Biotechnology and Its Applications – Short Notes
1. Introduction
- Biotechnology: Use of living organisms or their products for human welfare.
- Applications are in:
- Medicine
- Agriculture
- Industry
- Environmental management
2. Medical Applications
A. Production of Vaccines
- Microbes used to produce vaccines (e.g., Hepatitis B vaccine using yeast).
- Prevent infectious diseases.
B. Gene Therapy
- Correcting defective genes by inserting normal genes.
- Used in treatment of genetic disorders.
C. Production of Therapeutic Proteins
- Insulin – Produced using recombinant E. coli.
- Interferons – Anti-viral proteins.
- Growth Hormones – Recombinant HGH.
D. Diagnosis of Diseases
- PCR, ELISA, and DNA probes are used to detect pathogens.
3. Agricultural Applications
A. Genetically Modified (GM) Crops
- Bt-cotton → Produces insect-resistant protein.
- Golden rice → Enriched with Vitamin A.
B. Biofertilizers
- Rhizobium, Azotobacter, Cyanobacteria → Improve soil fertility.
C. Biopesticides
- Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) → Controls insect pests naturally.
4. Industrial Applications
- Microbes produce enzymes for detergents, food, and beverages.
- Alcoholic beverages → Yeast fermentation.
- Organic acids (citric, lactic, acetic acids) production.
- Bioplastics and biofuels (ethanol, biogas) from microbes.
5. Environmental Applications
- Bioremediation: Using microbes to degrade pollutants.
- Oil spills → Hydrocarbon-degrading bacteria.
- Sewage treatment → Microbial decomposition of organic waste.
- Bioaugmentation: Adding specific microbes to improve waste degradation.
6. Industrial and Pharmaceutical Microbes Examples
| Microbe | Application |
|---|---|
| E. coli | Insulin production, recombinant proteins |
| Saccharomyces | Alcohol, bread, bioethanol |
| Aspergillus niger | Citric acid production |
| Bacillus thuringiensis | Biopesticide |
| Lactobacillus | Lactic acid, fermented foods |