Biotechnology and bioinformatics are two rapidly evolving fields that have significantly impacted biological research and applications. Biotechnology involves the use of living organisms or their systems to develop or create products, while bioinformatics is an interdisciplinary field that uses computational tools to analyze and interpret biological data. This study note will cover key concepts, tools, and applications within these areas, particularly focusing on their relevance to the International Baccalaureate (IB) Biology Higher Level (HL) syllabus.
Biotechnology refers to the manipulation of living organisms or their components to produce useful products. It encompasses a wide range of techniques and applications, from traditional methods like fermentation to advanced genetic engineering.
Genetic engineering involves altering the genetic material of an organism to achieve desired traits. This can be done through:
Example:
A well-known example of genetic engineering is the creation of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) such as Bt corn, which has been engineered to express a bacterial toxin that is harmful to insect pests but safe for human consumption.
Cloning produces genetically identical copies of an organism. There are two main types:
Note:
Dolly the sheep, born in 1996, was the first mammal to be cloned from an adult somatic cell using the process of nuclear transfer.
Bioreactors are vessels in which biological reactions are carried out, especially for the large-scale production of bioproducts like enzymes, vaccines, and antibodies.
Bioinformatics combines biology, computer science, and information technology to analyze and interpret biological data. The rise of high-throughput technologies like DNA sequencing has generated massive datasets, necessitating the use of bioinformatics tools for their analysis.
Biological databases store and organize data related to gene sequences, protein structures, gene expression, and metabolites. Some key databases include:
Sequence similarity searches help identify unknown DNA sequences by comparing them to known sequences in databases. The Basic Local Alignment Search Tool (BLAST) is a popular tool for this purpose.
Example:
A scientist with an unknown DNA sequence can use BLAST to compare it against sequences in GenBank to find similar sequences and infer potential functions.
Bioinformatics tools can compare homologous gene sequences across different organisms to study genetic variation and evolutionary relationships.
Note:
Phylogenetic analysis is crucial for understanding evolutionary biology, conservation studies, and even molecular epidemiology, such as tracking the spread of infectious diseases like SARS-CoV-2.
Bioinformatics facilitates the study of metabolic pathways by allowing researchers to interrogate databases and analyze interactions between various molecules.
Example:
Chemogenomics is a bioinformatics approach that focuses on finding chemicals that target enzyme binding sites, potentially altering metabolic pathways to treat diseases.
Bioinformatics plays a vital role in drug discovery and development. It can be used to:
Tip:
Bioinformatics tools have identified over 300,000 chemicals screened against resistant malaria strains, leading to the discovery of 19 new enzyme inhibitors.
Biotechnology and bioinformatics are integral to modern biological research and have wide-ranging applications in medicine, agriculture, and environmental science. Understanding these fields and their tools is essential for students pursuing higher-level biology, as they provide the foundation for many cutting-edge scientific advancements.