What is Biotechnology..?

Some of the available definitions of Biotechnology,

 “It is the application of biological organisms, system (or) process to manufacturing and service industries”

“ The integrated use of Biochemistry, Microbiology and engineering sciences of the capabilities of microorganisms, cultured tissue cells and part of them.”

“The controlled use of biological agents, such as microorganisms (or) cellular components, for beneficial use”

The last definition is brief and comprehensive and may be used by students if they have to learn only one definition.

Historical Resume:

The term Biotechnology was coined by the scientists “Carl Neuberg” in 1919.

The origin of biotechnology can be traced back to prehistoric times when microorganisms were already used for processes like “Fermentation”.

First Discovery: In 1920, “Clostridium acetobutylicum” was used by “Chaim Weizmann” for converting starch into butanol and Acetone. The latter was an essential component of explosives during World War-I.

Second Discovery: During Second World War (the 1940s), the production of Penicillin (as an antibiotic discovered by “Alexander Flemming” in 1929) on a large scale from cultures of “Penicillium notatum”

Third Discovery: The third discovery of Biotechnology is its recent reincarnation in the form of “Recombinant DNA technology”, which led to the development of a variety of gene technologies and is thus considered to be the greatest scientific revolution of this century.

Old Vs New Biotechnology:

Fermentation by some microorganisms, formation of yogurt (curd), cheese from milk, Veniger from molasses, production of antibiotics like “Penicillin” from certain fungi, Process of baking and brewing are often included in describing what is called “Old Biotechnology”

PCR (Polymerase Chain Reaction), rDNA technology, Cell culture and fusion, and bioprocessing, which became possible only through the researches in molecular biology have been described as “New Biotechnology”