Classical Biotechnology and Basic Biological Concepts

Vocabulary flashcards covering Classical Biotechnology, microbial fermentation pathways, bioreactor systems, microbial enzymes, biofertilizers, biopesticides, and fundamental biochemical concepts.

Agriculture

Cultivating the soil, producing crops, and raising livestock.

Biotechnology

The manipulation of living things to produce useful products.

Agricultural Biotechnology (FAO Definition)

Any technological application that uses biological systems, living organisms, or derivatives thereof, to make or modify products for specific use in medical, industrial, agriculture, and food production.

PBS and ABSP II ddfinition

“Collection of scientific techniques used to improve plants, animals and microorganisms” “ability to identify genes “improvements in crops and livestock “improvements that are not possible with traditional crossing of related species alone”

Acquisition of Agri-Biotech Applications

(ISAAA)

“Crop and livestock improvement through biotechnology tools”

CLASSIFICATION OF BIOTECHNOLOGY

Ancient

Classical

Modern

Ancient Biotechnology

fermentation

Classical Biotechnology

fermentation, genetics, plant tissue culture, and cell culture

Modern Biotechnology

recombinant DNA, protein markers, genetic engineering, and genome editing tools like CRISPR-Cas9

Microbial Fermentation

breakdown of organic compounds without oxygen to generate energy, producing end products such as lactic acid and ethanol

carbs > energy

Glycolysis

An oxygen-independent metabolic pathway that converts glucose into $2$ three-carbon pyruvate molecules, $2\,ATP$, and $2\,NADH$.

Aerobic Respiration

pyruvate

Acetyl-CoA

Citric Acid Cycle

oxidative phosphorylation

$CO_2$ , $H_2O$, and $30\text{--}32\,ATP$.

Anaerobic Alcoholic Respiration

$2$ pyruvate

pyruvate decarboxylase

$2$ acetaldehyde and $2\,CO_2$

alcohol dehydrogenase

$2$ ethanol, 2 NAD+, and $2\,ATP$

Anaerobic Lactic Acid Respiration

$2$ pyruvate and 2 $NADH$

lactate dehydrogenase

$2$ lactate, $NAD^+$, and $2\,ATP$.

Bioreactor

controlled conditions

optimize factors (oxygen supply, temp, and pH)

Batch Fermentation

closed bioreactor system

microorganisms, nutrients, water, and other ingredients are inoculated and grown

entire batch is harvested

Continuous Fermentation

open bioreactor system

fresh culture medium is continually supplied to the bioreactor while fermented broth is continuously removed.

Extracellular Enzymes

Enzymes secreted outside of microbial cells into the culture broth, where they can be directly collected.

Intracellular Enzymes

Enzymes that remain inside microbial cells and require cell disruption for extraction.

Biofertilizers

Microbial inoculants containing living organisms that increase the nutrient status of the host plant through biological associations.

Rhizobium

A bacterium living in soil and inside legume root nodules that forms a symbiotic relationship to fix atmospheric nitrogen.

Azotobacter

A free-living soil bacterium capable of fixing atmospheric nitrogen.

Azospirillum

Soil bacteria, such as $A.\text{ brasilense}$, capable of living freely or in close association with plant roots to fix nitrogen.

Pseudomonas

A diverse group of soil bacteria capable of utilizing root exudates and performing functions like solubilizing phosphorus.

Mycorrhiza

A symbiotic association between a fungus and plant roots that extends into the soil to gather water and nutrients while improving soil structure.

BioQuick

A fungal inoculant used as an activator for the effective decomposition of household and agro-industrial waste.

BioFix

An enrichment inoculum containing appropriate strains of nitrogen-fixing bacteria used for organic matter decomposition.

BioGreen

Processed inoculated compost or bioorganic fertilizer used as an organic matter decomposition activator.

Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt)

A biopesticide agent used to target $Lepidopterae$ species.

Trichoderma sp.

Soil fungi used as a biopesticide.

Beauveria bassiana

A fungal biopesticide agent used to control thrips and other insects.

Metarhizium anisopliae

A biopesticide agent used to control termites, coleoptera insects, leafhoppers, and aphids.

Covalent Bonds

Chemical bonds formed by sharing electron pairs, having a bond energy of $50\text{--}110\,kcal/mol$.

Autoionization of Water

The equilibrium process where water autoionizes into hydroxide and hydronium ions, represented by $2\,H_2O \rightleftharpoons OH^- + H_3O^+$.

Condensation (Dehydration)

A metabolic reaction that removes $H_2O$ to form covalent bonds between monomers.

Hydrolysis

A metabolic reaction that adds $H_2O$ to break covalent bonds between monomers.

Nucleosomes

Structural units of chromosome organization composed of double-helical DNA wrapped around basic histone proteins.