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Biotechnology, Genetic Engineering and Medicine. Biotechnology Genetic engineering Stem cells and regenerative medicine Drug design Cancer Gene therapy Virus and epidemic Evolution’s “mismatched” diseases (not in book) and you have it!. What Is Genetic Engineering?.
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Biotechnology, Genetic Engineering and Medicine • Biotechnology • Genetic engineering • Stem cells and regenerative medicine • Drug design • Cancer • Gene therapy • Virus and epidemic • Evolution’s “mismatched” diseases (not in book) and you have it!
What Is Genetic Engineering? • Genetic engineering: 2 options • Foreign genes inserted • Existing genes altered • Technique • Restriction enzymes cut DNA; “excision” • Insert new DNA nucleotides (e.g., A,T,C, or G) • New gene is expressed (via Genetic Code) • Examples • Insulin and Starlight Corn • Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO’s)
Biotechnology, Genetic Engineering and Medicine • Biotechnology • Genetic engineering • Stem cells and regenerative medicine • Crime investigations using DNA • Drug design (text) • Cancer • Gene therapy • Virus and epidemic • Evolution’s “mismatched” diseases (not in book)
What Constitutes a Stem Cell? • Unspecialized cells: pluripotent • Give rise to more than 250 specialized cells in the body • Fetus development • Serve as the body’s natural repair system
Utilization of regenerated cell types from stem cells for multiple organs and cell types
Advantages of Stem cells • Purpose • Therapies for diseases • Awaken the natural capacity for self-repair that resides in our genes • Example: repairing damaged nerve cells (e.g., spinal cord injuries) • Potential results • Patients receive own stem cells to treat disease • No need for donor match • Compare with kidney and heart donor problems
Biotechnology, Genetic Engineering and Medicine • Biotechnology • Genetic engineering • Stem cells and regenerative medicine • Crime investigations using DNA • Drug design (text) • Cancer • Gene therapy • Virus and epidemic • Evolution’s “mismatched” diseases (not in book)
DNA Fingerprinting in Criminal Investigations • Analysis of DNA in human tissue • Identify criminals/victims • Process • Micro-sample of cells (e.g., tooth brush) • Analyze DNA sections • Compare to individual of interest • Each person = a unique DNA fingerprint
Biotechnology, Genetic Engineering and Medicine • Biotechnology • Genetic engineering • Stem cells and regenerative medicine • Drug design (text) • Cancer • Gene therapy • Virus and epidemic • Evolution’s “mismatched” diseases (not in book)
Biotechnology, Genetic Engineering and Medicine • Biotechnology • Genetic engineering • Stem cells and regenerative medicine • Drug design (text) • Cancer • Gene therapy • Virus and epidemic • Evolution’s “mismatched” diseases (not in book)
Cancer: A Different Kind of Genetic Disease • Normal Cell • Genetic “stewardship” • Cancer • Cells reproduce without restraint • Genetic defect • Usually multiple damaged genes • Collection of diseases • Genetic defects • Therapies • Surgery, radiation, chemotherapy • Gene therapy
While these are different types of cancer, the root cause of all cancers is the accumulation of un-repaired genetic mutations that lead to uncontrolled growth (i.e., tumors)
Biotechnology, Genetic Engineering and Medicine • Biotechnology • Genetic engineering • Stem cells and regenerative medicine • Drug design (text) • Cancer • Gene therapy • Virus and epidemic • Evolution’s “mismatched” diseases (not in book)
Gene Therapy • Gene therapy • Engineer gene with 100% functional DNA (nucleotide excision) • Replace defective gene with healthy gene • invivo (in the body) and invitro (cell culture) followed by implantation/injection in vitro Gene Therapy
DNA Repair in the Cell’s DNA ID “damaged section of DNA Excise DNA strand Remove damaged strand Replace with engineered strand Fix the patch
Biotechnology, Genetic Engineering and Medicine • Biotechnology • Genetic engineering • Stem cells and regenerative medicine • Drug design (text) • Cancer • Gene therapy • Virus and epidemic • Evolution’s “mismatched” diseases (not in book)
Viruses and Human Diseases • Virus • No metabolism • Cannot reproduce on own • Structure • Short segment of nucleic acid as “information broker” (DNA or RNA) • Protein coat • How it works • Taken into cell and takes over cell’s metabolism • Your body produces more • Kills cell • Continues to spread – reproduce as a contagion
HIV • Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) • Contains RNA as “information broker” (What is your “broker”) • Incorporated into you cell’s RNA • Makes new viruses • Cell dies • Virus lives to “fight another day” – multiple copies
Influenza Pandemics The Spanish Flu in 1918, killed approximately 50 million people. It was caused by the H1N1 strain of influenza A. The Asian Flu in 1957 was the H2N2 influenza A strain. Worldwide it is estimated that at least one million people died from this virus. The Hong Kong Flu in 1968 evolved into H3N2. 750,000 people died of the virus worldwide
Biotechnology, Genetic Engineering and Medicine • Biotechnology • Genetic engineering • Stem cells and regenerative medicine • Drug design • Cancer • Gene therapy • Virus and epidemic • Evolution’s “mismatched” diseases (not in book) and you have it/them!
