b17 genetic modification and biotechnology

what is genetic modification(gmo)

alteration of an organism’s genetic material by removing, changing or inserting individual genes

why are bacteria modified to make human proteins

they act as fast and cheap factories that can be used to produce large amount of proteins for medical treatments

step 1 in bacteria making human proteins

dna with a human gene is isolated using a restriction enzyme that recognize specific sequences of dna and cut the dna at that point leaving unpaired bases at the ends, creating ‘sticky ends’

step 2 in bacteria making human proteins

plasmid is removed from bacteria and cut open using the same restriction enzyme that was used to get the human gene, leaving the plasmid with a hole that has complimentary sticky ends to the human gene

step 3 in bacteria making human proteins

the gene is inserted into the plasmid dna by mixing them(cut open plasmids and genes) in dna ligase(an enzyme) that joins the sticky ends of the gene and plasmid together to form a recombinant plasmid made of two different bits of dna

step 4 in bacteria making human proteins

the recombinant plasmid is inserted into the bacterium which multiplies leading to millions of bacteria that express the human protein

why are bacteria used in genetic modification

they reproduce very quickly and can make complex molecules. they also don’t bring many ethical concerns(some people disagree with modifying animals and plants) and have plasmids(small rings of dna) that are easy to modify and transfer between cells

why are crops gmo’d to be herbicide resistant

so farmers can spray areas with herbicides without worrying that they will affect their crops, like one type of soybean that has been gmo’d to be resistant to a herbicide called glyphostate

why are crops gmo’d to be insect resistant

so that less insects eat crops improving yield and environments are protected now that farmers don’t need to spray pesticides. one type of maize has been gmo’d to be resistant to larvae of certain moths

why are crops gmo’d to have better nutritional qualities

to improve the health benefits and energy density of a crop. ‘golden rice’ has been gmo’d to to produce a chemical that’s concerted into vitamin A

advantages of gmo’d crops(2)

resistant and more resilient crops can be farmed with better yield to improve profits and prices, more nutritionally valuable crops can be eaten in places were food is limited or there lacks a varied diet.

disadvantages of gmo’d crops(4)

risk of resistance being passed on to weeds, unforeseen changes that could be passed on to offspring, beliefs that they’re bad for health, increase in prices

how is yeast used in breadmaking

flour and water are mixed to make dough and enzymes are used to turn carbohydrates into sugars, the yeast using those sugars in aerobic and anerobic respiration to produce co2 that makes the dough rise. ethanol made in anaerobic respiration is evaporated during baking

how is yeast used in production of biofuels

biomass is processed using enzymes into large carbohydrates and sugars, which yeast converts into ethanol during anaerobic respiration, which is refined and purified to make bioethanol to be used as fuel

how is biotech used in fruit juice production

pectinase is an enzyme that breaks down pectin(carbohydrate in cell walls, produced by decomposers for faster decomposition), and fruit juice manufacturers use it so juice extraction was easier

what is biological washing powder

powder that contains a certain enzyme(lipase/amylase/protease) that can remove stains made from different biological molecules(fats/carbohydrates/protein), work best at 30 degrees

how is lactose free milk made

lactose is a sugar found in milk that cannot be digested by people who don’t produce lactase. lactase is immobilized, usually by encasing it in alginate beads, and when milk is passed over the beads the lactose is broken down into glucose and galactose

why are fermenters used

so that fungi and bacteria can be grown on an industrial scale to produce products that are collected and sold

3 products made in industrial fermenters

meat substitute mycoprotein(fungus called fusarium), penicillin(fungus called penicillium), genetically modified bacteria that produce insulin(for diabetes treatment)

were are bacteria kept in fermenters

in the nutrient rich culture medium which has the nutrients needed for growth and reporduction

how and why are fermenters cleaned before used

they are cleaned with superheated steam to kill any leftover bacteria so that there would be less competition for resources with the needed bacteria and so the product made wasn’t contaminated

how and why are wastes removed from fermenters

carbon dioxide are removed from the fermenter via an exhaust, helping the levels of waste within reason to maintain optimum conditions for growth

why are paddles used in fermenters

they circulate(agitate) the medium around the vessel to increase product yield because microorganisms have constant access to the nutrient needed for growth and it keeps temp and ph constant across the vessel

why and how is oxygen given to the microorganisms

oxygen is delivered by bubbling sterile air through the culture medium so the microorganisms had constant access to oxygen for respiration and energy production for growth

how and why is temperature controlled in a fermenter

temperature is controlled by a water cooled jacket so that heat produced by the respiring microorganisms can be taken from the tank to maintain optimum conditions

how and why is ph controlled in a fermenter

the ph is monitored by probes and controlled by adding acid or alkali. this is to keep the ph at the enzyme’s optimum to produce more yeild.