Biotechnology

Plant and Soil SciencePlant Science Technology

Lesson 1 & 2

What Is Biotechnology?

Any technique that uses living organisms or substances from those organisms to make or modify a product, to improve plants or animals, or to develop microorganisms for specific uses

Biotech Terms Genetics – the biology of heredity Heredity – the transmission of characteristics from

an organism to its offspring through genes in reproductive cells.

Genes – components of cells which determine the individual characteristics of living things

Generation – refers to offspring of common parents Progeny – offspring Deoxyribonucleic Acid (DNA) – coded information in a

cell that determines what that cell and its successive cells will be become.

Biotech Terms cont. Clone – exact duplicate of something Genetic engineering – movement of genetic

information in the form of genes from one cell to another.

Mapping / Gene Mapping – identifying and recording the location of a specific gene on a chromosome.

Gene Splicing / Recombinant DNA Technology – process of removing and inserting genes into DNA.

Gregor Johann Mendel

Historic Biotech Applications Yeast – make bread rise Bacteria – ferment sauerkraut

produce cheese(s)other dairy

products Microorganisms – transform fruit and

grains into alcoholic beverages

Historic Biotech Applications Silage

green grasses and grains have been stored in air-tight spaces and containers, such as silos, where bacteria convert sugars and starches in acids.

These acids provide a desirable taste and protect the feed from spoilage by other microorganisms

Pairs of Strands

Double Helix

Create Duplicate Strands

Plant Genetic Engineering

Human Insulin Production