STS Course

Bioengineering and Biotechnology

(Week 12-13) PART 2
 STS Course
Bioengineering & Biotechnology
(Week 12-13) PART 1

Learning Outcomes:
1. Describe stem cell and gene therapy and its various forms
2. Assess the issue’s potential benefits and detriments to global health.
3. Cite advantages and disadvantages of genetically-altered products.
4. Identify the uses and effects of GMO on society, particularly in the context of
science, health and economy.
5. Discuss the moral and ethical implications of GMOs and potential future impacts.
STS Course
Contents for Part 1

What is What are Genetically What are people’s

Biotechnology? Modified Organisms? concerns?
• The benefits of using genetically
What is Genetic • Examples of GMO’s modified plants
Engineering?
Potential Risks Of Gmo
• BIOSAFETY on GMOs
STS Course
 STS Course
What is Biotechnology?

▪ Use of living systems, organisms, or biologically derived materials

to develop or make products (Sharfstein, 2017).
▪ Fundamentally, applied biology and increasingly, the interface
between biology and engineering (Sharfstein, 2017).

▪ United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity defines

biotechnology as: “Any technological application that uses
biological systems, living organisms, or derivatives thereof, to
make or modify products or processes for specific use.”

▪ Biotechnology is often used to refer to genetic engineering

technology of the 21st century

▪ Biotechnology is technology based on biology, especially

when used in agriculture, food science, and medicine Source:
https://gfycat.com/gifs/search/biotechnology+dna
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Branches of Biotechnology

⚫ Blue biotechnology
⚫ Green biotechnology
⚫ Red biotechnology
⚫ White biotechnology
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STS Course
Manipulating DNA

Source:
https://mybioblog-george.blogspot.com/2011/04/vocabulary-
concepts-of-chapter-13-14.html
STS Course
Genetic Engineering

• also called recombinant DNA

technology which involves
the group of techniques used
to cut up and join together
genetic material, especially
DNA from different biological
species, and to introduce the
resulting hybrid DNA into an
organism in order to form Source:
https://allianceforscience.cornell.edu/blog/2018/02/bacteria-
new combinations of invented-genetic-engineering-we-made-it-controversial/
heritable genetic material
(Rosenberg, 2017).
 STS Course
Genetic Engineering

⦿ Process of manipulating genes for

practical purposes.

⦿ Process in whichbiologists make

changes in the DNA code of a living
organism.

⦿A technology in which the genome of a

living cell is modified for medical or
Source:
https://giphy.com/explore/genetic-engineering

industrial use.
 STS Course
Recombinant DNA

⦿ Genetic
engineering can
involve building
recombinant DNA.

⦿ DNA molecules that are

artificially made from two or
more different organisms.
https://dnalc.cshl.edu/view/15476-Mechanism-of-Recombination-3D-
animation-with-with-basic-narration.html
STS Course

Source:
https://gideonwolfe.com/posts/bio/yeast/basicsteps/
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⦿ DNA from the organism containing the

gene of interest is cut by

are enzymes
that destroys foreign DNA molecules by
cutting them at specific sites.

are
bacterial enzymes that recognize
and bind to specific short sequences
of DNA, and then cut the DNA
between specific nucleotides within
the sequence.
Source:
https://images.search.yahoo.com/search/images?
p=cutting+dna+gif&fr=mcafee&type=E210US912
15G91644&imgurl=https%3A%2F%2Fi.gifer.com
%2FALdF.gif#id=0&iurl=https%3A%2F%2Fi.gifer.
com%2FALdF.gif&action=click
 STS Course

⦿ The DNA from a vector isalso cut.

⦿ Vector –is an agent that isused to carry the gene of

interest into another cell.

› Commonly used vectors include:

🞄 Viruses
🞄 Yeast
🞄 Plasmids – from bacterial cells
Plasmid are circular DNA molecules that can
replicate independently of the main
chromosomes of bacteria
STS Course
How can plasmids help us?
▪ A way to get genes into bacteria easily
◆ insert new gene into plasmid
◆ insert plasmid into bacteria = vector
◆ bacteria now expresses new gene
▪ bacteria make new protein transformed
gene from bacteria
recombinant
other organism
plasmid

cut DNA
+ vector
glue DNA
plasmid
AP Biology
STS Course

⦿ The DNA fragments from the organism

containing the gene of interest are
combined with the DNA fragments from
the vector.

