Biotechnology refers to the application of various biological organisms and processes for production of useful substances or effects in the field of medicine, industry and agriculture. Biotechnology is the use of complete living cells or parts of living cells to produce new or improved products of service systems.
According to the U.S. National Science Foundation biotechnology consists of the controlled use of biological agents such as micro-organisms or cellular components for beneficial use. The European federation of Biotechnology has defined “Biotechnology as the integrated use of biochemistry, microbiology and engineering sciences in order ‘to achieve technological application of the capabilities of micro-organisms cultured tissues, cells and parts.
There are various techniques of biotechnology such as:
Genetic Engineering:
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Cell culture, Tissue culture, bio-processing, Protein engineering, monoclonal antibody production and biosensor technology. Some major techniques are:
(i) Genetic Engineering:
The utilization of genetic machinery of life for production of any special substance is called genetic engineering. The genetic modification of micro-organisms sons is brought about by simple recombination or by complex genetic manipulations. Some of the techniques are: isolation of genes, synthesis of genes, recombinant DNA, gene cloning etc.
(ii) Cell culture or Tissue culture:
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Tissue culture is the technology of artificially growing microorganisms or cells or tissue or organs to the desired genetic purify such as high yield and disease resistance.
The microbes in culture are used in recombinant DNA technology and in a variety of industrial processes and plant cells and tissues are used varieties of genetic manipulations. For example haploid breeding and somatic cultures are being used for production of artificial seeds. Embryo culture technique has also helped extending the range of distant hybridization for plant breeding purposes.
(iii) Microbial Technology:
Under this micro- originations have been harnessed by man for the production of useful materials.
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Such as development of microbial enzymes active in extreme temperatures, novel antibiotics, bioactive proteins and other bio-molecules for industrial use.
(iv) DNA Fingerprinting:
This is an important aspect of biotechnology first developed by Alec Jeffrey’s in 1985-86 in U.K. It is a technique by which an individual can be identified at molecular level. DNA is the basic genetic material that carries a blue print for our life but varies significantly from one person to another. What DNA fingerprinting does is to look inside, regions of DNA that show a great deal of variations from one person to another.
However, these regions account for a small proposition of own genetic material but variations are such that one can locate these regions, highlight and identify them using DNA probes and a pattern, a series of bands or stripes on x-ray film. These DNA patterns are unique to an individual, except in case of identical twins, who have the same DNA. The samples required for DNA finger printings are drop of blood, semen, saliva and the body part such as bones, tissues, skull, hair, teeth etc.
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(v) Monoclonal Antibodies:
Monoclonal antibodies are antibodies that are produced by one type of immune cell. This is produced when a foreign substance is injected into a vertebrate such as a mouse or human, some of the immune systems B- cells turns into plasma cells and start to produce antibodies
that bind to that antigen. But each B-cell produces only one kind of antibody. The monoclonal antibodies are widely used as diagnostic and research reagents and are currently being utilized in many diagnostic procedures including measuring protein level and drug level in serum, identifying infectious agents, identifying tumour antigens and auto- antibodies.