6.3.4 introduction to biotechnology

Question 1

define biotechnology

Answer 1

use of living organisms or parts of living organisms in industrial processes. this could be to produce food, drugs or other products

Question 2

4 main areas biotechnology is used for - with examples

Answer 2

1. food
   - ethanol in beer & wine
   - carbon dioxide to make bread rise
   - lactic acid for yoghurt & cheese
2. pharmaceutical drugs
   - penicillin (antibiotics)
   - insulin (therapeutic human proteins)
3. enzymes
   - protease & lipase in washing powders
   - sucrase used to digest sugar to make food sweeter
4. other products
   - biogas (carbon dioxide & methane)
   - bioremediation (cleaning waste water)

Question 3

advantages of using microorganisms in biotechnology

Answer 3

• cheap & easy to grow
• mostly, production process occurs at lower temperatures than required to make molecules by chemical engineering = saves fuel & money
• production process can occur at normal atmospheric pressure = safer than chemical reactions (high pressure for certain molecules)
• production process not dependent on climate = occur anywhere
• microorganism can be fed by-products from other food industries eg. starch, waste water, molasses
• have shorter life cycle & reproduce quickly = large population can grow very quickly inside reaction vessel (fermenter)
• can be genetically modified easily = specific production processes can be achieved
• fewer ethical considerations
• products often released into surrounding medium = easier to harvest
• product often pure/easier to isolate than chemical engineering = lower downstream which reduces costs

Question 4

other organisms used in biotechnology & examples

Answer 4

• genetically-modified mammals (eg. sheep, goats & cow) can be used to produce useful proteins

–> proteins incorporated into milk = easily harvested (eg. goats have been genetically-modified to possess gene for spider silk & secrete into milk

–> proteins secreted into blood eg. cows have been genetically-modified to synthesise human antibodies, which can be isolated from their blood