biotechnology

• • biotechnology is where living things and biological processes are used to make useful products
  • large amounts of microorganisms can be cultured to make food
• • the fungus fusarium is used to produce mycroprotein
  • mycroprotein is used to make high protein meat subsitues for vegetarians
  • the fungus is grown on glucose syrup in aerobic conditions, and the biomass is harvested and purified
• • a genetically modified bacterium can produce human insulin
  • when harvested and purified, this is used to treat people with diabetes

  1. plasmid removed from bacterium
  2. insulin gene cut out human using restriction enzymes - restriction enzymes recognise specific sequences in DNA and cut DNA
  3. one of DNA strands left with unparied bases - sticky bases
  4. plasmid cut open using restriction enzyme leaving sticky ends
  5. plasmid and human gene mixed
  6. ligase added and joins sticky ends to produce recombinant DNA
  7. recombinant DNA inserted into a bacterium
  8. bacterium grown in vat to produce insulin
• • biotechnology could help genetically modified crops
  • GM crops can be produced that are resistant to crops, improving crop yields
  • GM crops can be modified to grow better in drought conditions, improving crop yields
  • GM crops can provide more food with improved nutritional value - golden rice can be made to produce chemical which is made into Vitamin A in the body
• • however, gentically modified crops do not solve all issues
  • some argue that people cannot afford to buy food, and the lack of food is not the problem - poverty needs to be tackled first
  • countries may become dependent on countries who sell GM seeds
  • GM crops won't survive on poor soil