Applications of Biotechnological Processes Antibiotic Production

Biotechnology and Health Biotechnology can be applied to: Diagnose diseases Treat infectious diseases Treat non-infectious diseases Biotechnology enables scientists to make: Antibiotics Hormones Vaccines

Disease Diseases have many causes: bacteria, viruses, fungi, protozoa.

Protozoan Disease Bacterial Disease Viral Disease Fungal Disease Malaria ( Plasmodium vivax ) Anthrax ( Bacillus anthracis ) Chicken Pox ( Varicella-zoster virus ) Athlete’s foot ( Trichophyton ) Sleeping sickness ( Trypanosoma species ) Food Poisoning ( E.coli 0157:H7 ) AIDS ( Human Immunodeficiency virus ) Ringworm ( Microsporum gypseum )

Fighting Disease There are many ways that diseases can be fought: Prevent infection (skin acts as a barrier, sneezing removes foreign particles, blood clots seal wounds, lysozyme in tears, vomiting)

Phagocytes (white blood cells) Granulocyte (lobed nuclei) Monocyte (single nucleus, usually U- shaped They work by engulfing foreign particles. This is a non-specific immune response. White blood cell

Lymphocytes – white blood cells These cells are responsible for producing antibodies. 2 types of lymphocyte – B cells – these produce antibodies that are secreted into the bloodstream. Can also develop into memory cells. T cells – these produce antibodies that attach to the surface of the cell. The whole cell migrates to the site of injury

Antibiotic Production Many secondary metabolites (produced after the exponential growth phase) have either an inhibitory effect upon bacterial growth or a lethal effect on bacterial growth. These secondary metabolites are known as antibiotics.

Antibiotic Mode of Action Antibiotics can work by:  Inhibiting bacterial cell wall synthesis  Inhibiting protein synthesis  Inhibit DNA synthesis  Inhibit cell membrane function

Examples of antibiotics – streptomycin, tetracycline. Antibiotics are produced on a large scale in fermenters.

Derivatives can be added to antibiotics e.g. side chains can be substituted to ensure that the antibiotic drug is not destroyed by stomach acid Substitution of R group. Lincomycin (produced from the bacterium Streptomyces. Used to treat Penicillin resistant infections) Clindamycin Has a greater intracellular accumulation than lincomycin.

Bacteriostatic and Bacteriocidal Modes of Antibiotic Action Bacteriostatic – antibiotic has an inhibitory effect. They inhibit the growth and reproduction of bacteria without killing them e.g. tetracycline Bacteriocidal – antibiotic has a lethal effect, they kill the bacteria e.g. penicillin

Paper Questions 2002 Q2