Biotechnology

Biotechnology is the manipulation of biological organisms to make products that benefit human beings. Biotechnology contributes to such diverse areas as food production, waste disposal, mining and medicine. Although biotechnology has existed since ancient times, some of its most dramatic advances have come in more recent years. Modern achievements include the transferal of a specific gene from one organism to another (by means of a set of genetic engineering techniques known as transgenic); the main tendency and growth of genetically uniform plant and animal cell cultures, called clones; and the fusing of different types of cells to produce beneficial medical products such as monoclonal antibodies, which are designed to attack a specific type of foreign substance.

Today biotechnology is applied in various fields. In waste management, for example, biotechnology is used to create new biodegradable materials. One such material is made from the lactic acid produced during the bacterial fermentation of discarded corn stalks. When individual lactic acid molecules are joined chemically, they form a material that has the properties of plastics but is biodegradable. Wide spread production of plastic from this material is expected to become more economically valuable in the future.

Biotechnology also has applications in the mining industry. In its natural state, copper is found combined with other elements in the mineral chalcopyrite. The bacterium thiobacillus ferrooxidans can use the molecules of copper found in chalcopyrite to form the compound copper sulfate. Which, in turn, can be treated chemically to obtain pure copper. This microbiological mining process is used only with low-grade ores and currently accounts for about 10 per cent of copper production in the United States. The percentage will rise, however, as conventionally mined high-grade deposits are exhausted. Procedures have also been developed for the use of bacteria in the mining of zinc, lead, and other metals.

The field of medicine employs some of the most dramatic applications in biotechnology. One advance came in 1986 with the first significant laboratory production of factor 8, a blood-clotting protein that is not produced, or has greatly reduced activity, in people who have hemophilia; as a result of this condition, hemophiliacs are at risk of bleeding to death after suffering minor cuts. In this biotechnological procedure, the human gene that codes for the blood-clotting protein is transferred to hamster cells grown in tissue culture, which then produce factor 8 for use by hemophiliacs. Factor 8 was approved for commercial production in 1992.

Some people, including scientists, object to any procedure that changes the genetic composition of an organism. Critics are concerned that some of the genetically altered forms will eliminate existing species, thereby upsetting the natural balance of organisms. There are also fears that recombinant DNA experiments with pathogenic microorganisms may result in the formation of extremely virulent forms, which, if accidentally released from the laboratory, will cause worldwide epidemics. Some critics cite ethical dilemmas associated with the production of transgenic organisms.

In 1976, in response to fears of disastrous consequences of unregulated genetic engineering procedures, the National Institute of Health created a body of rules governing the handling of microorganisms in recombinant DNA experiments. Although many of the rules have been relaxed over time, certain restrictions are still imposed on those working with pathogenic microorganisms

B-GROUP

Exercise 5. Read and memorize the following words.

Endeavour – спроба, зусилля, agency – засіб, to confine – обмежувати, to derive – походити, to devise – придумувати, винаходити, to defy – не підкорятися, associate – співробітник.

Exercise 6. Pick out Ukrainian equivalents to the following English.

1. animal protein

2. vegetable protein

3. wood wastes

4. artificial media

5. feed additive

6. full-valued food

7. all-powerful bacteria

8. modern technical means

9. underground explosion

10. повноцінна їжа

11. всесильні бактерї

12. тваринний білок

13. сучасні технічні засоби

14. рослинний білок

15. підземний вибух

16. поживний додаток

17. відходи деревини

18. штучне середовище

Exercise 7. Consult the dictionary to get the meaning of the words.

nutrient, harvest, farming, bed, spark

C-GROUP

Exercise 4. Write out from the text all the predicates in Passive Voice and Perfect Tenses (Active and Passive).

Exercise 8. Put five types of questions to the following sentences:

1. Biotechnology contributes to such diverse areas as food production, waste disposal, mining and medicine.

2. Some of its most dramatic advances have come in more recent years.

3. Modern achievements include the transferal of a specific gene from one organism to another.

4. Factor 8 was approved for commercial production in 1992.

5. Some scientists object to any procedure that changes the genetic composition of an organism.

6. In 1976 the National Institute of Health created a body of rules.

D-GROUP

Exercise 9. Answer the following questions.

1. What is biotechnology?

2. What do modern achievements include?

3. What are transgenics?

4. What is called clone?

5. Where is biotechnology applied today?

6. When does a material have the properties of plastics but is biodegradable?

7. Where does biotechnology also have applications?

8. What can be treated to obtain pure copper?

9. In the mining of what are bacteria used?

10. What does the field of medicine employ?

11. When was factor 8 approved for commercial production?

12. What do some scientists object?

13. What will cause world wide epidemics?

14. When did the National Institute of Health create a body of rules?

Exercise 10. The following sentences are grammatically incorrect. Make them correct and explain what you think is wrong with these sentences.

Biophysics

The biophysical approach are unified at a consideration of biological problems in the light of physical concepts, so that biophysics shall be interdisciplinary. Biophysics may are thought of as the central circle in a two-dimensional array of overlapping circles, which include physics, chemistry, physiology, and generals biology. Relations with chemistry is mediated through biochemistry and chemistry; those with physiology, through neurophysiology and sensorys physiology. Biology, which may be viewing as a generals subject pervading biophysical studys, are evolving from a purelys descriptives sciences into a discipline increasingly devoted to understanding the nature of the prime movers of biologicals events. The evolution of biologys in these directions have receiveing great impetus from the biophysicals and biochemicals discoveries of the 20th century. An understanding of the physical principles governing biologicals effects are the proper end of biophysics.

Exercise 11. Retell the text BIOTECHNOLOGY.