Evolution’s “Mis-match Diseases”/Maladies • “Paleolithic (> 20,000 years before present/YBP) genes in a modern body and modern environment” • Hypothesis: • Genes in the human body evolved in response to humankind’s 4 million years of evolutionary history in Africa • Many of those genes adapted to the paleolithic era (> 20,000 YBP) and before (millions of years) • In today’s world, many of these genes poorly matched to the environment and are a liability
The Origin of Mismatch Diseases/Maladies Years Before Present 4 M 2 M 1 M 0.5 M 0 M Ardi Lucy H. erectus H. sapiens Genetic adaptations to previous environments poorly adaptive in our contemporary environment These disease are based on genes whose role is “mis-matched” for our lifestyles of today
Some “Mismatched Diseases”/Maladies • Dental carries • Impacted wisdom teeth • Hypertension (heart) • Smallpox • Flu • Measles • Mumps • Myopia (short-sightedness) • Pertussis/whooping cough • Many cancers (reproductive organs in both sexes) • Type 2 diabetes • Plague • Flat feet • Obesity • Lactose intolerance Total = 50+
“Mis-matched Disease”/Malady: Dental Carries/Cavities • Early Paleolithic (> 20,000 YBP) human diet • Mix of fruits, tubers, nuts and occasional meat • Very little evidence of dental carries in archaeology • Neolithic (< 5,000 YBP) human diet • Progressive enrichment of carbohydrate-rich foods • Pervasive evidence for dental carries in archaeology • Modern human diet • Rich in carbohydrates: sugar + starch • Action of starch and sugars on dental surfaces • Microbes feast on sugars and excrete enamel-destroying acids • Enamel erodes and carries/cavities follow
Differences in Environments:Earlier Humankind vs Present Day Look in this mirror! • Diet • Fruits, tubers and occasional meat • Days w/o adequate caloric intake • ~30% lower sugar intake • 30-50% less total caloric intake/day • Stress • Less chronic stress • Sleep • ~ 2 hours more per day • Physical Activity • ~30% or more (all demographics and gender)
“Mis-match Disease”/Malady: Myopia • Mechanics of the eye and “sightedness” • Early Paleolithic (> 20,000 YBP) and before environment • Limited need for shortsightedness • Diversity of “sightedness” including distances, geometries and colors • Beginning in Neolithic (5,000 YBP) coming forward • Slowly increasing need for short sightedness • New demands on shortsightedness: accounting, sewing, tool use, etc • Modern eye use • Perhaps 50% of time shortsighted (< 18 inches) (e.g., smart phone) • Decline in mix of “sightedness” options
Biotechnology, Genetic Engineering and Medicine • Biotechnology • Genetic engineering • Stem cells and regenerative medicine • Drug design (text) • Cancer • Gene therapy • Mitochondrial DNA • Virus and epidemics • Evolution’s “mismatch” diseases