The development of the Biotechnology.

BIOTECHNOLOGY

For a thousand of ages, people have demoralized the biochemical actions of living cells. Bread and beer making, for example, depend upon the capability of microscopic yeast cells to convert sugars to carbon dioxide and ethanol (ordinary alcohol). Cheese and yogurt making also depends on the abilities of single-celled life forms—the microorganisms. Every microorganism is a tiny factory. Each one is able of carrying out the essential biochemical functions. Human understanding of biochemistry has developed vividly in the past few decades. This explosion of science is now providing the foundation for a new industry—BIOTECHNOLOGY. Biotechnology is a specialized branch of biology which employs resources of biology, organic and inorganic materials of nature and microorganisms or other living organisms to produce something beneficial to mankind. Several techniques biological sciences mainly of microbiology have been employed in the progress of biotechnology. Microbiology, Genetics, Molecular biology and Biochemistry form the root foundation, which is supported by the Chemical Engineering. The science of biochemistry has yielded better results with the improvement made in the different other branches of biology and chemistry. Biotechnology thus can be defined as the use of living organisms and their products in the industrial processes.

The development of the Biotechnology owes to the researches done by a number of the scientists are listed below:

GREGOR MENDEL established the basis laws of the inheritance.

GRIFFITH proposed that the DNA is responsible for transformation of bacteria called pneumococcus.

MORGAN showed that the genes are located on chromosomes.

AVERY, MACLEOD AND MCCARTY as well as GRIFFITH proved that DNA is the hereditary material.

WATSON AND CRICK proposed a molecular model of the DNA.

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GREGOR MENDEL established the basis laws of the inheritance.

GRIFFITH proposed that the DNA is responsible for transformation of bacteria called pneumococcus.

MORGAN showed that the genes are located on chromosomes.

AVERY, MACLEOD AND MCCARTY as well as GRIFFITH proved that DNA is the hereditary material.

WATSON AND CRICK proposed a molecular model of the DNA.

These mentioned contributions have opened new horizons in the development of the biotechnology. Biotechnology developments also have marvelous benefit for developing countries where almost a billion people live in poverty and undergo chronic effects. With the development in the field of biotechnology in other countries like U.S.A., Japan and European countries, India also paid attention to this field. National Biotechnology Board has been established in India for the growth in this field. Also, International Centre for the Biotechnology was established. There are other institutions in India which are working in the field of Biotechnology which are:

Centre for the cellular and Molecular Biology for DNA finger printing,
Institute of Microbial Technology which manufactures various alcoholic beverages with the help of yeast culture,
Bhabha Atomic Research centre,
Indian Agriculture Research Institute

Biotechnology has also contributed in the fields of the prawn culture, pearl culture, sericulture, and pisciculture. Thus, this development in the field of Biotechnology in India has let India in the path of the progress in the fields of the Biology.

Besides, the development of the Biotechnology, it also have some major importance of biotechnology such as it helps in the social and economical evolution of the mankind. The influences of biotechnology can be seen in the fields of agriculture, industries and hygiene. It has affected the standard of living of mankind. The achievements in this field has opened up techniques like the synthesis of new genes, introduction of genes of one organism into the other improving the quality of plants and animals progress in method of human hygiene and to solve problems which takes place due to scarcity of food. It has helped in the enlargement of a new line of treatment known as Hybridoma which aims to take care of cancer. It has also enlarged the yield of several industrial products like alcohols, acids, enzymes, antibiotics, vaccines, hormones etc. by the utilisement of microorganisms.

Biotechnology has some important applications in medicine, agriculture, industry and other fields. Biotechnology in the field of AGRICULTURE: nitrogen of air can be fixed in plants with the help of the bacteria. This increases the protein value of the plants. Techniques of Biotechnology can help to reduce the pollution of air, soil and water and can thus help to create a healthy atmosphere for the exercise of life. Biotechnology in the fields of MEDICINE: such as Antibiotics which helps in the medical use to control number of infections diseases in human begins. Antibiotics are substances, primarily produced by certain harmless micro-organisms which in little concentrations are antagonistic to the growth of the other micro-organisms such as pathogenic bacteria. Biotechnology in the field of INDUSTRY: Biotechnology can be used in plant tissue culture technique to produce the most desirable quality of plants even in place where they normally do not grow. Therefore, these applications are used in the fields of the biotechnology for the use to the mankind.

Some more applications of biotechnology are Foods, Dairy products, Alcoholic beverages, Non alcoholic beverages, Sewage treatment, Bio-gas, Bio-fertilizers, Organic fields, Enzymes, Vitamins, Antibiotics, vaccines, Hormones, Monoclonal antibiotics, Tissue Culture, Transplants, Genetic Engineering and Steroids.

USE OF BIOTECHNOLOGY TO PRODUCE FOOD:

Genetic modification of agricultural crops promises the accessibility of food products with more pleasing traits, such as higher quantities of victims or lowered amounts of saturated fats for consumers and other chemicals for environments and increased yields. Proponents argue that advances in genetics new technologies can produce foods with greater yields to feed the growing world population in the 21st century. According to an industry trade association, genetically U.S. farmers include corn, canola, rice, tomatoes, potatoes and soybeans. Other genetically engineered food crops such as sugar, bears, wheat, papayas, berries, bananas and pineapples have been developed in laboratories. Therefore, because of the use of the biotechnology food can be produced wherever man wants

SOME BENEFITS OF BIOTECHNOLOGY

The first genetically engineered products were medicines designed to combat human diseases. Insulin used to cure diabetes and blood clot reducing enzymes for heart attack victims are now produced simply and inexpensively as a result of biotechnology. In agriculture, first generation biotechnology products offer indirect benefits for customers and the environment through lower agricultural chemical usage.

However, Biotechnology is completely safe for the use of mankind and can help human being in ways as explained in the above paragraphs such as in the production of food, biotechnology in the fields of agriculture, medicine and industry and some benefits of it, which proves that in today’s world biotechnology has done an enough progress to satisfy human being but the inventions will take place in biotechnology in this modern world.

Prepared by:

VIDHI SHAH