Real-World Benefits and Uses of Biotechnology for Students
Biotechnology is a branch of science that deals with the use of technology that is based on biology and then is used in agriculture, food industries and medicinal uses. In this technique, recombinant DNA is involved. Recombinant DNA means that this is foreign DNA and has the desired properties which we want in organisms or plant products. There are various uses of biotechnology such as in-vitro fertilization, making plants that are resistant to the external factors and animals that have the desired gene which we want so that they are useful to us. The genetic material of the host organism is altered and this results in the change of phenotype of the organism. There are various application of biotechnology. We will learn about the application of biotechnology in medicine and also the uses of biotechnology in medicine field. Not just medicine but biotechnology find its uses in other fields also. We will also learn about the applications of biotechnology in healthcare and the application of biotechnology in industry.
Application of Biotechnology in Medicine
There are various uses of biotechnology in medicine. These recombinant DNA technologies have made a tremendous impact in the area of healthcare and medicine. The advantages of recombinant therapeutics are that:
The enables the mass production of medicines
They help in making safe and more effective drugs.
The medicines developed by the use of biotechnology does not show immunological responses.
In the world, there are 30 recombinant therapeutics that have been approved out of which 12 are in India. Some of the therapeutic products that have been approved in India are:
Human Insulin
Human Interleukin
Alpha- Interferon
Gamma-interferon
Streptokinase
Biopharmaceuticals are medical products or drugs that have been produced by the use of biotechnology. Proteins and nucleic acids are included in this. There is a lot of medical biotechnology scope in India. The transgenic mice are developed to test the safety of vaccines before they are used on human beings. These mice are also used for testing the safety of the polio vaccine. Transgenic animals also help us to understand how genes contribute to the development of disease. These transgenic animals are used as models for our studies. These transgenic animal models exist for human diseases such as cancer and cystic fibrosis. Transgenic animals are also used for chemical safety testing of drugs. This testing on animals allows us to obtain the results in a very small amount of time.
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Recombinant Insulin
This is one of the applications of biotechnology in medicine. Insulin is a hormone that is produced by the beta cells of the islets of Langerhans. This is present in the pancreas. This hormone helps in controlling the levels of glucose in the blood. The deficiency of insulin results in a disease called diabetes mellitus. Insulin is the body that can become deficient when the pancreas decreases the production of insulin hormone. This is sometimes genetic and sometimes due to old age or any injury to the pancreas. To control this insulin deficiency problem, synthetic insulin is administered by syringes in the human body. This synthetic insulin is made with the help of biotechnology. Earlier it was extracted from the pancreas of slaughtered pigs and cattle. But now, it is made in the laboratory by recombinant DNA technology. Other uses of biotechnology in medicine are seen in Human growth hormone. This is also known as Somatotropin. This growth hormone is secreted by the anterior lobe of the pituitary gland. This hormone further regulates the growth of two other hormones of the hypothalamus that are the somatotropin releasing hormone and somatostatin. The former stimulates the anterior lobe of the pituitary gland to release the growth hormone whereas the latter inhibits the secretion of the growth hormone. A deficiency of any of the above two hormones can result in various diseases. So this hormone is synthesized in the laboratories by the use of biotechnology. This hormone is also useful in healing injuries.
Applications of Biotechnology in Healthcare
The technology of gene therapy is one of the applications of biotechnology in healthcare. Gene therapy technique is just a collection of methods that allows us to make corrections in a gene defect that has been diagnosed in a child or embryo. The genes are inserted inside the body of the deceased individual. This gene helps in taking over the function of the defective gene and thus compensates for non-functional genes. It was in the year 1990 when the first gene therapy was given. The child was suffering from ADA deficiency. This technique is a temporary cure. It can be used as a permanent cure when the defective genes are replaced in the bone marrow. This is a permanent cure for the disease.
Industrial Applications
The field of biotechnology finds its uses in the industries also. It was in 2001 when two scientists in Canada spliced the spider genes into the cells of lactating goats. By this, the goats began to manufacture silk along with milk. These polymer strands of silk were extracted from their milk and then they were weaved into a thread. These polymer threads can be used as a light, tough and flexible material which can be used for military purposes and for making tennis racket strings. By using the techniques of biotechnology, various microorganisms are engineered to produce a wide variety of proteins. These can help in speeding up industrial chemical reactions.
Scope of Biotechnology
Here we will understand the scope and importance of biotechnology. This field of biotechnology has grown exponentially in the past 10 years. With the unfortunate corona disease, this field has helped us to safely develop vaccines and also the testing kits for the disease. The transgenic animals and plants find great use in daily life as they have the desired genes. These desired genes can help the plants to withstand environmental stress and for the animals in producing two or different types of products at the same time as we read above where a goat produced silk and milk together with the help of recombinant DNA technology. The governments of the world have realised the importance of this field and are making advancements in the laboratories of their respective countries.