⦿ The host cells

then take up the Source:

recombinant DNA. https://biosecurity.fas.org/edu

cation/dualuse/FAS_Ehrlich/1
_B.html
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⦿ Gene Cloning – many copies of

the gene of interest are made
each time the host cell reproduces

⦿ Remember that bacteria

reproduce asexually by binary
fission so it produces identically Source:

offspring. https://awaken.com/2015/12/3d-printed-blood-
vessels-smart-band-aids-anti-aging-drug-and-
cloning-humans/
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⦿ Cells that received the particular gene of interest

are distinguished, or separated, from the cells that
did not take up the gene of interest.

⦿ The cells can transcribe and translate the gene of

interest to make the protein coded for in the gene.
 STS Course
Applications of Genetic Engineering

Forensics
 STS Course
Applications of Genetic Engineering

Gene therapy:
the insertion, alteration, or
removal of genes within an
individual's cells and
biological tissues to treat
disease.
 STS Course
Applications of Genetic Engineering

Vaccines
Through the recombinant-DNA procedure, it
isnow possible to transfer the genes that
stimulate antibody formation to a harmless
microorganism and use it as a vaccine
against the particular disease. Vaccines have
been successfully created using the harmless
cowpox virus, the herpes simplex type Ivirus
(cold sores), the influenza virus, and the
hepatitis Bvirus through gene splicing.
STS Course
Applications of Genetic Engineering

Cloning
A clone is a member of
a population of
genetically identical
cells produced from a
single cell.

In 1997, Ian Wilmut cloned a

sheep called Dolly.
STS Course
Applications of Genetic Engineering
STS Course
Applications of Genetic Engineering

Transgenic Organisms
• An organism described as transgenic,
contains genes from other species.
Transgenic bacteria produce important
substances useful for health and industry.
Transgenic bacteria have been used to
produce:
• insulin
• growth hormone
• clotting factor
 STS Course
Applications of Genetic Engineering

Transgenic Plants
• Transgenic plants are now an
important part of our food
supply.
Transgenic

• Many of these plants contain a Control

gene that produces a natural

insecticide, so plants don’t have Source:
https://www.researchgate.net/figure/Phenotype-of-
to be sprayed with pesticides. 35SHahb-10-transgenic-plants-Comparison-
between-transformed-and-control_fig2_7551149
 STS Course
Applications of Genetic Engineering

Transgenic Animals
• Transgenic animals have been used to study
genes and to improve the food supply.
• Mice have been produced with human genes
that make their immune systems act similarly to
those of humans. This allows scientists to study
the effects of diseases on the human immune
system.
• Researchers are trying to produce transgenic
chickens that will be resistant to the bacterial
infections that can cause food poisoning.
STS Course
Applications of Genetic Engineering

Genetically
Modified Crops
STS Course
What are Genetically Modified Organisms?
GENETICALLY MODIFIED ORGANISMS

GMO are organisms in which the

genetic material has been altered in a
way that does not occur naturally by
mating and/or natural recombination
(Bleotuetal.,2018).
Examples of GMO’s

➢ Genetically Modified Maize

• using Bt (Bacillus thuringiensis)

which is a bacterium found in soils

• Naturally produces crystal-like

proteins (Cry proteins) that
selectively kill a few specific insect
species.
Examples of GMO’s

➢ Genetically Modified Maize

• to express agriculturally desirable

traits such as resistance to pests
and to herbicides.

• however, may have possible health

effects, impact on other insects and
impact on other plants viagene
flow.
Examples of GMO’s

➢ Genetically Modified Papaya

• Papaya orchards throughout most

of the world are severely damaged
by the destructive disease caused
by the papaya ringspot virus (
• ( Suzuki and Gonsalves, 2007
Examples of GMO’s

➢ Roundup Ready Soy bean

• a genetically engineered crop

resistant to glyphosate gene
allowing resistance to glyphosate
was taken from a type of bacteria
called Agrobacteria
➢ Roundup Ready Soy bean

