bio tech

• Lactase to produce lactose-free products


  Breaks down lactose (sugar found in milk) into glucose and galactose
• Genetic engineering process

  1. Cut the gene coding for insulin using a restriction enzyme leaving sticky ends

  2. Insert the insulin gene into a plasmid using ligase enzyme to form recombinant DNA

  3. Reinsert the recombinant DNA back into bacteria

  4. Culture the bacteria for growth and reproduction

  5. Cultivate genetically engineered bacteria in a fermentor for large-scale production
• Enzymes in biological washing powder

  Break down fats and proteins in stains into small soluble molecules to be easily washed away by water
• Pectinase enzyme used in extraction of clear juice


  Catalyses the breakdown of pectin into sweeter, clearer, and more soluble juice with a larger volume
• Part 2

  28/2/2024
• Products of digestion

  • Glucose
  • Galactose
• Advantages of using immobilised enzymes

  • No contamination of the product with enzymes
  • Recycling of enzymes
  • Thermo stability
  • Increased rate of reaction due to higher enzyme concentration
• Immobilised enzymes

  Enzymes that are attached to a solid surface or enclosed in a matrix, allowing them to be reused and protected from changes in temperature and pH
• Recombinant DNA technology depends on enzymes (specific restriction and ligase enzymes), vectors like plasmids, and bacterial cultures
• Lactose intolerance


  Consuming dairy products causes abdominal pain, diarrhea, flatulence, and bloating
• Enzymes used in biological washing powder

  • Lipase
  • Protease
• Advantages of recombinant DNA technology

  • Large-scale production
  • Purity of the product
  • Ease of turning the process on and off by storing bacteria for later use
• Reason for using the same restriction enzyme in genetic engineering
• Genetic engineering


  Changing the genetic material of an organism by taking a gene from one species and inserting it into another species
• Disadvantages of genetically modified crops

  • Different taste
  • Might be harmful to humans
  • Ethically unaccepted with manipulating nature
  • Bacteria might escape from laboratories resulting in unpredicted consequences
  • Farmers have to pay each time/season to buy GM seeds
  • Create super invasive weed if the herbicide-resistant plant cross-pollinates with a wild relative
  • New organisms might be patented, companies refuse to share benefits with others
• Conditions needed in fermentor

  • Nutrient inlet: glucose/amino acids
  • Water jacket: constant temperature, source of heat - respiration of bacteria
  • Sterilization by steam: to avoid contamination with pathogenic microorganisms, avoid competition on nutrients
  • Probe: monitor pH and temperature
  • Downstreaming: filtration, purified product free from microorganisms/toxins
• Checklist: 1. Fermentor ......role of each part 2. Conditions needed in fermentor 3. How maize used in production of biofuel 4. Advantages and disadvantages of using biofuel 5. Conditions needed in fermentor for production of penicillin Pellets of fungi Correct concentration of glucose Downstreaming 6. Pectinase importance 7. Biological washing powder ....enzymes importance 8. Role of immobilised enzymes 9. Why lactose needs to be broken down 10. Genetic engineering A) definition B) all techniques C) role of each enzyme D) why use bacteria E) advantages of using Recombinant DNA technique F) importance of sticky ends G) advantages vs disadvantages of genetically engineered products
• Advantages of genetically modified plants

  • Crop resistant to herbicide
  • Grow maize/cotton plants that are resistant to pests/insects
  • Grow plants resistant to pathogen/disease
  • Grow plants resistant to droughts
  • Grow plant rich in specific minerals/vitamins
  • Food can be engineered into a more convenient form
• Why use bacteria in genetic engineering

  • No ethical concern about usage of bacteria
  • So small and easy to grow in laboratories
  • Reproduce quickly
  • Share the same kind of genetic material (DNA)
  • Have plasmids which can be easily transferred from one organism’s cell to another/act as a gene vector/gene carrier
• Penicillium fungus


  Used to produce penicillin antibiotic
• Fermentor

  • Nutrient inlet supplying nutrients such as glucose for respiration, amino acids for protein synthesis and growth
  • Water jacket to maintain constant temperature
  • Air supply/aeration to supply oxygen for aerobic respiration
  • Probe to monitor pH and temperature
  • Paddle stirrer to ensure contact between microorganisms and nutrients, equal distribution of heat, and avoid settling of solid contents
• Bacteria

  • Insulin production
  • Protease and lipase enzymes production
  • Pectinase production
  • Lactase production
• Fermentor

  1. Collect the product for downstreaming

  2. Filtration to allow purification by removal of waste products, toxins, and microorganisms
• Death phase: Birth Rate = Death Rate, presence of limiting factors, increase in competition
• Sterilisation

  By high temperature and pressure, steam, gamma rays
• Lag phase: slow birth rate (slightly higher than death rate), starting with a small population, takes time for bacteria/animals to adapt and multiply/reproduce
• Population curve is represented on a sigmoid curve (S-shaped curve) with lag phase, log/exponential phase, stationary phase, and death phase
• Yeast respiration

  1. Produce CO2 causing the dough to rise

  2. Produce alcohol used in making wine

  3. Produce alcohol used in making beer

  4. Produce alcohol used as a biofuel
• Part 1 biotechnology

  26/2/2024
• Biological molecules used in industry

  • Insulin
  • Protease and lipase enzymes used in biological washing powder
  • Pectinase used in extraction of juice
  • Lactase used to produce lactose-free products
• Population curve represents the number of organisms of the same species living in the same place at the same time
• Fermentor


  • Optimum temperature
  • Optimum pH
  • Nutrients (glucose for respiration, amino acids for growth)
  • Oxygen for aerobic respiration
  • Sterilisation (high temperature and pressure)
• Fungi


  • Penicillin antibiotic production
• Log phase: Birth rate > death rate, no limiting factors, optimum conditions, presence of food, shelter, and space for breeding, less predation, more healthcare
• Sterilisation is done to avoid contamination with pathogenic microorganisms and competition with other microorganisms on nutrients and space
• Yeast uses glucose from grapes


  • Wine
• Advantages of biofuel

  • Renewable (sustainable source of energy)
  • Reduces the amount of carbon dioxide added to the atmosphere (carbon neutral)
• Penicillium fungus produces penicillin antibiotic
• Biofuel production

  • Using maize as a source of starch
  • Starch → amylase → maltose
  • Maltose → maltase → glucose
  • Glucose is used by yeast to respire anaerobically in a fermentor to get biofuel
• Yeast respiration

  1. C6H12O6 → 2CO2 + 2 C2H5OH

  2. Used to make dough rise used in bread making