Chemical Aspect of

Biotechnology

Course: B.Tech.

Subject: Engineering Chemistry

Unit: IV(A)

Biotechnology is the use of living systems and organisms

in manufacturing pharmaceuticals and other products to

promote industrial and commercial products.

Biotechnology is an interdisciplinary science including

not only biology, but also subjects like mathematics,

physics, chemistry and engineering.

Through genetic engineering scientists can

combine DNA from different sources and this

process is called “Recombinant DNA

technology”

The secrets of DNA structure and functions have

led to gene cloning and genetic engineering,

manipulating the DNA of an organism.

Food biotechnology is the application of technology to

modify genes of animals, plants, and microorganisms to

create new species which have desired production,

marketing, or nutrition related properties.

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The first steps in genetic modification were for food

producers to ensure larger profits by keeping food

fresher, longer.

This allowed for further travel to and longer availability

at markets, etc…

These genetically modified tomatoes promise less

waste and higher profits.

Scientists can now introduce a gene into a tomato

plant that blocks synthesis of the softening protein.

Without this protein, the genetically altered tomato

softens more slowly than a regular tomato, enabling

farmers to harvest it at its most flavorful and

nutritious vine-ripe stage.

By genetically modifying food producing organisms, the wait time and quantity of certain food processing necessities are optimized.

Again this is a money saver.

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Some plants, during processing, lose some of

the vital nutrients they once possessed.

Others are grown in nutrient poor areas.

Both these problems can be solved by

introducing genes into plants to increase the

amount or potency of nutrients.

“Biofortification”

Inserting genes into

plants/animals to

produce essential

medicine or

vaccines.

“Biopharming”

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The main reason for medical biotechnology is to

prolong life.

Other reasons are to ease suffering of palliative

care patients or to increase accessibility for people

with disabilities.

Bioprocessing is the mass production of human

proteins, vaccines, etc… by genetically modifying

bacteria or viruses.

This allows for a large quantity of the desired product

to be created in a short amount of time and for a

relatively low cost.

Produce transgenic plant through plant tissue

culture to improve the crops with the desired traits.

Resistance develop against abiotic and biotic

stress.

Transgenic plants use as bioreactors for producing

commercial products- protein, vaccines &

biodegradable plastics.

Environmental biotechnology is the solving of environmental problems through the application of biotechnology.

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It is needed to:

eliminate the hazardous wastes produced by our

other technologies.

distinguish between similar species and ensure

species are not at risk of extinction.

create alternative energy sources (i.e. Biofuel).

Fermentation is the oldest form of

biotechnology, essentially consisting of

transformation of the simple raw materials into

value added amazing range of products by

utilizing the growth of microorganism.

The basic purpose of micro organisms to break

down the organic compounds is to get energy

for their metabolic process.

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A batch fermentation is regarded as a closedsystem.

The sterile nutrient culture medium in thebioreactor is inoculated with micro organisms.

The incubation is carried out under optimalphysiological conditions.

It may be necessary to add acid or alkali tomaintain pH and antifoam agents to minimizefoam under optimal conditions for growth.

Under optimal conditions for growth the followingtypical phases of growth, are observed in batchfermentation.

It is an open system.

It involves the removal of culture medium

continuously and replacement of this with a fresh

sterile medium in a bioreactor.

Both addition and removal are done at the same

rate so that the working volume remains constant.

Most fermentation technologies using microbes

employ a fairly dilute medium where the substrate

to be fermented is diluted in water and then

inoculated with desired microbes.

Some fungai can grow in conditions without free

water.

In this case the moisture required by the fungus

exists than absorbed or complex form in the solid

matrix , often ranging between 10% and 80%

processes which exploit the growth of fungai in

this type of system are designated solid state

fermentation.

Enzymes are Bio-catalysts that bind

temporarily to one or more of the reactants—

the substrate thereby lowering the activation

energy needed and thus speed up the reaction.

Learning objectives

Enzymes from microorganisms have many uses in

the home and in industry

Proteases and lipases are used in biological

detergents

Proteases, carbohydrases and isomerase are used in

food manufacture.

Advantages and disadvantages of using enzymes at

home and in industry

Enzymes can be used as diagnostic tool in medicine

and to treat some diseases

Pectinase break down substances in apple cell walls and enable greater juice extraction.

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What are enzymes used for in industry?

• Biological washing

powders

• Making soft centred

chocolates

• Pre-digesting baby food

so babies can eat it more

easily

• Making diet foods 7

Isomerase converts the sugar glucose into fructose, another

type of sugar.

The invertase breaks down the sucrose into the simpler

sugars glucose and sucrose, making the centre soft and

runny.

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Biofuels are liquid fuels which have been derived

from other materials such as waste plant and

animal matter. There are two main types of

biofuels – bioethanol and biodiesel.

Bioethanol is used as a replacement for gasoline.

Biodiesel is used as a replacement for diesel.

Bioethanol - or simply ‘ethanol’ - is an alcohol

which is made by fermenting the sugar and starch

components of plant materials by using yeast such

as saccharomyces cerevisae.

Ethanol can be used as a fuel for vehicles in its

pure form as a replacement for gasoline, but it is

usually blended with gasoline so as to improve

vehicle emissions.

Rudolf Diesel, the inventor of the diesel engine,

created the engine to be powered by peanut and

other vegetable oil. That was in the late 1800s

before cheaper petroleum-based diesel fuel

(petrodiesel) became widely available.

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Biodiesel is produced from renewable plant or

animal feedstocks containing fatty acids using a

process of condensation called transesterification.

And are the most common form of biofuel in

Europe as a replacement for diesel.

The typical thickness of a lipid bilayer is about 5 nm.

If the hydrophobic core of a membrane protein is longer or shorter than this length, either some hydrophobic protein or lipid segments are exposed to

water, or the lipid membrane has to be deformed to compensate for unfavorable hydrophobic interactions.

This effect is called as ‘hydrophobic matching’.

The hydrophobic matching give rise to interfacial tensions between lipids and proteins. These tensions may result in accumulation of certain lipids

around the proteins. And in the mutual attraction of proteins due to capillary forces, leading to aggregation and clustering of proteins.

THE MATTRESS

MODEL

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S.J.SINGER AND G. NICHOLSON FLUID

MOSAIC MODEL(1972)

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Assembly of Phospholipid bilayer and Protein embedded in it

The relative amounts of protein and lipid vary significantly , ranging from about 20%(dry wt.) protein(in myelin) to 80% protein(in mitochondria) .

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Phospholipid Bilayer

Built from lipids and steroid derivatives

Phospholipids = Phosphoglycerides

Phosphoglycerides: Main ingredient

Glycolipids

Sphingolipids

Phospholipid structure

Glycerol backbone connected by ester bonds to fatty acid chains

Phosphoric acid

Alcohol

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1. https://www.organicdepot.in

2. https://www.kwikshop.com

3. https:// www.farmflavor.com

4. https://www.ec.europa.eu

5. https://www.timescity.com

6. https:// www.huffingtonpost.com

7. https:// www.concordextra.com

8. https:// www.au.timeout.com

9. https:// www.dieselduck.info

10. https:// www.en.wikipedia.org

11. https:// www.cc.scu.edu.cn

12. www.biolinscientific.com

13. www.boundless.com

14. Engineering chemistry by Jain and jain