Cloning and Biotechnology: Biotechnology Flashcards
What is biotechnology?
INDUSTRIAL use of LIVING microorganisms to produce SUBSTANCES
Give two reasons for using microorganisms in biotechnology
- SHORT life cycle so can be REPRODUCED RAPIDLY
- Grown ANY TIME of year
What does biotechnology also use?
ENZYMES to make products
What are the two types of enzymes used in biotechnology?
INTRACELLULAR and ISOLATED
What are intracellular enzymes?
Enzymes contained WITHIN cells
What are isolated enzymes?
Enzymes NOT contained within cells
How are some isolated enzymes made?
SECRETED naturally by miceroorganisms
What needs to happen to the other isolated enzymes?
Need to be EXTRACTED
What is bioremediation?
Process of using MICROORGANISMS to REMOVE pollutants from CONTAMINATED sites
What can some microorganisms be grown as a source of?
Protein
Give an example of this
- FUNGUS f.venetatuim
- Makes popular meat SUBSTITUTE QUORN
Give two advantages of using microorganisms to produce food
- Microorganisms can be grown QUICKLY, EASILY and CHEAPLY
- SINGLE CELL protein considered HEALTHIER alternative to ANIMAL protein
Give two disadvantages of using microorganisms to produce food
- People might NOT like idea of eating food grown using WASTE products
- Single cell protein DOESN’T have SAME TEXTURE or FLAVOUR as real meat
What does biotechnology use?
CULTURES of microorganisms
What is a culture?
POPULATION of ONE type of MICROORGANISM grown under CONTROLLED conditions
What are cultures grown in?
LARGE containers called FERMENTATION vessels
What are the **two main methods **for culturing microorganisms?
BATCH and CONTINUOUS fermentation
What is batch fermentation?
Bacteria grown in INDIVIDUAL HATCHES in fermentation vessel
What is continuous fermentation?
Microorganisms CONTINUALLY grown in fermentation vessel without BREAK
Give three examples of factors which need to be controlled inside fermentation vessels
- pH
- Temperature
- Access to nutrients
How is pH regulated inside a fermentation vessel?
pH probe
How is temperature regulated inside a fermentation vessel?
Surrounded by WATER JACKET surrounding entire vessel
How is access to nutrients regulated inside a fermentation vessel?
PADDLES constantly CIRCULATE fresh nutrient medium around vessel
What is a closed culture?
Growth occurs in vessel ISOLATED from EXTERNAL environment
What are the four phases of the standard growth curve?
LAG phase, EXPONENTIAL phase, STATIONARY phase and DEATH phase
What happens during the lag phase?
- REPRODUCTION rate is LOW
- Population size increases SLOWLY
- Microorganisms synthesise ENZYMES and other molecules
What happens during the exponential phase?
- Population size increases QUICKLY
- Number of microorganisms DOUBLES
What happens during the stationary phase?
- NO CHANGE in population size
- DEATH rate EQUALS REPRODUCTIVE rate
- NOT enough food
What happens during the death phase?
- Population size FALLS
- DEATH rate GREATER than REPRODUCTIVE rate
- Food very LITTLE
Give three examples of aseptic techniques in the lab
- DISINFECTING work surfaces
- Wear GLOVES and LAB COAT
- Sterilise WIRE INOCULATION LOOP by holding it in a BUNSEN flame
Process of creating broth
