Biotechnology is a recently developed technology concerned with application of living cells or tissues or their components for the benefits of mankind and thus it is a package term- for Biological technology (-a technology based on application of living organisms). It is a multidisciplinary approach using knowledge of microbiology, tissue, culture, genetic engineering and chemical engineering. It is a most vibrant discipline of modern molecular genetics.
The science of biotechnology is only 2-3 decades old but its contribution in medical sciences, agriculture, environmental protection and pollution abatement are noteworthy. It has helped in in vitro synthesis of human insulin, interferon vaccines, monoclonal antibodies, antibiotics of latest generation and purification of drugs for cure of human diseases. It has produced high yielding plants, genetically modified or transgenic plants (plants carrying suitable foreign genes) and disease resistant plants for various agricultural operations. Genetically modified plants have shown their capacity of nitrogen fixation (when nif- genes were inserted), insect repelling capacity (when bt- genes were introduced in cottons) and vitamin synthesizing ability (when vitamin A gene was inserted in paddy). Superbag has been created using plasmids of many varieties of Pseudomonas putida to deal with oil solution problem in ocean due to leakage in oil tankers.
In Gene biotechnology, suitable techniques are developed to synthesis gene/s in vitro, either by chemical synthesis method (as was used by Dr. Har govind khurana for synthesizing first gene in vitro ) or by using DNA or RNA obtained from the organism themselves (i.e from natural source). It needs a well organized Molecular biology lab, with facilites of gel electrophoresis, southern blotting, autoradiography, recombinant DNA technology, gene synthesis, PCR technique, tissue culture technique, etc
Recombinant DNA technology has extensively been used for introducing genes of interferon, insulin, somatotropin, nif- genes, bt-genes, etc., in plasmid DNA obtained from suitable bacterial organisms. The recombinant DNA is then inserted into suitable host cell (bacterial cells used as cloning organism) for gene cloning (producing indentical copies of recombinant DNA). This technique has been applied for producing genetically modified or engineered bacteria carrying desired gene/s.)
Transgenic organisms or Genetically Modified (GM) organism (plants, animals or microbes) are the most valuable gifts of biotechnology as they carry desired genes. They are capable of fulfilling the food requirements of growing world populations. Recombinant DNA technology has now been used widely not only in industries or pharmaceuticals concerns but also in agriculture and environmental biology.
Non-gene biotechnology is infact dealing the modern aspects of microbiology. Microorganisms can show be exploited for producing antibiotics, antibodies and industrially important biochemicals including enzymes.It has opened the door for several industrial and agro based companies for biorevolution. Many Nobel Laureates have also offered their services to the biotechnological organizations carrying out researches in advanced microbiology and biotechnology.
In addition to these practices, biotechnology also plays a promising role in sustainable agriculture. Biotechnology held the potential of marrying biology and engineering and is essentially interdisciplinary area consisting of biochemistry, molecular biology, microbiology and genetics. Plant biotechnology includes two major technologies cell, tissue and organ culture and the recombinant DNA technology/genetic engineering. Cell and tissue culture has many commercial applications which include micro propagation, haploid breeding, productions of secondary metabolites and use in production of transgenic crops or genetically modified crops. Recombinant DNA technology has two major uses namely molecular marker technology and production of genetically modified transgenic crops. In general genetic engineering promises greater productivity and more nutritious foods.
The molecular markers have been utilized in characterization, maintenance and sustainable use of PGRs, (plant genetic resources). Their main uses in plant breeding include selection of desirable plants in early segregating generations at the seedling stage and selection of diverse parents for hybridization.
The most important use of plant biotechnology has been in the production of superior transgenic crops which are having not only resistance to different biotic and abiotic stresses but are also having improved nutritional quality of food.
Using traditional breeding methods, it takes 15 years or more to introduce disease resistance genes into a particular crop plant but genetic engineering or recombinant DNA technology takes a fraction of that time in achieving the same goal. Further in this desirable genes from any organisation can be used.
Genetic engineering may produce more nutritious food plants because they would contain all the essential amino acids. Recently in 2000, an international team of scientists has successfully engineered rice grains to produce beta-carotene or vitamin A (Golden rice or miracle rice).This rice has the potential to improve world health because about half of the world's population use rice as their staple food and rice is a poor source of many vitamins including vitamin A.
Using genetic engineering,crop plants resistant to insect-pests, viral diseases, drought, heat, cold, herbicides and salty or acidic soils can be developed.
Biotechnology has two separate disciplines, viz, Non-gene biotechnology (dealing with use of whole or intact cell or tissue or organ of an individual) and Gene biotechnology (dealing with use of genetic engineering for gene manipulation, gene cloning, recombinant DNA technology, artificial gene synthesis and construction of genome library, etc.)
In Non- Gene technology, tissue culture, organ culture, cell culture, protoplast culture, somatic hybridization, micro- propagation, somaclonal variations, microbial fermentations and use of microbes in medical sciences, agricultural and industries use of microbes in medical sciences, agriculture and industries use of microbes as biofertilizers, biopesticides or in production of biogas, etc., are studied. They also helps in developing and improving varieties of crops and in production of drugs using better microbial strains or their mutants.
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