Life Changing Biotechnology

MD ABDUS SUKUR
ID: 20183290255
Introduction of Biotechnology

Biotechnology is the use of technology to change the genetic makeup of living things for human purposes.
Generally, the goal of biotechnology is to modify organisms so they are more useful to humans. For
example, biotechnology may be used to create crops that yield more food or resist insect pests or viruses,
such as the virus-resistant potatoes pictured above. Research is also underway to use biotechnology to
cure human genetic disorders with gene therapy. Biotechnology is technology that utilizes biological
systems, living organisms or parts of this to develop or create different products.

Brewing and baking bread are examples of processes that fall within the concept of biotechnology (use of
yeast (= living organism) to produce the desired product). Such traditional processes usually utilize the
living organisms in their natural form (or further developed by breeding), while the more modern form of
biotechnology will generally involve a more advanced modification of the biological system or organism.
With the development of genetic engineering in the 1970s, research in biotechnology (and other related
areas such as medicine, biology etc.) developed rapidly because of the new possibility to make changes in
the organisms' genetic material (DNA).

Process of Biotechnology
According to Bull, Holt and Lilly (1982), biotechnology is defined as the application of scientific and
engineering principles to the processing of materials by biological agents to provide goods and services.
In similar definition by Boyer (2016), it is the technique of using live organisms or enzymes from organisms
to produce products and processes useful to human. From the forgoing, one could think of making of wine
using microbe based processes as a form of biotechnology. However, biotechnology is used in a restricted
sense to refer to the use of genetically modified organisms to produce products and processes for
mankind. The genetic modification is achieved through genetic engineering, which is a process to alter the
chemistry of genetic material (DNA or RNA). Other technique in biotechnology is the maintenance of only
the desired microbe in large quantities for the manufacture of biotechnological products like
antibiotics, vaccines, enzymes, etc.

➢ Agriculture
Application of biotechnology in agriculture offers tremendous benefits which include increased crop
productivity, enhanced crop protection, improvement in food processing, improved nutritional value,
better flavor, etc., as detailed in Wieczorek (2003). Although, the author pointed out likely risks associated
with the application; this implies that necessary caution should be entertained.

➢ Medicine
The goal of biotechnology in medicine is to fight and cure diseases. Consequently, biotechnology is
applicable in the following areas of medicine: production of drugs and therapeutics, genetically modified
organism, analysis of genes in genetic diseases, corrections of genetic defections, etc.
 ➢ Food Processing
Applications of biotechnology in food processing include fermentation bioprocess, the use of food
additives and processing aids used in food formulations. Such products are enzymes, amino acids,
vitamins, organic acids, certain carbohydrates and flavoring agents produced using genetically modified
micro-organism as highlighted by FAO, 2010 and Jasia ET. al., 2017

➢ Industry
Industrial biotechnology is the application of biotechnology for industrial purposes. It refers to the bio-
process of crops and other products for non-food uses, that is, industrial uses. Bioprocesses include
industrial fermentation, the use of cells or micro-organisms or enzymes to produce industrially useful
products such as chemicals, feeds, detergents, paper, bio-plastics and so on (Wikipedia, 2018). By
producing products through bio-processes, industrial biotechnology is a way of mitigating against
petrochemical based economy and encouraging sustainable economy.

Resources is possible through biotechnological processes using microorganisms. The organic Waste
sources under consideration are plants, agricultural wastes and municipal residues. These wastes of plant
origin compose of lignin, cellulose and hemicellulose. For instance, Conversion of organic waste into
nutritive biomass involves the conversion of cellulose to high calorific food or feeds using cellulolytic
bacterial. Also, conversion of wastes into bioenergy such as bio fuel involves the use of microorganisms
such as fungi. Applications of Biotechnology in Medicine the goal of biotechnology in medicine is to fight
and cure diseases. Consequently, biotechnology is applicable in the following areas of medicine:
production of drugs and therapeutics, genetically modified organism, analysis of genes in genetic diseases,
corrections of genetic defections, etc.

Role of Biotechnology in improving crops

Despite the diverse and widespread beneficial applications of biotechnology products, there remains a
critical need to present these benefits to the general public in a real and understandable way that
stimulates an unbiased and responsible public debate. The development, testing and release of
agricultural products generated through biotechnology-based processes should be continuously
optimized based on the most recent experiences. This will require a dynamic and streamlined regulatory
structure, clearly supportive of the benefits of biotechnology, but highly sensitive to the wellbeing of
humans and environment. Ever since the dawn of civilization, man has depended on plants as a source of
food and feed. Dramatic improvements in crop yield were obtained in the previous century as a result of
intensified use of land, fertilizers and pesticides and by planting improved varieties developed through
different plant-breeding techniques based on genetic principles. However, there are indications that "The
Green Revolution" is slowing down and there is an urgent need to have a "Gene revolution" to meet the
increase in demand for food. In future, major increases in cropped area are unlikely. Pesticide use is on
the decline due to increasing concerns about their harmful effects on the environment and human health.
Hence, it is essential to produce more food from less land with lesser pesticides, lesser labor and lesser
water. Of the different strategies for increasing crop productivity, one of them is to genetically engineer
plants so as to Increase their productivity. In order to apply genetic engineering techniques for crop
improvement, one should be able to identify and isolate the agronomic ally-useful genes, modify them
according to the requirements, transfer them into cells/tissues and ultimately recover them in mature
transgenic plants that can be used in breeding programmers. Genes for production of transgenic plants
can be accessed from diverse sources such as plants, bacteria, animals, fungi or viruses. Targets for genetic
transformation will include: Resistance to herbicides Resistance to diseases and pests improving protein
content changing oil quality the genes to be introduced have to be specifically modified for expression in
specific tissues /organs at particular stages of plant development.