Learning Biotechnology Chase High School

It All Started With…

Bread, Cheese and Biotechnology? Yeast is used to make bread rise Bacteria is used to produce various kinds of cheeses and other dairy products.

Genetics and Biotechnology? Genetics: the biology of heredity. ▫Gregor Johann Mendel discovered the effect of genetics on plant characteristics w/ his experiments with garden peas.

Heredity The transmission of characteristics from an organism to its offspring through genes in reproductive cells.

Genes Components of cells that determine the individual characteristics of living things. ▫Genes are comprised of DNA ▫DNA determines what the cell and its successive cells will become.

Mapping The matching of genes to certain traits. ▫Used by geneticists to determine which genes are responsible for certain traits. ▫Examples: Tendency of baldness, height of plants at maturity, and tendency of females to have twin offspring.

Applying Biotechnology to Agriscience

Applications DNA matching to identify parents of offspring.

Genetic Engineering Discovered by scientists in the early 1980s and was a breakthrough in modifying genetic makeup. Genetic Engineering is the movement of genetic information in the form of genes from one cell to another.

Products of Genetic Engineering One of the first commercial products of genetic engineering was insulin, the chemical used by people with diabetes. E. coli was genetically engineered to produce insulin.

Products of Genetic Engineering Herbicide resistant crops are a product of genetic engineering. BST (bovine somatropin) increases milk production in dairy cattle and became available commercially as a result of genetic engineering.

Products of Genetic Engineering Lee-minus is a bacteria that was genetically altered to retard frost formation on plant leaves. Other bacteria strains are under development to convert solid waste from humans and livestock into sugar and fuel.

The Use of DNA in Biotechnology Characteristics of DNA

Gene Splicing Gene splicing is the process of removing and inserting genes into DNA. ▫Gene splicing is also known as recombinant DNA technology. ▫Gene splicing is used to alter a given characteristic in a microorganism, plant, or animal.

Gene Splicing Some examples of the use of gene splicing are: ▫Alter a plant’s susceptibility to disease. ▫Make a plant resistant to insects. ▫Alter bacteria to increase meat production in swine.

Gene Mapping Gene mapping is the process of finding and recording the location of genes.

Importance of Recombinant DNA Technology Improve plants’ and animals’ performance through the manipulation of genes. Alter characteristics or performance of microorganisms

Importance of Recombinant DNA Technology The greatest potential for controlling disease, insects, weeds, and other pests is through genetic engineering Less use of chemical pesticides and more genetic use of biological controls result in a better environment.

Concerns with the use of Biotechnology State and federal government monitor the use of biotechnology.

Concerns with the use of Biotechnology Extensive testing is done to make certain biotechnology products safe. ▫Testing proceeds from laboratory to the greenhouse ▫Final testing occurs outdoors on a small scale prior to produce approval.

Concerns with the use of Biotechnology Final approval by the federal government occurs only after all phases of testing have been completed.