Biotechnology: Ecology: Biology: GCSE (9:1)

• Biotechnology


  Technologies that utilise biological systems or living organisms for specific processes

  
• Importance of modern biotechnology techniques

  Enable large quantities of food to be produced from microorganisms or genetically engineered crops with high yields

  
• Mycoprotein


  A protein product that is derived from fungi and fit for human consumption

  
• Fusarium


  A microscopic fungal species that is responsible for the production of mycoprotein

  
• Conditions for Fusarium growth

  Fusarium is grown in a controlled fermenter on glucose syrup under aerobic conditions, where biomass can later be harvested and then purified

  
• Biomass

  The biological products of Fusarium fermentation that can be converted to mycoprotein fit for human consumption
• Advantages of mycoprotein


  A suitable source of protein for vegetarians and large amounts of mycoprotein can be grown in a relatively small amount of space

  
• Genetic engineering


  A biotechnological process where genetic material that codes for a desired function is removed from an organism and is inserted into a target organism, using plasmids or viruses

  
• Human insulin production

  Insulin can be produced by removing DNA from a human pancreas and inserting it into bacteria that can rapidly reproduce and make large quantities of human insulin

  
• Advantages of human insulin production

  Prevents harm to organisms that would traditionally be used as sources of insulin and reduces the risk of rejection

  
• GM crops


  A plant species that has been genetically altered to provide some sort of benefit, usually by genetic engineering

  
• Golden rice


  A variety of rice that has been genetically engineered to contain high levels of beta-carotene, a molecule naturally found in carrots that is needed to make vitamin A

  
• Vitamin A deficiency

  Vitamin A is essential for effective vision, a lack of vitamin A can lead to blindness or vision problems

  
• Advantages of golden rice

  Provides populations with access to vitamin-producing beta-carotene, a molecule that many populations would not normally be able to obtain in their natural diets