BIOTECHNOLOGY
At home we prepare food items such as yoghurt (curd), cake, bread, idli and dosa etc. by the action of tiny microorganisms, the bacteria and fungi. Brewers use yeast (a kind of fungus) to make beer. Antibiotics such as penicillin are obtained from certain fungi. Nowadays, biological processes such as fermentation by microorganisms is being used in industry on a commercial scale for making food, drinks, drugs (medicines) and industrial chemicals. Modern techniques in biotechnology are programming microorganisms for this task. In this lesson, you will learn about use of microorganisms in industries.
The word biotechnology has come from two words namely bio (meaning biology) and technology (meaning technological application). Thus biotechnological is defined as the industrial application of living organisms and their biological processes such as biochemistry, microbiology, genetic engineering, etc. In order to make best use of the microorganisms for the benefit of mankind. Biotechnology is applied is many areas to produce foods and medicines, in the development of new diagnostic tools, gene therapy, DNA finger-printing for forensic purposes etc.
Applications of Biotechnology
- Health and Medicine
Fighting infectious disease : Biotechnology is used extensively in the study of infectious disease such as SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome), Influenza, etc. As a result more effective pharmaceuticals have been developed.
Development of vaccines and antibiotics : Using technology, microorganisms are used to develop antibiotics and vaccines to cure diseases. For example, bacteria Bacillus polymyxa is used to produce polymyxin B antibiotic (used to cure urinary tract infections), fungus penicillium notatum is used to produce penicillin (used to cure fever, pneumonia etc).
Treating genetic disorders : Disease can occur when genes become defective due to mutations. With advance in biotechnology it will in the near future be possible to use gene therapy to replace an abnormal or faulty gene therapy to replace an abnormal or faulty gene. It may be used to treat ailments such as heart disease, inherited diseases such as SCID, Thallesemia.
In forensic science : With the help of new techniques such as DNA fingerprinting, it has now become easy to identify criminals and have many other applications.
2. Environment
Cleaning up and managing the environment : cleaning up the environment using living organisms is called bioremdiation. Naturally occurring, as well as genetically modified microorganisms, such as bacteria and fungi, and enzymes are used to break down toxic and hazardous substances present in the environment.
3. Agriculture
iasmania
