recombinant dna technology
Recombinant DNA Technology
Recombinant DNA technology refers to the ability to isolate specific DNA sequences and alter or manipulate them to produce desired effects. More often, recombinant DNA technology is referred to as biotechnology. Recombinant DNA technology is fascinating in that it has developed into a multi-billion dollar industry, and completely revolutionized agriculture and pharmaceutical industries, all within the past 50 years.
According to one account, biotechnology was born during a meeting in Hawaii in 1972 between Stanford medical professor Stanley Cohen, and biochemist Herbert Boyer from the University of California (Russo, 2003). The men were attending a conference on plasmids, and discussed the ability to introduce plasmid DNA into the bacterium E Coli that would allow researchers to actually clone the plasmids in the bacteria. Boyer and Cohen eventually chose different paths, both affected by the growing concerns about the safety of recombinant DNA technology, but this meeting is marked as the beginning of the biotechnology revolution. Cohen stayed in academia and defended recombinant DNA technology in US congressional hearings. During the same time, in 1976 Herbert Boyer partnered with venture capitalist and MIT graduate Robert Swanson to set up and develop the worlds first biotechnology company, Genentech (Russo, 2003). Since its introduction in the 1970’s the biotechnology industry has exploded, revolutionizing science and agricultural as well as pharmaceutical production. In 2011, Ernst &Young stated in the US alone there were 1,870 public and private biotechnology companies, their revenues worth over 60 billion US dollars (www.ey.com, 2012).
To better understand how biotechnology has impacted the world we live in, it is good to have a broad understanding of the underlying principles of recombinant DNA technology. Firstly, two types of DNA are isolated. The first is bacterial plasmids that will act as the “gene carriers” and the
Recombinant DNA technology refers to the ability to isolate specific DNA sequences and alter or manipulate them to produce desired effects. More often, recombinant DNA technology is referred to as biotechnology. Recombinant DNA technology is fascinating in that it has developed into a multi-billion dollar industry, and completely revolutionized agriculture and pharmaceutical industries, all within the past 50 years.
According to one account, biotechnology was born during a meeting in Hawaii in 1972 between Stanford medical professor Stanley Cohen, and biochemist Herbert Boyer from the University of California (Russo, 2003). The men were attending a conference on plasmids, and discussed the ability to introduce plasmid DNA into the bacterium E Coli that would allow researchers to actually clone the plasmids in the bacteria. Boyer and Cohen eventually chose different paths, both affected by the growing concerns about the safety of recombinant DNA technology, but this meeting is marked as the beginning of the biotechnology revolution. Cohen stayed in academia and defended recombinant DNA technology in US congressional hearings. During the same time, in 1976 Herbert Boyer partnered with venture capitalist and MIT graduate Robert Swanson to set up and develop the worlds first biotechnology company, Genentech (Russo, 2003). Since its introduction in the 1970’s the biotechnology industry has exploded, revolutionizing science and agricultural as well as pharmaceutical production. In 2011, Ernst &Young stated in the US alone there were 1,870 public and private biotechnology companies, their revenues worth over 60 billion US dollars (www.ey.com, 2012).
To better understand how biotechnology has impacted the world we live in, it is good to have a broad understanding of the underlying principles of recombinant DNA technology. Firstly, two types of DNA are isolated. The first is bacterial plasmids that will act as the “gene carriers” and the
Bibliography: Burke, D. C. (2012). There 's a long, long trail a-winding: The complexities of GM foods regulation, a cautionary tale from the UK. GM Crops & Food, 3(1), 30-39. doi:10.4161/gmcr.18041 Donnelley, S., & McCarthy, C. R. (1994). The brave new world of animal biotechnology. Hastings Center Report, 24(1), S1. Ernst &Young. (2012). Global Biotechnology Report. Ernst & Young website. Federici, V. (2010). GENETICALLY MODIFIED FOOD AND INFORMED CONSUMER CHOICE: COMPARING U.S. AND E.U. LABELING LAWS. Brooklyn Journal Of International Law, 35(2), 515-561. Harrison, J., & Sampson, J. (1992). Enhancing understanding of recombinant DNA technology. Journal Of Biological Education (Society Of Biology), 26(4), 300. Maghari, B., & Ardekani, A. M. (2011). Genetically Modified Foods and Social Concerns. Avicenna Journal Of Medical Biotechnology, 3(3), 109-117. Russo, E. (2003). Special Report: The birth of biotechnology. Nature, 421(6921), 456. Simon, J., Dickey, J., Reece, J. (1967). Campbell essential biology with physiology. (4th ed.). London: Dorling Kindersley Limited. Quaye, W. W., Yawson, R. M., Ayeh, E. S., & Yawson, I. I. (2012). CLIMATE CHANGE AND FOOD SECURITY: THE ROLE OF BIOTECHNOLOGY. African Journal Of Food, Agriculture, Nutrition & Development, 12(5), 6354-6364