Understanding Biotechnology

What is Biotechnology

Overview of Biotechnology

History of Biotechnology

Biotechnology and Bioengineering

Nature Biotechnology

Why do we do biotechnology?

Biotechnology for the environment

Biotechnology for food and agriculture

'Biotechnology' is a term used to cover the use of living things in industry, technology, medicine or agriculture. Biotechnology is used in the production of foods and medicines, the removal of wastes and the creation of renewable energy sources.

A general description of biotechnology is using living things to create products or to do tasks for human beings. Biotechnology is the practice of using plants, animals and micro-organisms such as bacteria, as well as biological processes - such as the ripening of fruit or the bacteria that break down compost - to some benefit.

For example, biotechnology is used in in industry, medicine and agriculture to produce foods, medicines, test for diseases and remove waste.

It can also be used to solve problems and conduct research. Over time, biotechnology has formed the basis of learning about people and diseases. Biotechnology has also underpinned the development of treatments. This section explains the basic science behind biotechnology, including gene technology. It can be used as an introduction to the topic, or as a cross-reference when working through the rest of this resource.

Then and Now

What is new about biotechnology today is that researchers can take a single gene from a plant or animal cell and insert it into another plant or animal cell of a different species (this is called transgenic technology).

Modern biotechnology also includes altering the genes within an organism to control the production of a particular protein. Changing genes in this way can go far beyond the changes that occur naturally during evolution, or the artificial, but slower, changes brought about by traditional selective breeding.

Other areas of modern biotechnology that do not necessarily involve genetic engineering include the use of enzymes and bacteria in a wide range of applications, such as:

• waste management
• industrial production
• food production
• remediation of contaminated land.

Animal breeding, pharmaceutical products and medical procedures are also benefiting from advances in biotechnology.

What is a Gene

Genes are messages that provide the information for all cellular functions. They carry information that is passed on to future generations.

An organism's genes determine:

• the characteristics that are used to classify it into the plant or animal kingdom and into a specific family and species
• how it uses food
• how well it fights infection
• at times, how it behaves.

Each human cell (except red blood cells) contains between 25,000 and 42,000 genes. Genes control the production of proteins that make up most of your body.

Gene Technology

• eliminating a gene
• altering a gene
• adding extra copies of an existing gene
• adding a gene from another organism.

The new or altered genes change the way in which cells function. This changes the characteristics of the organism. When DNA from an organism is modified using gene technology, the organism is then referred to as a genetically modified organism.

DNA is often described as the blueprint of an organism. It enables various cells to develop and work together to form a fully functional body, and controls characteristics such as eye colour. How much DNA influences very complex features, such as intelligence, is not yet fully understood.

The information that DNA contains is passed from one generation to the next. There is much debate over how much of what we are like is due to inheritance and defined by our DNA, and how much is defined by the influence of the environment. This is sometimes referred to as the 'nature/nurture' debate.

Using gene technology, DNA can be modified or transferred from one organism to another. Genes are made up of short lengths of DNA and modern gene technology is able to make changes at the level of individual genes.

Any technology brings with it risks as well as benefits, and gene technology is no exception. These risks need to be carefully assessed before a genetically-modified (GM) plant, animal or microorganism is released.

Government regulatory authorities assess the risks, which may include:

• how readily the released organism could cross-breed with similar organisms in the environment
• whether the modification gives the organism extra survival advantages
• whether these advantages could upset a balanced ecosystem

This section looks at the way biotechnology is being applied for human uses, including:

• updates on the Human Genome Project
• development of new diagnostic and therapeutic tools
• DNA profiling
• stem cells
• cloning

• support work on recovering threatened species
• control or even eradicate introduced predators and pests
• remove wastes and pollution from the environment

However, it is important to consider that scientific decisions are never without risk. They can also be coloured by the particular worldview of the scientists trying to solve the problem. For example, a palaeontologist, who studies the history of the earth over millions of years, brings a very different understanding of species extinction to an environmental debate than an environmental biologist.

It is also important to think about actions taken based on conflicting advice and how they are weighed up. These decisions may have the potential to deprive future generations of their right to determine some aspects of their lives.

Biotechnology, as it relates to the environment, usually means introducing a new organism into an existing situation. The food and agriculture section of Biotechnology Online also investigates case studies on genetically modified organisms (GMOs) and the potential environmental impact of releasing these organisms.