Genetically modified organisms (GMOs) can be defined as organisms (i.e.

plants, animals or
microorganisms) in which the genetic material (DNA) has been altered in a way that does not occur
naturally by mating and/or natural recombination. The technology is often called “modern
biotechnology” or “gene technology”, sometimes also “recombinant DNA technology” or “genetic
engineering”

BIOTECH SOYBEAN

Soybean is the oil crop of greatest economic relevance in the world. Its beans
contain proportionally more essential amino acids than meat, thus making it
one of the most important food crops today. Processed soybeans are important
ingredients in many food products.

Algae fuel, algal biofuel, or algal oil is an alternative to liquid fossil fuels that uses algae as its source of
energy-rich oils. Also, algae fuels are an alternative to commonly known biofuel sources, such as corn
and sugarcane. When made from seaweed (macroalgae) is can be known as seaweed fuel or seaweed
oil. Several companies and government agencies are funding efforts to reduce capital and operating
costs and make algae fuel production commercially viable.

Industrial Biotechnology can help to develope new medicines

If this list is meant to do one thing and one thing alone, it should make you realise how important
industrial biotechnology is, not only in our everyday life but also in improving the way we live. The
technology is constantly evolving along with our economic landscape, with CPI’s National Industrial
Biotechnology Facility we have already seen many companies commercialise products through pure
biotechnology and with the recent opening of our C1 gas facility we hope to see many more take this
exciting route to a sustainable economy.

Biotechnology means using biological organisms like animals, plants, and bacteria to achieve human
goals. We can use it to manufacture products, explore new drugs or vaccines, or to improve our farming
techniques.

Modern animal biotechnology is based on genetic engineering. Genetic engineering is a modification of

an organism's characteristics by adjusting its genetic material. This can be done by old-fashioned
breeding, transgenics, or by cloning.
Transgenic animals can be defined as animals in which new or altered genes have been experimentally
inserted into their genome by genetic engineering techniques. This means that they had foreign genes
that are inserted into their genomes. They undergo transgenesis.

Transgenesis is the procedure through which genetic information (DNA or RNA) is transferred from one
organism to another. This results in the second organism and its descendants being grouped as
transgenic animals (cloned organisms).

Mice have been genetically modified to naturally produce human antibodies for use as therapeutics.
Seven out of the eleven monoclonal antibody drugs approved by the FDA between 2006 and 2011 were
derived from transgenic mice. The use of mice as a subject has proven easier and more beneficial to
scientists than the use of other animals. A mouse’s organism can easily manipulate new genetic
information within its cells. In addition, the transmission of the chosen genes to the progeny has proved
to be quite simple. Mice are also great subjects because they give birth to numerous and large litters,
providing the scientific test more chance of success.

There are a history of other animal cloning studies that have been conducted on different animals.
These animals and methods include:

•Frogs: in 1952 cloning of frogs through nuclear transfer.

•Dolly the sheep: 1994, first mammal cloned from a somatic cell nuclear transfer.

•Cows: were cloned in Japan in order to provide for better meat and milk production.

•Mira the goat: cloned in 1998, Mira was the precursor of engineering cattle that were created in such a
way to be able to ‘‘produce’’ drugs useful to the human body.

•CC the cloned cat: in 2001, the company Genetic Savings & Clone, cloned a domestic cat for
commercial purposes.

•Zhong Zhong and Hua Hua the monkeys: these two were the first primates to be cloned with the same
techniques used for Dolly in the year 2017.

Societal Concerns with Biotechnology

There are four main concerns we, as a society, have when it comes to this ever-advancing field.

Harm to the environment. This concern is perhaps the most widely cited by those opposed to GMOs. It
is very difficult to predict what will happen in an ecosystem where a new organism has been introduced
— whether genetically modified or not.
Bioterrorism. Governments are worried terrorists will use biotechnology to create new Superbugs,
infectious viruses, or toxins for which we have no cures.

According to the CDC, bioterrorism happens when viruses, bacteria or other germs are released
intentionally to inflict harm on or kill people, plants or livestock. The agency says the most likely agent to
be used in an attack is anthrax — a serious disease caused by a bacteria found naturally in soil.

Laboratory/production safety. It's hard to protect yourself if you don't know what you're working
against. Some new technologies, usually non-biologicals such as nanoparticles, make commercial
production lines before they have been sufficiently tested for safety.

Ethical issues. Besides the age-old debate over whether cloning genes is sacrilegious, innumerable
ethical questions arise over the appropriateness of licensing genetic inventions and other IP issues.

Applications of Biotechnology

1. Nutrient Supplementation

One of the biggest uses of biotechnology is the infusion of nutrients into food in situations such as aid.
Therefore, it provides food with heavy nutrients that are necessary in such situations. An example of this
application is the production Golden Rice where the rice is infused with beta-carotene. The rice has
Vitamin A, which the body can easily synthesise.

2. Abiotic Stress Resistance

There is actually very little land on earth that is arable with some estimates place it at around 20
percent. With an increase in the world’s population, there is a need for the food sources available to be
as effective as possible to produce as much food in as little space as possible. There is also need to have
the crops grown to be able to make use of the less arable regions of the world.

This means that there is a need to develop crops that can handle these abiotic stresses such as salinity,
drought and frost from cold. In Africa and the Middle East, for instance, where the climate can be
unforgiving, the practice has played a significant role in the development of crops that can withstand the
prevailing harsh climates.

3. Industrial Biotechnology

The industrial applications of biotechnology range from the production of cellular structures to the
production of biological elements for numerous uses. Examples include the creation of new materials in
the construction industry, and the manufacture of beer and wine, washing detergents, and personal
care products.

4. Strength Fibres

One of the materials with the strongest tensile strength is spider webs. Amongst other materials with
the same cross sectional width, spider webs can take more tensional force before breaking than even
steel. This silk has created a lot of interest with the possible production of materials made from silk
including body armour such as bullet proof jackets. Silk is used because it is stronger than Kevlar (the
material most commonly used to make body armour).

Biotechnological techniques have been used to pick the genes found in spiders and their infusion in
goats to produce the silk proteins in their milk. With this initiative, it make production easier as goats
are much easier to handle compared to spiders and the production of silk via milk also help make the
processing and handling much easier compared to handling the actual silk strands.

5. Biofuels

One of the biggest applications of biotechnology is in the energy production sector. With fears over the
dwindling oil resources in the world and their related environmental impacts, there is a need to protect
the globe’s future by finding alternative environmentally friendly fuel sources. Biotechnology is allowing
this to happen with advances such as using corn to produce combustible fuel for running car engines.
These fuels are good for the environment as they do not produce the greenhouse gases.

6. Healthcare

Biotechnology is applied in the healthcare sector is the development of pharmaceuticals that have
proven problematic to produce though other conventional means because of purity concerns.