Biotechnology: Techniques, Types and Method

 Biotechnology:

    Biotechnology is a branch of biology that uses living organisms and biological processes for the benefit of humanity. It involves altering or transferring the unique characteristics of one organism into another to develop useful products and applications. Biotechnology is not a new concept. For instance, the use of bacteria in making yogurt and the grafting of plants are traditional techniques that have been practiced for centuries. 

Techniques used in biotechnology:

  1. Genetic engineering
  2. Tissue culture
  3. Cloning
  4. Fermentation

Genetic engineering:

    Genetic engineering is a type of biotechnology technique. It is a process in which an defective genome is altered by a healthy gene. An organism whose gene is changed by biotechnology is called a     genetically modified organism(GMO). 

Methods of genetic engineering:

    There are several step-by-step methods to introduce a gene into a host.
  1. Identification of the gene of interest
  2. Isolation and modification
  3. Cloning of gene
  4. Selection of molecular carrier
  5. Recombinant DNA technoloy
  6. Construction of recombinant DNA
  7. Insertion of Recombinant DNA into the host organisms

Identification of gene of interest:

    It is the first and fundamental step in genetic engineering. We should know about the selection of desired gene with desired traits. 

Isolation and modification:

    The second step is get a gene of interest. We can get gene from different sources. 
  • We can make it in lab through chemical  
  • mRNA uses reverse transcriptase to make a gene. Such a gene is called a complementry gene.
  • Genes can also be isolated from chromosomes. A gene can be cut from a chromsome using restriction enzymes.
After getting a gene of interest we study its traits and modify it according to our needs.

Cloning of gene:

    Cloning is technique in which we make identical copies. We need a large number of gene in order to create recombinant DNA. We use polymerase chain reaction(PCR). Polymerase enzymes can make over of a billion copies in only few hours.

 Selecion of molecular carrier (vector):

    As name the name suggests, it is responsible for carrying and transporting gene into the host. Specific vector used in transporting specific gene. Some common types of vector are plasmid (circular double standard DNA of E.choli), cosmids (Combination of bacteriophage DNA and plasmid), etc. 

Recombinant DNA technology:

     Combination of DNA and vector is called recombinant DNA or chimaeric DNA. The labortary method which is used to produce this type of DNA is called recombinant DNA technology. 

Construction of recombinant DNA:

  • To make a recombinant DNA, firstly isolate a gene of interest.
  • The donor DNA and vector is combined.
  • Restriction endonuclease ezyme is use for cut and past DNA fragments.

Insertion of recombinant DNA into host cell:

    The recombinant DNA is then introduce into the host cell, this is called transformation. There are different methods to introduce DNA into the host. Some are gene gun(use for plant), viral vectors(use for animal) and chemical treatment(use for bacteria).

Tissue culture technique:

    Tissue culture is a scientific technique in which a cell, tissue or another organ is grow in an artificial medium. In 1902 a German botanist Gottlieb Haberlandt discover that plant cells are totipotent. After this discovery he invented tisue cuture technique. 

Totipotent:

    An organism which each cell have all genetic information is called totipotent. They can regrow in new individuals only by one cell.
There are many types of tissue culture techniques some are descibed below.

Meristem culture(micro propagation):

    Micro propagation is commercial technique for producing thousand of seedlings in shorter time. The growing points of plant where cells are capable for celldivision is called meristem. An artificial medeium produce by adding the auxins and cytokinin.  Shoot are cut and place into that medeium and many new shoots are formed.

Protoplast culture:

    It is a technique in which somatic embryo is produce. The naked cell witout cell wall is called protoplast. It is produce when enzymes are used to digest cell wall. These cells are regenerate and produces clumps. Than these clumps are maniuplated into somatic embryo. A mature plant is produce from this embryo. It a produce a new adult plant with mutation is called somaclonal variation.

Cell suspension culture:

    Cell suspension is another technique for producing new adult plant with desired traits. A callus is transffered into a liquid medium. Then these clumps break off and fornm a suspension. It is used to produce chemical and drugs.

Cloning:

    Cloning is another advance technique of biotechnology. Process of making identical copies of an individual, cell or genetic material is called cloning and the copies are called clone. There are three types of cloning. 

Reproductive cloning:

    The process of making a whole organism is called reproductive cloning. In this process a cell is transferred to ennucleated egg than embryo formed. After the formation of embryo it become a new adult organism(animal or plant)

Gene cloning:

      This process involved the cloning of gene fragment which is described in the section of genetic engeenering.

Theraputic clonin:

    This type of cloning used to make embryo for identification and treatment of diesease. A sample of gene of patient is isolate and through cloning it form an embryo. This embryo is should be identical to patient cell.  

Fermentation:

    Fermentation is a process in which bacteria and fungi is used to beakdown of complex organic substances into simple substances. It an old technique used to make yogurt. Nowadays this technique is larger use on industrial scale to make yogurt, bread, alcohol and other many products. Fermentation is anaerobic process(in the absence of oxygen). There are two types of fermentation.

Alcoholic fermentation:

    In this process yeast is used for conversion of sugar into ethonol(C₂H₆OH) and carbon dioxide(CO₂).

Lactic acid fermentation:

    In this process bacteria is used for conservation of simple sugar into pyrovic acid or pyrovate(2-Oxopropanoate, 2-Oxopropanoic acid).
    
    

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