Biotechnology
Article by: Milton Zaitlin, Biotechnology Program, Plant Pathology, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York.
Key Concepts
• Biotechnology is a general term for any technique used to make or modify
the products of living organisms.
• The earliest practice of biotechnology was in the use of yeast and bacteria to produce
various foods, including wine, bread, and cheese.
• Modern biotechnology uses cell and tissue culture, cell fusion, molecular biology,
and recombinant DNA technology to improve plants or animals or to develop useful
microorganisms.
• Biotechnology has applications in genetics, microbiology, immunology, agriculture,
plant science, medicine, and environmental science.
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Generally, any technique that is used to make or modify the products of
living organisms in order to improve plants or animals or to develop useful
microorganisms. According to the general definition, biotechnology has actually
been practiced for centuries, as exemplified by the use of yeast and bacteria in
the production of various foods, including wine, bread, and cheese. However, in
modern terms, biotechnology has come to mean the use of cell and tissue culture,
cell fusion, molecular biology, and, in particular, recombinant deoxyribonucleic
acid (DNA) technology (Fig. 1) to generate unique organisms with new traits or
organisms that have the potential to produce specific products. The advances and
products in the biotechnology arena have been developing at a rapid pace. Still,
the manipulation of biological processes for commercial exploitation and benefit
has led to controversy. Some examples of products in a number of important disci-
plines are described below.
Genetics
Recombinant DNA technology has opened new horizons in the study of gene
function and the regulation of gene action (Fig. 2). In particular, the ability to insert
genes and their controlling nucleic acid sequences into new recipient organisms
allows for the manipulation of these genes in order to examine their activity in
unique environments, away from the constraints posed in their normal host. Trans-
formed plants, animals, yeast, and bacterial genes may be examined in this way.
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Fig. 1: Recombinant DNA technology is a key tool for
many biotechnological applications. As shown here,
recombinant DNA technology is used to splice a human
gene (in this case, the one for insulin) into a bacterial
plasmid; then, by various biotechnological procedures,
bacteria that are capable of making human insulin are
the final product. (Credit: National Institute of General
Medical Sciences, National Institutes of Health)
Content
• Genetics
• Microbiology
• Immunology
• Agricultural science
(plant and animal)
• Plant science
• Medicine
• Environment
