3.

1 Latest Development of Biotechnology

It is no secret that biotechnology is one of the most controversial and misunderstood

technology and is often associated with connotations that are not founded inconclusive. It brings

into the limelight the meaningful contribution of biotechnology in the field of food and

agriculture, environment, health and wellness, and industry development.

In April 2016, the International Service for the Acquisition of Agri-Biotech Applications

(ISAAA) had released its annual report of the adoption of biotech crops, 20th Anniversary of

the Global Commercialization of Biotech Crops (1996-2015) and Biotech Crop Highlights in

2015, to showcase the global increase in biotech hectarage from 1.7 million hectares in 1996 to

179.7 million hectares in 2015. This makes biotechnology the fastest adopted crop technology in

the present.
 Fig. 1 Crop technology in the present

Since 1996, 2 billion hectares of arable land of China and United States have been

planted with biotech crops. Also, it is also estimated that farmers in up to 28 countries have

reaped more than US$150 billion or PHP 7500 billion in benefits from biotech crops. This has

helped alleviate poverty for up to 16.5 million small farmers and their families annually totaling

about 65 million people, who are some of the poorest people in the world. (Biotechnology Coalition

of the Philippines., 2016)

3.1.1. Agriculture

3.1.1.1. Protecting rice crops at no extra cost

A developing genetic mechanism can be utilized to maintain resistance to the devastating

decrease of the rice grains in grain yield. Rice blast is a serious fungal disease that can devastate

rice crops. Yet, often genes that provide resistance to the pathogen compromise the yield of rice

grains.
 Fig. 2 Rice blast

Lately, the researchers had identified a set of genes that enable durable resistance to the

fungus. An important person explored these genes in greater detail, Yiwen Deng. This researcher

found out that PigmR was particularly effective, providing complete resistance to 50 rice blast

variations. If PigmR is expressed while seeds are made, however, this hinders seed production

and thus reduces yield.

They found that co-expression of another gene, PigmS. It interferes with the resistance

properties of PigmR. In one strain of rice plants, PigmR was found to be expressed throughout

the plant, while expression of PigmS was limited to the reproductive tissues, thus limiting the

seed damage associated with PigmR. This site-specific suppression endows the plant with

resistance to rice blast in its stem, stalk, leaves, without compromising yield. The researchers

also identified specific amino acids that are involved in blocking the function of PigmR.

These advancements could help boost protection of rice crops, without altering the rice

production quantities. (American Association for the Advancement of Science, 2017)

3.1.2. Medicine
3.1.2.1. Pharmaceuticals from a coal mine

Digging around in the dark can sometimes lead to interesting results: in the acidic waters

of an abandoned coal mine in Kentucky, USA. The goal is to seek out new organisms that

produce previously unknown metabolites that could be potential starting materials for

pharmaceutical development.

The researchers had discovered ten unknown microbial natural products from a strain of

Streptomyces. Characterization of the new compounds revealed that six of them are previously

unknown geldanamycin variants and four of them are a new type of ansamycin. Instead of an

aromatic ring, they have a cyclopentenone group, a ring of five carbons with a double bond and

one oxygen atom bound by a double bond. These new compounds were named McCrearamycins

after their country of origin. (Wiley, 2017)

3.1.2.2. New Zika vaccine candidate protects mice and monkeys with a single dose

A new Zika vaccine candidate has the potential to protect against the virus with a single

dose, according to a research team led by scientists from the Perelman School of Medicine at the

University of Pennsylvania. As reported in Nature, preclinical tests showed promising immune

responses in both mice and monkeys.

 Fig. 3 Mosquito carrying ZIKA virus

It contains mRNAs encoding two key proteins from a Zika virus strain isolated in a 2013

outbreak. The researchers found that in mice, a single injection of 30 millionths of a gram of

these mRNAs, induced a rapid immune response, which protected mice from intravenous

exposure to a separate Zika strain two weeks later. That protection, resulting in zero detectable

virus in the bloodstream a few days after exposure, was maintained even when the mice were

exposed to Zika virus five months after vaccination.It has been also tested in macaque monkeys

and showed that a single vaccine dose of only 50 micrograms provided strong protection against

Zika virus five weeks later.

