Biotechnology

I. Introduction

• "The Future Isn't What It Used To Be"
• Biotech companies
• Genentech and protropin (synthetic human growth hormone)
• criminology (CODIS)
• crop improvement
• safety/ethics

II. What is biotechnology?

A. Examples

-insulun

-HGH (human growth hormone)

B. How do you do it?

1. note: DNA sequences in nature are not static

• crossing over between homologous chromosomes
• bacteriophage (non-lytic cycle)
• transposons
• plasmids

from: http://www.estrellamountain.edu/faculty/farabee/biobk/14_1.jpg

2. an example procedure

• extract and purify DNA from human cells of interest
• cut DNA into gene-sized pieces: restriction endonucleases (RE)

from: http://www-math.mit.edu/~lippert/18.417/lectures/02_PartialDigest/Pictures/100000000000052F000003E8CBEA8CE5.jpg

• identify gene to be cloned using a probe (ex: mRNA for HGH-->RT-->DNA)
• insert gene into isolated bacterial plasmid (cut cDNA and plasmid with same RE)
• reinsert plasmid into bacterial vector
• grow up lots and lots of 'transformed' bacteria

from: http://fig.cox.miami.edu/~cmallery/150/gene/c7.20.4a.cloning.jpg

III. Is it possible to insert engineered genes into multicellular organisms?

A. Plants

1. vector (Agrobacterium tumefaciens) (has tumor caused plasmid)

• Crown Gall Disease

from: http://ohioline.osu.edu/hyg-fact/3000/images/3301_2.jpg

• Isolate plasmid, insert desired gene using restriction endonuclease
• To get into a crop plant use tissue culture

from: http://mbbnet.umn.edu/firsts/plant-gen.jpeg

2. Types of Genetically Engineered Plants

• weed killer resistance
• insect pest resistance (Bacillus thuringiensis)
• problems? insects become more resistant to BT toxin, set aside crop refuge

B. Gene Therapy

• What is Gene Therapy?
• a method for altering the human genome
• Bubble Boy (Jesse Gelsinger website)
• future promise and problems

IV. Stem Cells

• The magic therapeutic bullet?
• What are stem cells?
• Where are they found?

-embryonic

-adult

• Potential uses?