Introduction to Biotechnology :
Definition of biotechnology according to UN convention is:
It is defined as any technology application, which uses biological systems or its derivatives in order to make or modify specific products that have specific uses.
There are different classes of biotechnology:
- Ancient Biotechnology:
Example of ancient biotechnology include use of microorganism to make cheese, beer wine and yogurt. It also includes breeding of animals and plants.
- Classical Biotechnology:
In this class of biotechnology genetic makeup of animals, plants and microorganisms is altered to get the altered physical characteristics.
- Modern Biotechnology:
it is defined as biotechnological technique that uses genetic material and cell’s fusion rather than normal breeding. Its common example is genetic engineering in which genetically modified organisms are created through insertion or deletion of genes.
Major areas covered by biotechnology:
The areas associated with colors are described below:
- White biotechnology:
It is associated with industrial biotechnology its aim is to convert polluting technologies of industry into clean ones.
- Red biotechnology:
It is associated with modern biotechnology that involve in the field of medicines.
- Green biotechnology:
It is defined as use of plants and photosynthetic organism in order to improve plants yields that can be used in industry to make useful products whose plants and photosynthetic organisms are the only sources like: biofuel ,paper, detergents and medicines.
- Blue biotechnology:
like blue associated for water so it associated for aquatic organisms. It involves utilization of these aquatic resources in biotechnological fields like fishes, sponges and petroleum reserves.
Application of biotechnology:
There is a lot of uses of biotechnology in the field of food industry, environment, diagnostics, chemicals like for making different health hormones and enzymes, for equipment like bioreactor and biosensor, and in agriculture field to improve yields.
Example of applications of biotechnology:
- Bio-engineered food:
First genetically engineered food is flavr Savr tomato
- Transgenic fishes:
Its example is zebra danio, which express different fluorescent proteins.
- Prion free cow:
- Biosteel
Silk gene from orb weaver inserted or incorporated into the goat or sheep. So in this way silk obtained from the milk and it is 3 times stronger than Kevlar and 5 times more stringer than steel.
- Plant tissue culture:
In which the characteristics of plants that is totipotency of cells is used.
- In-vitro meat:
- ·Biofuel
Its examples involve: biogas, biodiesel, and bioethanol
.
- Phytoremediation:
This is a cheap technique in which the process of cleaning which take place by solar energy.
- ·DNA profiling:
It is also known as DNA typing technique, DNA test technique, and DNA finger-printing technique.
- Bioreactor:
An example of industrial application that is used for fermentation process in industry.
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