Biotechnology Flashcards
(23 cards)
What is biotechnology?
the exploitation of biological processes fro industrial and other purposes, especially the genetic manipulation of microorganisms for the production of antibiotics, hormones etc.
Benefits if using microorganisms
- huge diversity
- ease of large-scale culture
- fast growth rate - produce large yields in short space of time
- can be genetically modified
- may be able to tolerate unusual growth conditions
Primary Metabolites
- Directly related to normal cellular growth
- Include amino acids, nucleotides, fermentation
end products, enzymes - Example: ethanol
Secondary Metabolites
- Usually accumulate in the period of nutrient
limitation or waste product accumulation that
follows active growth - Example: penicillin
Fermenters
- Culturing microorganisms in industrial settings is different to culturing them in the laboratory
- Fermentation: when used in a physiological sense, fermentation refer to the reduction of pyruvate or
other organic compound to reoxidise NADH and produce energy - However to industrial microbiologists, fermentation means the mass culture of cells
- A fermenter (bioreactor) is an enclosed and sterilised vessel that maintains optimal conditions for the
growth of a microorganism (from very small to thousands of litres) - The microorganism undergoes fermentation to produce large quantities of a desired metabolite for
commercial use
Structure of fermenters
- Probes and sensors monitor conditions within
the fermenter in order to maintain optimal
growth conditions - Acid/base inlets allow pH regulation within the
chamber (growth products may alter pH) - An external water jacket absorbs excess heat
and maintain a constant temperature - An aerator introduces compressed air into the
chamber - Motorised stirring paddles distribute heat and
nutrients evenly within the fermenter - Nutrient inlets and waste outlets allow for the
introduction of nutrients or the removal of
metabolic wastes - Harvest line for the removal of products
Batch Culture
- Fermentation is carried out in a closed
fermenter, with nothing added or removed
during the process (except venting of gas) - Microorganisms and nutrients are left for a
set period of time, during which the nutrient
stock is depleted - Fermenter is emptied to collect the
product
Continuous Culture
- Fermentation is carried out in an open
fermenter, with nutrients added and product
removed at a steady rate throughout - Nutrients can be added at a specific rate to
maintain the microorganism at a specific
stage of growth to maximise product yield - For a primary metabolite we will want to add
nutrients at a rate that maintains the culture in
exponential phase - For secondary metabolites we will want to
maintain it at a later stage
*This process can be automated
Advantages to Batch culture
- Low risk of contamination or mutation as growth period is short
- Less expensive than continuous culture systems of the same
volume - More flexible with varying products/biological systems
Disadvantages to Batch culture
- Lower productivity due to idle time during emptying the fermenter, cleaning,
sterilisation, filling - Need to prepare cultures to inoculate the fermenter each time
- ^ Both result in higher labour costs
Advantages to Continuous Culture
- Higher degree of control is possible
- Growth rates can be regulated and maintained for extended periods
- Higher productivity, as time consuming tasks such as cleaning and
sterilisation are not performed so often - Automation makes it more cost effective and less sensitive to human error
Disadvantages to Continuous Culture
- Cell aggregation or growth on walls can prevent accurate monitoring and
maintenance of steady-state growth - Long growth periods increase the risk of contamination or mutation
(original product strain could be lost)
White Biotechnology (industrial)
- involves
employment of microorganisms in chemical production - Considered the largest branch of biotechnology
- Areas within white biotechnology:
- Chemical production
- Designing processes and products that consume fewer resources compared to traditional
methods - Production of biodegradable polymers
- Production of industrially relevant enzymes
- Production of fuel from renewable sources or from waste
Biocatalysts
- Enzymes used in the industrial production of chemicals and pharmaceuticals
- Conduct processes more efficiently than chemical synthesis
- Most biocatalysis are of microbial origin and include dehydrogenases, oxygenases, hydrolases,
hydroxylases, transferases, and lyases - May introduce minor changes to a molecule such as the introduction of a hydroxyl or keto
group
Red Biotechnology
involves the use of microorganisms for medical/healthcare applications
* Utilises organisms to improve health care or to help the body fight diseases
* Any drug product manufactured by or extracted from a biological source is known as a
biopharmaceutical
* These include the production of antibiotics and vaccines
* Also includes genome editing to cure diseases
Green Biotechnology
involves technologies that have a positive impact on
agriculture
* This involves:
* Creation of new crops using traditional/GM approaches
* Creation of new fertilisers
* Creation of new biopesticides
* An example is the designing of transgenic plants that are modified to:
* Improve flavour
* Increase resistance to pests and diseases
* Enhance growth in adverse conditions
Brown Biotechnology
closely related to green
biotechnology
* Involves the management of arid land and deserts
* The use of GMO technology for the generation of drought-
resistant plants
* This will enable the growth of high value crop plants in low-
rainfall areas
Blue Biotechnology
includes all biotechnological procedures that exploit aquatic (marine and
freshwater) organisms
* Involves the use of aquatic organisms or their products for biotechnological purposes
* A huge range of sectors can benefit from blue biotechnology:
* The oceans contain the greatest biodiversity on the planet
* Microbes comprise at least 90% of biomass in the oceans
Grey Biotechnology
focuses on the use of microorganisms for decontamination, or the removal
of harmful chemicals or pollutants from the contaminated environments (includes wastewater
treatment)
* Exploits microbial metabolic processes
* There are many microorganisms that can use various pollutants as a source of energy and
nutrients for growth and survival
* Microbiologists can exploit these metabolic processes to clean up sites contaminated with toxic
chemicals: Bioremediation
* This is used for hydrocarbons (including oil spills), plastics, and other pollutants
Yellow Biotechnology
refers to the use of biotechnology for food production or improvement
of food products
* Involves food products that require fermentation processes to make them
Gold Biotechnology
involves bioinformatics and computational biology
* Bioinformatics has numerous applications
* Genome sequencing
* Gene identification
* Prediction of gene function
* Prediction of protein structure
* Drug design and development
* These techniques have accelerated research in numerous sectors of biotechnology
Violet Biotechnology
is related to the legal, ethical, and philosophical
issues around biotechnology
* Legal and regulatory aspects
* Related to invention, publication, and patents
* Other forms of biotechnology aim to increase the number of
inventions; violet biotechnology maintains and regulates them
Dark Biotechnology
refers to the activities related to biological warfare and bioterrorism
* Biological warfare, also known as germ warfare - is the strategic use of biological
toxins or infectious agents such as bacteria, viruses, or fungi with the intent to kill or incapacitate
humans, animals, or plants as an act of war
