Biology 3.14 and 3.15

3.14 Biotechnology Applications
3.15 ELSI

What You Will Learn

• Overview: Explore biotechnology applications in medicine and agriculture.

• Key Concepts: Gene therapy, pharmacogenomics, transgenic crops, and more.

Why Grow Plants in Petri Dishes?

• Question: Why develop crops this way?

• Answer: Biotechnology creates plants that resist pests, droughts, and improve yield, starting in the lab.

Multiple Choice

Genetic engineering has directly increased productivity in which U.S. industry?

• agriculture

• automobile

• media

• none of the above

Biotechnology in Medicine

• Gene Therapy: Corrects genetic disorders at the DNA level.

• Engineered Bacteria: Produces essential human proteins, like cytokines and insulin, for treatments.

• Pharmocogenomics- Treatments tailored to a patient's DNA profile.

Biotechnology in Agriculture

• Transgenic Crops: Genetically modified to improve traits (e.g., taste, yield, resilience).

• Process: Genes inserted into plants using Agrobacterium (see diagram on right).

Multiple Choice

Transgenic organisms contain

• genes from other species.
• cells of another organism.
• genes of only one parent.
• one or more human genes.

Transgenic Purple Tomato

• Example: Genetically engineered to include cancer-fighting compounds.

• Impact: Higher antioxidants and health benefits in modified crops.

Summary

• Medicine: Bacteria produce proteins, gene therapy, and personalized treatments.

• Agriculture: Transgenic crops enhance yield and resistance.

What You Will Learn

• Focus: Ethical, legal, and social issues (ELSI) arising from biotechnology.

• Key Questions: Who controls genetic data? Are genetically modified foods safe?

ELSI - Ethical, Legal, and Social Issues

• Definition: ELSI covers concerns from the Human Genome Project about how DNA data is used and managed.

• Implications: Privacy, safety, and ownership issues linked to genetic information.

Ethical and Legal Concerns from Biotechnology

• Ownership: Who owns and controls genetically modified organisms?

• Environmental Impact: Are genetically modified crops safe for ecosystems?

• Food Safety: What are the long-term effects of genetically modified foods?

Multiple Choice

In which ways can genetic engineering can improve crops

• Make them pest or drought resistant

• Make them more nutritious

• Make them larger

• All answers are correct

Social Concerns and Genetic Modification

• Question: Should we use gene editing to eliminate genetic disorders in embryos?

• Implications: Balancing medical benefits with ethical limits.

Multiple Choice

What are the concerns related to genetic manipulation?

• Ethical issues

• Environmental impact

• Health risks

• All of the above

Summary

• Key Issues: Safety of GM foods, privacy of genetic data, and ethical limits in genetic modification.

• Reflection: As biotechnology advances, society must consider these complex questions.