• Roundup contains glyphosate which is toxic to standard plants that

contain its target protein The plants containing this protein are destroyed
upon exposure to glyphosate, indicated by the red X. Roundup Ready
crops have been engineered to contain a gene from Agrobacteria, making
them immune to the herbicide
Examples of GMO’s

➢ Golden Rice

• It is intended to be used in
combination with existing approaches
to overcome VAD such as eating
foods that are naturally high in vitamin
A or beta carotene, eating foods
fortified with vitamin A, taking vitamin
A supplements, and optimal
breastfeeding practices
Examples of GMO’s

➢ Golden Rice

• Golden rice is a genetically modified,

biofortified crop.
• Biofortification increases the nutritional
value in crops.
• Golden rice is genetically modified in
order to produce beta carotene, which is
not normally produced in rice.
• Beta carotene is converted into Vitamin A
when metabolized by the human body
➢ Artic Apple

• trademark for a group of patented apples that contain a nonbrowning

trait (when the apples are subjected to mechanical damage, such as
slicing or bruising, the apple flesh remains as its original color) (USD A
APHIS 2012)
• gene silencing reduces the expression of polyphenol oxidase (thus
delaying the onset of browning (Vincent, 2017)
Examples of GMO’s
➢ AquAdvantage salmon

• typical growth hormone

regulating gene in the Atlantic
salmon was replaced with the
growth hormone regulating
gene from Pacific Chinook
salmon.

• gene enables the GM salmon

to grow year round instead of
only during spring and summer
(Yaskowiak et al 2006
What are people’s concern?

➢ Artic Apple

• Is this food safe?

• Should food be labeled?
• Are there adverse environmental effects?
• Patenting of seeds?
• Discrimination against the poor
• Who benefits?

ALL OF THESE CONCERNS APPLY TO FOOD AND AGRICULTURE IN

GENERAL
2
Benefits and Drawbacks
❑ The Benefits
❑ Potential Risks
❑ Genetically Modified Organisms
❑ Examples of GMO’s
The Benefits (Bleotu et al., 2018)

1. increased productivity through effective combating of weeds,

diseases and pests;
The Benefits (Bleotu et al., 2018)

2. Positive impact on biodiversity, contributing to environmental

protection through overall reduction of the quantities of pesticides;
The Benefits (Bleotu et al., 2018)

3. improved consumer health through reducing adverse effects based

on reducing dependence on conventional pesticides.
The Benefits (Bleotu et al., 2018)

4. Improving ground water and surface water based on reducing

pesticide residues;
The Benefits (Bleotu et al., 2018)

5. Higher profits for producers by reducing the cost of production, and

The Benefits (Bleotu et al., 2018)

6. Lower prices for consumers.

POTENTIAL RISKS OF GMO

1. In adequate studies on the effects of GMO to humans and the

environment
POTENTIAL RISKS OF GMO

2. Promotes mutation in organisms, which the long-term effects are still

unknown
POTENTIAL RISKS OF GMO

3. Human consumption might have the following effects more allergic

reactions, gene mutation, antibiotic resistance and change in
nutritional value
EXAMPLES

LONG LASTING TOMATOES

Advantages:

• GM Tomatoes can remain fresh longer

• GM tomatoes can tolerate lengthier
transport time

Disadvantages:

• Tomatoes are resistant to antibiotics

3
Safeguards in GMO
❑ Biosafety
BIOSAFETY ON GMO’s

1. Codex Alimentarius Commission(Codex)–responsible for the

development of standards, codes of practices, guidelines, and
recommendations on food safety (has developed principles for the
human health risk analysis of GM food products)

2. Cartagena Protocolon Biosafety–international environmental treaty

that regulates the transboundary movements of GMOs

3. International Trade Agreement on Labeling of GM food and food

products –an agreement that requires exporters of GM food and food
products to label their products and give rights to importing parties to
rejector accept the GM products (consumers have the right to know
and the freedom to choose)
References:
https://www.worldwildlife.org/pages/what-is-biodiversity
https://australianmuseum.net.au/l earn/science/biodiversity/what-is-
biodiversity/
http://sitn.hms.harvard.edu/signal-to-noise-special-edition-gmos-
and-our-food/
https://www.irri.org/golden-rice
https://med.nyu.edu
https://biotechhealth.com/biotechnology-and-bioengineering/
THANK YOU