BENEFITS OF BIOTECHNOLOGY

APPLICATION
Medical applications
Biotechnology applications have been widely used. In medical, for example, it had been
used in diagnosis of diseases. It used the DNA technology, in particular the use of PCR to
track down the pathogens. Examples, HIV RNA can be detected inside human blood and
tissue because the sequence of RNA genome of HIV is known, thus RT-PCR is used to
amplify the diseases. Using PCR, hundreds of human disorders can be identified. Examples
of diseases are sickle-cell anaemia, haemophilia, cystic fibrosis, Huntingtons disease, and
Duchenne muscular dystrophy.

Besides that, gene therapy also as a side of biotechnology application. This can cure a type
of disease that the bone marrow cells do not produce a vital enzyme. With this method,
cloned gene which is normal allele was inserted into retrovirus and let the retrovirus infect
bone marrow cells. Then, DNA carrying the normal allele inserts into chromosome and being
injected into the patient.

The most important contribution of biotechnology is the production of pharmaceutical

products. For example, production of human insulin and human growth hormone (HGH). As
we know, insulin is important for those who got diabetic to control the amount of glucose
inside their body. While HGH has been a boon to children born with a form of dwarfism
caused by inadequate amount of HGH.

Forensic field also needs biotechnology application. Blood, semen or tissue that were left at
the crime scene can be used for DNA fingerprinting. PCR is used to amplify the genes. The
sample first need to be electrophoresis and the smaller fragment will go far away. Then,
nitrocellulose is used in Southern blotting. It then will be immersed in radioactive probe in

the process called autoradiography. Lastly, we can see the pattern of the DNA because the
DNA fingerprinting of each person is differ and unique. From that also, the culprit can be
identified.
Agricultural
In agriculture, animal husbandry is used. The selective breeding of livestock, has exploited
naturally occurring mutations and genetic recombinations. This can produce transgenic
animals, which speeds up the selective breeding process. In order to make a sheep with
better quality wool or a cow that will mature quickly, this process is really important.

Genetic engineering can be done to the plant. It can delay the ripening of fruits and
resistance to spoilage and disease. The most commonly used vector for introducing new
genes into plant cells is a plasmid, called the Ti plasmid, from the soil bacterium

Agrobacterium tumefaciens. The segment of the plasmid that integrates into the genome of
host cells is called T DNA. The foreign gene of interest is inserted into the middle of the T
DNA. Then, it will be cultured into plant by electroporation. The plants grew will resistant to
diseases.

Yellow rice had been produced that containing the beta-carotene, which our body uses to
make vitamin A. This golden rice could help to prevent vitamin A deficiency in the half of the
worlds population that depends on rice as a staple food. Currently, large numbers of young
children in Southeast Asia suffer from vitamin A deficiency, which leads to vision impairment
and increases susceptibility to disease.

Besides that, the uses of cloning are really beneficial to our country. This process produce
plants with the same trait and grow at the same rate. It also grow quickly and produce yield
at very fast rate. Just take the tissue culture and planted them.

Food industry

To produce the fruits with high quality, the fruits were modified to get the needed one
quality. For example, we were able to produce fruits that are seedless, bigger, and more
succulent. This will increases the investment of our country also.

Protease, an enzyme however can be used to tenderise meat. Maltose also needed in the
production of syrup. Ripening of cheese, commonly used lipase enzyme to produce it. So, it
can be said that those enzyme are really beneficial in the food production.

As an income
Biotechnology sector is said can provide the lucrative income as our government really
impressed about that. Youth especially are suggested to take part in biotechnology field, as
the slogan Pertanian Adalah Perniagaan was created.

Not only for the youth, the farmers also can apply this in their agricultural to enhance their
crops yield. They can apply them to produce more quality product besides getting more
income. With this, our farmers will be good as the farmers in other country which have the
modern facilities.