Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering: Applications and Impact
Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering: Applications and Impact
Biotechnology is the use of biological processes to obtain goods and services from living organisms. The oldest examples are fermentations, such as the production of alcohol in wine, lactic acid in milk, or acetic acid in vinegar.
Genetic Engineering: A Powerful Tool
Genetic engineering is a technology for obtaining goods and services that emerged following the discovery of DNA. Its applications are significant, including the synthesis of drugs, gene therapies, and genetic modifications.
Recombinant DNA and Molecular Cloning
Recombinant DNA technology allows us to cut a specific DNA fragment from one individual and insert it into the DNA of another. This is the basis of transgenics and molecular cloning. Molecular cloning enables the continuous synthesis of a biological product when we introduce the corresponding gene into a living organism. For example, this technique is used to obtain insulin. It also serves to produce substances such as amino acids for food additives, antibiotics, and to replace the synthesis of vaccines like influenza or rabies.
Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs)
GMOs express characteristics in their phenotype that they did not possess before. Their primary use has been in agriculture, such as increasing protein content in maize or improving cold resistance in strawberries. They are also used for manufacturing biodegradable materials and environmental bioremediation. Bioremediation is a technique that involves repairing soil and/or contaminated water bodies using naturally decontaminating bacteria. Additionally, GMOs have applications in medicine and pharmacy, such as producing growth hormone, clotting factors, and the hepatitis B vaccine.
The Human Genome Project and its Implications
The Human Genome Project, which began in the 1990s and concluded in 2003, involved sequencing the human genome and providing essential information about our genetic characteristics. We now know how many genes we have, how living beings evolved, and what happens when we get sick. Since the genomes of all humans are so similar (98%), we can detect the genes responsible for diseases and modify them. Bioethics (the ethics of life) is the fundamental ethical criterion that any decision must take into account human rights and dignity.
Sequencing, Molecular Diagnosis, and Genetic Counseling
Sequencing helps identify possible mutations and diseases associated with genetic disturbances. This has led to the development of molecular diagnosis, which detects possible mutations that each of us may have in our genome. It also allows for increasingly accurate diagnoses, even before the disease manifests clinically, enabling early detection and treatment. Genetic counseling is based on the genetic study of families, analyzing diseases across generations.
Gene Therapy: Correcting Genetic Diseases
Gene therapy involves introducing healthy genetic material into diseased cells to correct genetic diseases, particularly cancers and inherited diseases. It can be performed in vivo (within the individual) or ex vivo (outside the individual). In in vivo therapy, the new gene can cause an immune reaction, and there is a challenge in introducing the gene to the exact location of the abnormal gene.
Human Insulin Production
Human insulin for diabetics previously came from cows or pigs. However, this insulin is not identical to human insulin and can produce adverse immune reactions. Now, it is obtained through molecular cloning, where the human insulin gene is introduced into bacteria, which then produce human insulin.