously, diabetics injected horse insulin, which

would lower their blood sugar levels. • Now, scientists can inject insulin-producing genes

into bacteria, and the bacteria produce the insulin, which diabetics can use.

• This is a cheaper way to obtain insulin because it can be produced in greater amounts and there are smaller risks of side effects since the gene making the insulin is a human gene.

• It is also used to create fruits and vegetables with desirable characteristics: such as a tomato with a gene inserted that prevents the tomato from freezing (that scientists took the gene out of a flounder cell)

• NOTE: there is a fear that if this technology is in the wrong hands it can be used improperly…such as producing “designer babies.”

• Parents would be able to select the best traits for the baby and then have the genes inserted into the zygote (when it’s only one cell big - like in the movie GATTACA).

ANY COLOR EYES, HAIR

OR SKIN YOU WANT!

Cloning

• The process of making a genetically identical organism through nonsexual means.

• Scientists have had limited success cloning animals. It took 276 attempts to successfully clone Dolly the sheep and she didn’t live very long…she aged too fast and then died.

How does it work?

Frog Egg Cell

(½ DNA)

Frog Skin Cell

(Complete DNA)

Remove nucleus

Remove nucleus

Frog Egg Cell(NO

DNA)

Frog Nucleus

(Complete DNA)

Frog Skin Nucleus

(Complete DNA)

Frog Egg Cell Put in the

right conditions

(Temp, nutrients, pH, etc)

Divides by mitosis and grows into a

baby organism

DNA Fingerprinting (aka: Electrophoresis)

• The key to DNA evidence lies in comparing the DNA left at the scene of a crime with a suspect's DNA.

• The scientist removes the parts of the DNA that is the same in all humans.

• Then, they cut the DNA at specific places with restriction enzymes.

• The tiny pieces of DNA are put into a tray filled with gel and the scientist applies a current to the gel.

• The current “pulls” the fragments of DNA through the gel.

• It is just like Chromatography (the smaller pieces travel the farthest and the bigger pieces barely move at all).

• The DNA pieces form “bands” and the scientist compares these bands to bands from another person’s DNA or to DNA left at the scene.

Paternity Testing

• Using DNA fingerprinting and electrophoresis to determine the parents of a child.

• It is important to remember that the child’s DNA came from both of the parents…50% from mom; 50% from dad…and the DNA fingerprint should reflect this.

DADDY!