Chapter 1: What is Biotechnology?

What is the definition of biotechnology?

Fusion technology and biology to manipulate living organisms and biological systems for practical purposes, including medical, agricultural, and industrial applications.

What are three traditional Biotechnology products?

yogurt, bread, and cheese

What are two examples of modern Biotechnology products?

therapeutic drugs and enzymes in laundry detergents

When did the modern biotechnology industry begin?

1970s

When did the modern biotechnology begin selectively breeding plants and livestock?

8000 BC

When was wine first invented?

4000 BC

Who discovered brewing and cheese making? When?

Sumerians and Egyptians in 2000 BC

What was the first antibiotics used? Which culture? When

500 BC by the Chinese using moldy soybean curds

Who developed the first smallpox vaccine? When?

Edward Jenner in 1796

Who discovered proteins?

Jons Jakob Berzelius

When was the Origin of Species published?

1859

When was pasteurization first developed?

1861

When did Mendel establish the principles of genetics?

1865

Who developed the first rabies vaccine? When?

1885 by Louis Pasteur

When did the term “biotechnology” first appear in print?

1919

Who discovered penicillin? What year?

Alexander Fleming in 1928

Who discovered DNA as the carrier of genetics information?

Oswald Avery

When was the double-helix structure of DNA discovered?

1953

When was mRNA discovered?

1961

When was the gene first completely synthesized?

1971

When was recombinant insulin produced? By which company?

By Genentech in 1977

When was DNA fingerprinting first used?

1984

When were the first genetically modified tobacco plants grown?

1986

When was the Human Genome Project first launched?

1990

What was the first cloned mammal?

Dolly the Sheep in 1997

When was the Golden Rice developed?

1999

When was the Human Genome Project completed?

2003

When was the first HPV vaccine approved?

2003

When was the first self-replicating bacterial cell created?

2010

When was CRISPR-CAS9 used for gene editing?

2012

When was mRNA vaccines first used?

2021

What are the different sectors in biotechnology

research, healthcare, agriculture, manufacturing

What are the key techniques in biotechnology?

molecular biology, cell biology, and genetic engineering

What is the ethical consideration around biotechnology?

can we, does not equal should we
ethics = equity, safety, and long term impacts

What are the tools in biotech?

whole cells, DNA, RNA, proteins

What are two of the key instruments in biotech?

spectrophotometers and PCR machines

What is chromatography?

Sort

What is gene transfer?

delivery system

What is protein purification?

final product

What is a spectrophotometer?

absorbs light

What is PCR?

amplifies DNA to be used in diagnostics forensic cloning

What are the key concepts behind using biotech in national defense?

rapid indentification, vaccines, and stockpiling therapeutics

Which company was the founding biotechnology company? What was their first product?

Genentech - Humulin

What is the difference between biotech and pharmaceutical industries?

biotech - biological drugs
pharma - chemical drugs

Who are the key users of biotechnology?

life sciences, healthcare, agriculture, forensics, and national defense

What is genomics?

study of entire genome

What is proteomics?

study of all protein expressions

What is precision medicine?

targeted therapies based on genetics profile

What happens during the drug discovery phase of drug development?

lab and animal testing

What happens during the phase 1 clinical trials?

testing drug safety

What happens during phase 2 clinical trials?

test effectiveness

What happens during phase 3 clinical trials?

confirming results

What are the four common hazards in a lab?

chemical, biological, physical, and fire-related

What does OSHA recommend to ensure safety?

training, PPE, and procedural awareness

What must initial and recurring training cover?

equipment location, safe handling, and emergency response

What is PPE?

Personal Protective Equipment

When should PPE be worn?

at all times

What is eye protection?

goggles, splash guards, UV face shields

What is hand protection?

latex,nitrile gloves based on hazard type

What are body/foot protection?

lab coats and closed-toed shoes

What is the MSDS?

Material Safety Data Sheets - detail safe handling and storage

When should fume hoods be used?

when handling volatile or hazardous substances

What are Biosafety levels?

Labs categorized by safety

What is BSL 1

non-disease causing (non-pathogenic)

What is BSL 2?

Moderate hazard - human samples

What is BSL 3 and BSL 4

High-level pathogens - advanced pathogens, special isolation, government facilities

How should microorganisms be disposed?

autoclaving or 10% bleach

What tools measure volume?

graduated cylinder, volumetric flask, pipettes, micropipettesWhat

tools measure mass?

analytic balances

What is normal body temp?

37 degrees C

What is normal room temp?

22 degrees C

What pH meters?

measures pH

How should glassware be cleaned?

rinsing, then washing with detergentm and rinsing with distilled water, and finally sterilizing it

What is an autoclave?

uses pressurized steam to penetrate and denature proteins and sterilizes

What are the different methods for disinfection

10% bleach, 70% ethanol, and UV light

What is the purpose of a lab notebook?

purpose, method, results, and conclusions

What are SI units?

significant figures

What is the dilution formula?

C1V1=C2V2

What are some examples of microbes being used in food products?

pickles - bacteria fermenting cucumbers
sausage - alters flavor
bread - yeast ferments sugar to produce CO2 to make dough rise

How are microbes used in dairy products?

cheese - enzymes and bacteria turn milk into curds and whey
yogurt - bacteria ferment milk and sugar to produce acids that thicken and sour milk

How do microbes break down organic waste?

live in roots of plants and fix nitrogen, enriching soil around plants for crops like potatoes

How are microbes used in healthcare?

programmed to make medicine through genetic engineering - letting scientists insert human genes into bacteria
Ex. inserting human genes into insulin in which the bacteria produces medicine that produces human insulin

What are pathogens?

disease-causing agents

What is anabolism?

building

What is catabolism?

breaking down

Where does metabolism happen in bacteria?

cytoplasm and cytoplasmic membrane

What is fermentation?

how cells make energy without oxygen

What are the end products of fermentation

lactic acid and ethanol

What is glucose?

cells fuel

What is oxidation?

a chemical process involving the loss of electrons by a substance, or, more broadly, the gain of oxygen, the loss of hydrogen, or the increase in its oxidation number

What is reduction?

the gain of electrons by a substance during a chemical reaction. This gain of negatively charged electrons causes the substance's oxidation number (a measure of its electron count) to decrease

What happens when glucose is oxidized?

it loses electrons, typically resulting in the formation of carbon dioxide and water in aerobic conditions, or lactic acid in anaerobic conditions, while releasing energy to produce ATP and NADH

What is glycolisis?

glucose is split into pyruvate

What happens to pyruvate in the presence of oxygen?

enters krebs cycle + ETC

What does fermentation begin with?

pyruvate

What is lactic acid fermentation?

where glucose is changed to pyruvate and then into lactic acid

What is alcoholic fermentation?

when glucose is changed to pyruvate and then to ethanol

Why is fermentation important?

it preserves foods, enhances flavor and digestibility, increases nutritional value by creating vitamins and breaking down complex molecules, and produces vital products like alcoholic beverages, dairy products, and pharmaceuticals

What is milk rich in?

proteins, fats, and minerals

What pathogens can be found in milk?

e. coli, salmonella, brucella, and campylobacter