Making the products you buy. . . better? Biotechnology Making the products you buy. . . better?

Historical Technologies: Applied Genetics Manipulation of the hereditary characteristics of an organism to improve or create specific traits in offspring e.g., selective breeding, hybridization

Historical Technologies: Applied Genetics Selective breeding → Allowing only those individuals with the desired traits to reproduce

Historical Technologies: Applied Genetics Hybridization → crossing different individuals to bring together the best traits of both organisms Produces hybrid offspring that are often hardier than the parents

X e.g., commercial chickens White Rock Chicken: Grows quickly White Cornish Chicken: Grows large X Commercial chicken: Grows to a large full size in only 6 weeks

Modern Technologies: Genetic Engineering Altering an organism’s genetic code (DNA) to get it to express desired traits http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.peaceproject.com/graphics/dvds/larger/DVD51.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.peaceproject.com/books/dvd51.htm&h=425&w=301&sz=34&hl=en&start=4&tbnid=z2kXaaU36oWWsM:&tbnh=126&tbnw=89&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dgenetically%2Bmodified%26gbv%3D2%26hl%3Den%26safe%3Dactive%26sa%3DX

e.g., Bt corn Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt): a bacterium that produces a caterpillar toxin The gene for this toxin has been inserted into this corn’s genome, which causes it to produce the toxin

e.g., spider silk A spider’s silk-making gene has been inserted into a goat, which then produces silk in its milk http://www.chm.bris.ac.uk/motm/spider/goat.jpg http://www.kevhopgood.co.uk/New%20Stuff/Spider-Goat.jpg http://rockgardn.easystorecreator.com/images/images_919/JRFJ-Front-LG.gif

e.g., golden rice Daffodil genes for making beta-carotene are inserted into the genome of rice http://www.jewishworldreview.com/toons/varvel/biotech.protest.gif http://www.bairesbiotec.org.ar/images/speake1.jpg

e.g., human insulin Previously, humans with diabetes used insulin derived from the pancreas of cows and pigs (limited production) Today, most human insulin comes from human insulin-making genes transferred into simple cells such as bacteria or baker’s yeast (unlimited supply) Identical to insulin made by the human pancreas

Recombinant DNA in bacteria Recombinant DNA → taking a piece of one DNA and combining it with another strand of DNA Often, fast-growing single-celled organisms are used e.g., bacteria A piece of DNA that codes for a protein we want more of (e.g., human insulin) is spliced into the DNA of the fast-growing organism http://img.blogcu.com/uploads/kedicikkopekcik_insrton.jpg

Modern Technologies: Genetic Engineering Gene therapy → adding a corrected copy of a gene to a person with a mutated gene to treat a disease e.g., Cystic Fibrosis Does NOT change the person’s genetic code! Effect is temporary

Restriction Enzymes: Enzymes that cut DNA at certain sequences. http://www.accessexcellence.org/RC/VL/GG/images/restriction.gif