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Do you know about Biotechnology? The use of living creatures and the products they produce to produce goods or services that can benefit humans has actually been carried out by human ancestors for a long time.
Examples include the fermentation process to make alcohol, or turning soybeans into tempeh. That’s an example of simple biotechnology.
For example, modern biotechnology that you can see today is the cloning process, or experiments that produce various varieties of rice and other plants.
Also Read: How Important is Agricultural Biotechnology?
But where exactly did this technology start to come from? boomingand change human life forever?
History of biotechnology
The history of modern biotechnology begins with Louis Pasteur who discovered the secret behind wine fermentation, namely microorganisms, in 1857.
However, if you look closely, perhaps the first milestone in biotechnology to become generally known was Gregor Mendel’s theory of genetics. You must have studied the crossover theory at school, right?
The factors that exist in each of these characteristics are the basis for thinking, where scientists compete to investigate these factors.
It was only in 1944, almost 40 years after Gregor Mendel put forward his theory, that DNA, which is responsible for many traits and genetic material, was discovered. Oswald Avery and his team were instrumental in this.
After the concept of DNA was discovered, in 1953, JD Watson and Crick FH discovered DNA double helixwhich can explain how DNA works, its replication, and various other things related to molecules. This also opens up the question of can these genes be manipulated?
Breakthrough biotechnology
Below is a complete explanation of Breakthrough biotechnology that you should know:
1. First
In 1970, Werner Arber hypothesized about restriction enzymes, or enzymes that could be used to ‘purify’ bacteria.
This hypothesis was proven by Hamilton Smith, who cut DNA at certain places and succeeded in limiting DNA/RNA. Nathans then used it for studies in genetics.
2. Second
A year later, in 1971, Paul Berg successfully carried out an experiment that combined DNA from different sources.
The DNA is cut and then combined, producing recombinant DNA or rDNA. This experiment opened the way for genetic engineering and manipulation.
3. Third
Herbert Boyer and Stanley Cohen successfully carried out an experiment involving inserting bacterial rDNA into foreign DNA, which turned out to be able to replicate naturally.
Modern biotechnology
Various questions related to the commercial potential of genetic engineering also arise, questions such as:
- Inserting the insulin gene into bacteria, which will replicate it so it can be used as a diabetes drug.
- Combining genes that produce vitamin A into rice, which could overcome blindness in third world countries.
- Make plants pest resistant by implanting anti-pest genes into plants, reducing pesticides.
The entrepreneur who saw this huge profit opportunity was Robert A. Swanson, who in 1976 asked Herbert Boyer to commercialize it.
That’s when, Genentech or genetic engineering technology emerges, although many have doubts about whether it is ethical or not.
The company is still running, with the aim of developing various therapies that will be useful for fighting various diseases suffered by humans using rDNA. The results of the experiment were:
- Producing Somatostatin (hormone for human growth) in bacteria coli.
- Marketing insulin products for humans.
Hearing success Genentech Here, companies in the United States are competing to join forces or open their own companies, all concentrating on biotechnology.
From here, the large-scale modern biotechnology industry was born, and is no longer exclusively the scope of scientific study.
So, that’s a complete explanation of the History of Biotechnology to the Modern Era. Hopefully you can understand, bro. Thank You.
Also Read: Understanding Fermentation Biotechnology
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