Notes BIOTECHNOLOGY

1 BIOTECHNOLOGY 293 BIOLOGYN otesMODULE - 5 Emerging Areasin BiologyAt home we prepare food items such as yoghurt (curd), cake, bread, idli and dosaby the action of microorganisms, such as the bacteria and fungi. Brewers use yeast (fungus) to make beer. Antibiotics such as penicillin are obtained from certain , biological processes such as fermentation by microorganisms is beingused in industry on a commercial scale for making food, drinks, drugs (medicines)and industrial chemicals. Modern techniques in BIOTECHNOLOGY are programmingmicroorganisms for this task. In this lesson, you will learn about use of microorganismsin completing this lesson, you will be able to:zappreciate the importance of BIOTECHNOLOGY in human welfare;zexplain the use of BIOTECHNOLOGY in industry;zlist the microbes used in the industry and the products manufactured throughtheir use;zexplain fermentation and outline the process of making alcohol by usingmicroorganisms;zdescribe the process of making yoghurt and cheese on a large scale;zexplain the contribution of microorganisms in making antibiotics and vaccines;zdefine genetic engineering and mention its utility;zdefine transgenic organisms, mention the steps in their production and cite afew examples of transgenic plants and animals;zexplain the process and importance of gene therapy.

2 Zexplain bioremediation and 294 NotesMODULE - 5 Emerging Areasin BIOTECHNOLOGYThe word BIOTECHNOLOGY has come from two words, bios (meaning biology) andtechnology (meaning technological application). Thus BIOTECHNOLOGY is defined asthe industrial application of living organisms and their biological processessuch as biochemistry, microbiology, and genetic engineering, in order to makebest use of the microorganisms for the benefit of is applied in many areas to produce foods and medicines, in thedevelopment of new diagnostic tools, gene therapy, and DNA finger-printing forforensic Applications of Biotechnology1. Health and medicineFighting infectious diseases : BIOTECHNOLOGY is used extensively in the study ofinfectious diseases such as SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome), andinfluenza.

3 As a result more effective pharmaceuticals have been of vaccines and antibiotics : Using technology, microorganisms areused to develop antibiotics and vaccines to cure diseases. For example, bacteriaBacillus polymysea is used to produce polymyxin B (antibiotic used to cure urinarytract infections), fungus Penicillium notatum is used to produce penicillin (used tocure pneumonia, and many other bacterial infections.)Treating genetic disorders : Disease can occur when genes become defective dueto mutations. With advancements in BIOTECHNOLOGY , in the near future it will bepossible to use gene therapy to replace an abnormal or faulty gene with a normalcopy of the same gene. It may be used to treat ailments such as heart disease,inherited diseases such as SCID, and forensic science : A lot of New techniques have been developed such as DNAfingerprinting, besides having a number of other applications which have facilitatedthe speedy identification of the EnvironmentCleaning up and managing the environment : Cleaning up the environment usingliving organisms is called bioremediation.

4 Naturally occurring, as well as geneticallymodified microorganisms, such as bacteria, fungi and enzymes are used to breakdown toxic and hazardous substances present in the AgricultureBiotechnology has also made possible the production of crops improved diseaseresistan; herbicide-toleran and insecticide-resistan. Plants with improved nutritionalvalue for livestock have also been obtained through of pests : One application of BIOTECHNOLOGY is in the control of insect genetic make-up of the pest is changed by causing some mutations. These pestsbecome sterile and do not reproduce 295 BIOLOGYN otesMODULE - 5 Emerging Areasin BiologyManufacturing and bio-processing : With the help of new biological techniquesit has become possible to grow, the plants that produce compounds for use indetergents, paints, lubricants and plastics on large and drinks : BIOTECHNOLOGY , has also made the processing of foods and theirproducts easier.

5 Preservation and storing of food for consumption later has becomeeasy and cheap with the help of BIOTECHNOLOGY . Seedless grapes and seedless citrusfruits have been developed using IndustryBiotechnology has been used in the industry to produce new products for humanconsumption. Food additives have been developed which help in the preservationof food. Microorganisms are used in the mass production of items such as cheese,yoghurt, and Industrial Microorganisms and Their Industrial ProductsImportant microorganisms used in industries includezyeasts (fungi)zmoulds (fungi)zbacteriazfilamentous bacteria (actinomycetes)Microbes are used in the manufacture of several products. Some of these arezalcohol-containing beverageszyoghurt (curd)zproteinszantibiotics and monoclonal antibodieszvitamins, steroids and enzymesz biogasThe progress in gene manipulation and genetic engineering has introducedthe use of cultured mammalian cells and hybridomas in the are created by fusion of cells belonging to organisms ofdifferent Production of Alcohol Containing BeveragesFermentationFermentation is a process by which carbohydrates such as sugar areconverted into yeastenzyme Ethyl alcohol + Carbon-dioxide + ATPY east is capable of fermenting sugar to alcohol.