In both cases, virus neutralization tests indicated that the vaccine induced high levels of

antibodies that block Zika infection -- levels that peaked after several weeks and thereafter

remained high enough to be protective, potentially for years. (University of Pennsylvania School

of Medicine, 2017)

3.1.3. Industry

3.1.3.1. Neutrons identify critical details in bacterial enzyme implicated in

gastric cancer
 Neutron analysis is helping researchers better understand a key enzyme found

in a bacterium known to cause stomach cancer.

Understanding the details of this enzyme, and thus

the Helicobacter pylori bacteria's metabolism and

biological pathways, could be central to developing

drugs that act against H. pylori, but that do not attack the

Fig. 4 A nuclear density map of the stomach's useful bacteria.

(DOE/Oak Ridge National the bacterial enzyme Laboratory. 2017)

3.1.3.2. New Grasses neutralize toxic pollution from bombs explosives and munitions

On military live fire training ranges, troops practice firing artillery shells, drop bombs on

old tanks or derelict buildings and test the capacity of new weapons. But those explosives and

munitions leave behind toxic compounds that have contaminated millions of acres of U.S.

military bases with an estimated cleanup bill ranging between $16 billion and $165 billion.

In Plant Biotechnology Journal, University of Washington and University of York researchers

describe new transgenic grass species that can neutralize and eradicate RDX, a toxic compound

that has been widely used in explosives since World War II.

UW engineers introduced two genes from bacteria that learned to eat RDX and break it

down into harmless components in two perennial grass species: switchgrass (Panicum virgatum)

and creeping bentgrass (Agrostis stolonifera). The best-performing strains removed all the RDX
from a simulated soil in which they were grown within less than two weeks, and they retained

none of the toxic chemical in their leaves or stems.

It is the first reported demonstration of genetically transforming grasses to supercharge

their ability to remove contamination from the environment. Grasses are hearty, fast-growing,

low-maintenance plants that offer practical advantages over other species in real-world cleanup

situations. (Biotechnology Coalition of the Philippines. 2016)

3.1.4 Food

3.1.4.1. Spinach as bomb detecting superfood

Researchers have designed on spinach that can communicate with us. The goal is to

detect explosive compounds.

Scientists from MIT added carbon nanotubes to spinach plant leaves, which causes the

plants to emit infrared light when compounds called nitroaromatics, often used in explosives, are

in the water. A specialized camera then reads the fluorescence from the plant, which signals a

positive match, and an email is sent via a Raspberry Pi computer. Researchers believe their

augmented plants represent early successes in an emerging field called plant nanobionics,

which could fundamentally change the way we detect bombs, droughts, toxins and more.

(Scharping, N, 2016)
3.1.4.2. Arctic Apples

It is a safe and healthy nonbrowning apple. These are delicious, convenient and good for

the health. Arctic apples are more appealing and convenient, so more apples get eaten and fewer

are wasted. These nonbrowning apples are tasty, healthy grab n go snacks and it is so sure to

reach for, time and time again. (http://www.arcticapples.com/)

Fig.
5 Natural
apple vs.
Arctic a pple

3.2. Benefits and Disadvantages of Biotechnology

Current biotechnology studies are used worldwide to solve problems such as disease as

well as better detect illnesses and treat them with specifically engineered cures that would not be
available in the past. Today, there are newer, more precise methods of genetic modification that

are being used to introduce diverse beneficial characteristics including:

Fruits, vegetables, grains or oils which enhance health

Retaining their flavor, texture longer and better tasting fruits and vegetables
More fuel efficient ways to power transportation e.g. biofuel, an altered type of

fuel to reduce greenhouse gas emissions that can harm the ozone layer.
Plants with their own built-in pest resistance traits. These are less susceptible to

insects or diseases, so fewer pesticides are applied to fields.

