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CHAPTER 12
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BIOTECHNOLOGY AND ITS APPLICATIONS

Important terms
1)

Transgenics The genetically modified organism that contains a foreign gene or segment
of DNA and expresses it.

2) Biopiracy - Use of bioresources by countries, multinational companies and other

organisations without proper legal authorisation.

Biotechnological applications
(1) IN AGRICULTURE
a)

Genetically Modified plants Genetic modification has

(i)

made crops more tolerant to abiotic stresses.

(ii)

reduced dependence of chemical pesticides.

(iii) helped to reduce post harvest losses.

(iv) increased efficiency of plant to use of minerals
(v)

fortification of plants with various nutrients.

b) Bt. Cotton

A bacteria Bacllus thuringiensis has cry gene which codes a toxin protein.

These genes can be incorporated in plants such as cotton which are infected
by cotton bollworm.

If these plants are eaten by the insect, the toxin which exist as inactive protoxins
in the bacteria or the genetically modified plant gets activated due to alkaline
pH of the gut.

The activated toxin binds to the surface of hindgut epithelial cells and create
pores that cause swelling and lysis and eventually death of the insect.

c) Pest Resistant Plants - Developed on the basis of RNA interference.

It takes place when mRNA of the pest in silenced i.e. not allowed to translate
due to the formation of dsRNA.

(2) BIOTECHNOLOGICAL APPLICATION IN MEDICINE (i) Genetically Engineered Insulin

Insulin from animal sources used to cause allergy and reactions in human beings so
it was genetically engineered in bacteria.

Structure of insulin

Insulin in mammals exists as pro-hormone. It has A, B, C polypeptide from which C

peptide is removed for becoming active form.

A and B chains are bridged by disulphide bonds.

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Maturation of pro-insulin into insulin

3)

Preparation of Insulin

Prepared in 1983 by Eli Lily, an American Company.

Prepared two DNA sequences corresponding to A and B chains of human insulin and
introduced them in plasmids of E. coli to produce insulin chains.

Chains A and B were produced separately and combined by disulphide bonds to

create human insulin.

Gene therapy

The diseases which are due to defect in some gene can be cured by incorporating
the correct functional gene in body cells which take over the non-functional gene.

The first clinical gene therapy was given in 1990 to a girl with adenosine deaminase
(ADA) deficiency.

It is caused due to deletion of the gene for adenosine deaminase.

Here lymphocytes from the blood of the patient are grown in a culture outside the
body.

A functional ADA cDNA is then introduced into these lymphocytes which are then
returned in the patient.

It is not a permanent cure and periodic infusion of such genetically engineered

leucocytes is required.

A permanent cure would be to isolate the gene producing ADA from marrow cells
and introducing the gene at early embryonic stage.

4) Molecular diagnosis

PCR is done to detect HIV, mutation in genes, genetic disorders and to amplify DNA
for DNA fingerprinting.

ELISA is done by which infection of pathogen can be detected by presence of antigen

or by detecting antibodies synthesised against pathogens.

Transgenic Animals Animals that have had their DNA manipulated to possess and express
a foreign gene. Transgenic rats, rabbits, pigs, sheep and cows have been produced.

Need for developing transgenic animals(i) These animals enable scientists to study the working of genes, their regulation,

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effect on normal body functions and development i.e. study normal physiology and
development.
(ii) Study of disease The role of genes in development of diseases can be studied through
transgenic animals.
(iii) Biological products Transgenic animals that produce useful biological products can be
created by introduction of the portion of DNA which codes for a particular product.
(iv) Vaccine safety Transgenic mice are being developed for use in testing the safety of
vaccines before they are used on humans.
(v) Chemical safety testing Toxicity of drugs is also tested on transgenic animals.

ETHICAL ISSUES

Genetic modification of organisms can have unpredictable results when such organisms
are introduced into the ecosystem.

Indian government has set up organisations such as GEAC Genetic Engineering

Approval Committee, which will make decisions regarding the validity of GM research
and the safety of introducing GM organisms for public services.