Biotechnology uses living organisms or parts of organisms to produce goods and services. It is a complex field that involves both science and engineering. Biotechnology is not a new field: farmers have been using biotechniques such as cross-hybridization, pollenization and breeding to improve plant and animal species for centuries. Brewers and dairy product producers have also used biotechnology in the manufacture of alcohol and milk products. However, since the discovery of DNA, the scope and complexity of biotechnology has grown unbelievably.
Recombinant DNA biotechnology, in which genetically engineered DNA is developed by recombining fragments of DNA from different organisms, makes it possible to take virtually any gene and express it in any other living organism. The benefits of this type of technology has not only led to new and improved medicines and agriculture processes, but has also resulted in ways to more effectively clean up the environment. For example, a process known as bioleaching is used by mining companies to remove contaminants and pollutants associated with mining practices, and bioremediation is used to treat waste and clean up oil spills and other forms of industrial contamination.
Biotechnology can be broken down into four sub-disciplines:
Red biotechnology
Red biotechnology involves the use of living organisms for improvement of medical processes. Example of red biotechnology include:
- use of organisms to produce new drugs
- use of stem cells to regenerate damaged tissues (and possibly re-grow organs)
- production of insulin
- gene manipulation to engineer genetic cures
- production of monoclonal antibody based drugs.
White/Grey Biotechnology
White/Grey biotechnology involves industrial processes. Examples of white biotechnology include:
- production of new chemicals
- development of new fuels (e.g. automobiles)
- "designer" organisms to produce useful chemicals
- use of bacteria to clean up gasoline and oil spills
- attempts to “teach” bacteria to consume PCB molecules.
Green Biotechnology
Green biotechnology involves the use of environmentally friendly solutions as an alternative to traditional industrial agriculture, horiculture and animal breeding processes. Examples of green biotechnology include:
- use of bacteria to facilitate the growth of plants
- development of pest-resistant grains
- engineering of plants to express pesticides
- accelerated evolution of disease-resistant animals
- use of bacteria to assure better crop yields instead of pesticides and herbicides
- production of superior plants by stimulating the early development of their root systems
- use of plants to remove heavy metals such as lead, nickel, or silver, which can then be extracted ("mined") from the plants
- genetic manipulation to allow plant strains to be frost-resistant
- use of genes from soil bacteria to genetically alter plants to promote tolerance to fungal pathogens
- use of bacteria to get plants to grow faster, resist frost and ripen earlier.
Blue Biotechnology
Blue biotechnology involves the use and manipulation of marine and aquatic products. Example of blue biotechnology include:
- use of marine plants and products to produce new medicines
- use of genes from aquatic organisms to engineer plants that are resistant to environmental conditions.
Although biotechnology has the potential for misuse, there is a lot of good that can come through the use of biotechniques.
Read about DNA Cloning