Plants resistant to virus, so less pesticides are needed to control the insects which

transmit the virus

Plants better able to tolerate stressful conditions on the environment such as by

recyclable and biodegrable and replace industrial factories.

Vaccines for animals to protect against diseases otherwise not controllable.
Consistent, reliable and highly purified enzymes for food processing. In cheese

production, Chymosin, a product of biotechnology, replaces the more expensive

and variable enzyme rennin, obtained from animal sources.

Biotechnology is also used to produce pharmaceuticals, such as human insulin for

diabetics and medicine to treat numerous diseases.

Biotechnology can also have harmful effects. This is not natural: A lot of research, work,

and understanding of plants, soil, water, irrigation, biotechnology basically, goes into making

that. And neither are these beautiful heirloom tomatoes "natural": They are risks to take care of

including:

The biotech seed can also become resistant to weed killer and can overgrow and

ruin normal seeds.

 While this technology can improve the resilience of crops, they are more

expensive for farmers.

Plants and animals affected by biotechnology or engineering may have specific

allergens than can affect food sensitive people.

Along the same lines, biotechnology may add to the serious problem of antibiotic

resistant bacteria creating the possibility that bacteria living on the stomach of

humans or animals.

Diseases can become resistant and unresponsive to antibiotics because they are

overprescribed and misused.

 Fig. 9 Genetically Modified Tomatoes

Despite harvesting thousands of genetically modified plants, scientists still do not

have clear understanding of how these genetic changes affect the human body

long term. Scientists have found out that GM plants have indeed altered the life

span, disease process and cognitive abilities of insects that fee on plants. Research

is ongoing.

References:

Biotechnology Coalition of the Philippines. (2016, April 14). Biotech/GM Crops Planted on Two
Billion Hectares from 1996 to 2015 Farmers Reap >US$150 Billion from Advances in Biotech
Crops over 20 Years. Retrieved February 9, 2017 from:
http://bcp.org.ph/activities/biotechgm-crops-planted-on-two-billion-hectares-
from-1996-to-2015-farmers-reap-us150-billion-from-advances-in-biotech-crops-
over-20-years/
American Association for the Advancement of Science. (2017, February 2).
Protecting rice crops at no extra cost. ScienceDaily. Retrieved February 9, 2017
from: www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/02/170202141901.htm
Wiley. (2017, February 6). Pharmaceuticals from a coal mine? Novel microbial
geldanamycin derivatives and cyclopentenone ansamycins from an abandoned
coal min. ScienceDaily. Retrieved February 9, 2017 from:
www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/02/170206130415.htm
University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine. (2017, February 2). New Zika
vaccine candidate protects mice and monkeys with a single dose: Results from
study highlight the promise of mRNA-based vaccines and
therapies. ScienceDaily. Retrieved February 9, 2017 from
www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/02/170202122757.htm
DOE/Oak Ridge National Laboratory. (2017, February 1). Neutrons identify
critical details in bacterial enzyme implicated in gastric cancer. ScienceDaily.
Retrieved February 9, 2017 from
www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/02/170201162501.htm
Biotechnology Coalition of the Philippines. (2016, December 02). New grasses neutralize toxic
pollution from bombs, explosives and munitions. Retrieved from:
http://bcp.org.ph/activities/new-grasses-neutralize-toxic-pollution-from-bombs-
explosives-and-munitions/
 Scharping, N. (2016, November 1). Spinach: Now a Bomb Detecting Superfood.
Retrieved from: http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/d-brief/2016/11/01/spinach-a-
bomb-detecting-superfood/#.WK_FbG-GPIU
The Benefit of Arctic Apples. Retrieved February 9, 2017 from
http://www.arcticapples.com/
Benefits of Biotechnology. Retrieved from: ccr.ucdavis.edu/biot/benefit_new.html