6 Fermentation is an energyyielding the mid nineteenth century, Louis Pasteur showed that fermentation by the yeastSaccharomyces cerevisiae yields beer and buttermilk. Presently yeast is being usedBiotechnologyBIOLOGY 296 NotesMODULE - 5 Emerging Areasin Biologyon a large scale for brewery use yeast to leaven (raise)dough to make bread. yeast is alsogrown on molasses and is packed andsold. yeast is used to raise cakes andbread while beverages are manufacturedby fermentation of sugars by the yeast ,Saccharomyces cerevisiae. It is calledBrewer s yeast . The source ofcarbohydrate fermented by yeast givesthe beverage its specific flavour. Forexample : Wine is obtained by fermentationof grapes. Grapes are fermentedby S. cerevisiae and its solublesugars (glucose and fructose) areconverted into CO2 and ethylalcohol.

7 Fermentation is carried out in largetanks called bioreactors. Barley malt is fermented to taken for fermentation(i)Fermenter or tank and thenutrient medium are sterilised bysteam under pressure (autoclave).(ii)The correct strain of yeast is selected.(iii)The yeast is inoculated into the medium. Inoculation can be done in two ways:(a) yeast can be grown as a layer on the surface of nutrient medium. Thisis called support growth system.(b) Cells or mycelia are suspended in a liquid medium. This is calledsuspended growth system.(iv)Care is taken to maintain the right temperature, pH, oxygen and carbon-dioxideconcentration.(v) The medium is stirred and left to ferment.(vi)The sugar in the medium gets fermented by enzymes released by yeast .(vii)The fermented product is taken out (Fig.)

8 Fig Obtaining wine from grapes byfermentation by YeastGrape pressingElimination ofcontaminantsAddition of desiredorganismsSterilization+ yeast additionFermentationAlcohol productionfrom sugarsExcess yeastSetting vatFermentationExcess yeast removalDevelopment of finalwine bouquetAgingBottlingBiotechnology 297 BIOLOGYN otesMODULE - 5 Emerging Areasin BiologySome alcohols manufactured by yeast fermentation are : Ethyl alcohol, butanol andglycerol. The same method also yields lactic acid and acetic acid (vinegar) by usingspecific yeast extract left after removal of the beverage can be used as animal is also a rich source of QUESTIONS Name three different kinds of microorganisms used in the manufacture ofindustrial Name three products obtained in industries by using Name two alcohols produced through fermentation by Name the two methods of inoculation of yeast in the Match the items given in columns A with those given in column AColumn B1.

9 Bioreactor(a) Butanol2. Steaming under pressure(b) Fermentation tank3. Alcohol(c) YOGHURT AND CHEESE MAKINGAt home we add a bit of yoghurt (starter) to milk and it sets. The milk becomesyoghurt or curd due to the milk curdling enzymes released by the increasingpopulation of bacteria, Lactobacillus present in the starter. (Table ) On acommercial scale, making of yoghurt as well as cheese utilises Rennet tablets forthis purpose. Rennin is the milk curdling enzyme obtained from the calf , this method is popular any by bacteria or by rennin , when milk is curdled , milk protein casein,separates from the liquid which is called whey. Lactobacillus convert lactose in themilk into lactic acid which lowers the pH. Lowered pH causes souring which isessential for can be made by violently shaking (churning) sour milk.

10 The fat globulesseparate and form butter. A starter culture of Streptococcus cremosis, and Leuconostocis added to the milk when butter, yoghurt or cheese are 298 NotesMODULE - 5 Emerging Areasin BiologyTable Fermenting microbes used for dairy productsFermented productFermenting microorganismDescriptionYoghurtStreptoco ccus thermophilusProduct made from low orand Lactobacillus bulgariansnon-fat milk and stabiliserslike gelatin lactisCream is incubated till the desiredacidity is achieved followed by churning,washing and Microorganisms and antibioticsIn 1928, Alexander Fleming accidentally discovered that one microorganism caninhibit the growth of another organism. Selman Waksman 1942 coined the termantibiotic (anti: opposed to, biotic: living organism)Antibiotic is a substance produced by a microorganism such as bacteriaor fungi which inhibits the growth of another microorganism.