FAQs on Applications of Biotechnology Explained
1. What are the major fields where biotechnology is applied as per the Class 12 syllabus?
Biotechnology has a wide range of applications across various fields. The primary areas of focus for the CBSE Class 12 syllabus for the 2025-26 session include:
- Agriculture: Developing genetically modified crops (like Bt cotton) that are pest-resistant, more nutritious, and can tolerate environmental stress.
- Medicine: Producing more effective therapeutics (like genetically engineered insulin), developing methods for molecular diagnosis (like PCR and ELISA), and exploring techniques like gene therapy.
- Industrial Production: Using modified microbes to produce enzymes, beverages, and other commercial products.
- Bioremediation: Using microorganisms to clean up environmental pollutants.
2. How is biotechnology used in agriculture to create pest-resistant plants? Explain with the example of Bt cotton.
Biotechnology in agriculture aims to create hardier and more productive crops. One key application is developing pest-resistant plants. The most common example is Bt cotton. Scientists isolate a gene from the bacterium Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) that codes for a toxic protein. This gene, known as the cry gene, is introduced into cotton plants. When an insect like the cotton bollworm eats the plant, the inactive toxin is converted into its active form in the insect's alkaline gut. This active toxin creates pores in the gut wall, leading to swelling and the eventual death of the insect, thus protecting the crop without the need for chemical pesticides.
3. What is meant by molecular diagnosis and why is it considered superior to traditional diagnostic methods?
Molecular diagnostics refers to a set of techniques used to detect diseases by analysing molecules like DNA, RNA, and proteins. Common methods include the Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR), ELISA (Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay), and recombinant DNA technology. It is considered superior to traditional methods (like urine or serum analysis) because it allows for very early detection. Pathogens can be identified even when their concentration in the body is extremely low, long before the symptoms of the disease appear, enabling timely treatment.
4. What are transgenic animals? Give an example of how they have been beneficial in medicine.
Transgenic animals are animals that have had their DNA manipulated to possess and express an extra, foreign gene. These animals are created to study diseases, test vaccine safety, and produce useful biological products. A prominent example is 'Rosie,' the first transgenic cow. She was genetically modified to produce human protein-enriched milk (2.4 grams per litre) containing human alpha-lactalbumin. This milk was nutritionally more balanced and suitable for human babies than natural cow's milk.
5. How does RNA interference (RNAi) work as a method of cellular defence in biotechnology?
RNA interference (RNAi) is a natural cellular defence mechanism found in all eukaryotic organisms. In biotechnology, it is used to silence specific genes. The process involves a specific mRNA being silenced by a complementary double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) molecule. This dsRNA binds to the target mRNA and prevents its translation, effectively 'silencing' the gene. A key application is creating pest-resistant plants, such as protecting tobacco roots from the nematode Meloidegyne incognita by silencing a gene essential for the nematode's survival.
6. Why was the production of genetically engineered insulin (Humulin) a significant milestone?
The development of Humulin was a major breakthrough for several reasons. Previously, insulin for diabetics was extracted from slaughtered cattle and pigs. This animal-derived insulin caused allergic reactions in many patients. Furthermore, supply was limited and could not meet the growing global demand. Genetically engineered insulin, produced by inserting the human insulin gene into E. coli bacteria, is structurally identical to human insulin. This eliminates the risk of allergic reactions and allows for a safe, pure, and unlimited supply to be produced for managing diabetes.
7. What are the major ethical concerns associated with genetic modification, and which organisation regulates it in India?
The primary ethical concerns surrounding genetic modification include the potential for unpredictable and harmful results on ecosystems, the morality of modifying living organisms for human benefit, and the risk of biopiracy (unauthorised use of bioresources). In India, the Genetic Engineering Approval Committee (GEAC) is the key organisation set up by the government. Its role is to evaluate the validity of GM research and make decisions regarding the release of genetically modified organisms for public services and commercial use, ensuring they are safe for organisms and the environment.
8. Explain the difference between biopiracy and a biopatent.
Biopiracy and biopatent are related but distinct concepts in biotechnology.
- Biopiracy is the term for the illegal and unethical practice where indigenous knowledge or biological resources from a country or community are used by corporations or other entities for commercial purposes without proper authorisation or providing fair compensation to the source.
- A Biopatent, on the other hand, is a legal right granted by a government to an inventor for a biological entity or process that is novel, non-obvious, and useful. It gives the patent holder the exclusive right to prevent others from making, using, or selling the patented invention for a limited period.
Essentially, a biopatent is a legal protection, whereas biopiracy is the exploitation of resources, often in violation of a community's rights.
