Biotechnology Genetic Engineering and Medicine Biotechnology n Genetic

Biotechnology, Genetic Engineering and Medicine Biotechnology n Genetic engineering n Stem cells and regenerative medicine n Drug design n Cancer n Gene therapy n n Virus and epidemic n Evolution’s “mismatched” diseases (not in book) and you

What Is Genetic Engineering? n Genetic engineering: 2 options n n n Technique n n Restriction enzymes cut DNA; “excision” Insert new DNA nucleotides (e. g. , A, T, C, or G) New gene is expressed (via Genetic Code) Examples n n Foreign genes inserted Existing genes altered Insulin and Starlight Corn Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO’s)

Genetic Counseling using “Gene Chips”

Sequencing of Individual’s 20, 000 Genes

Biotechnology, Genetic Engineering and Medicine Biotechnology n Genetic engineering n Stem cells and regenerative medicine n Crime investigations using DNA n Drug design (text) n Cancer n Gene therapy n Virus and epidemic n Evolution’s “mismatched” diseases (not in book) n

What Constitutes a Stem Cell? n Unspecialized cells: pluripotent Give rise to more than 250 specialized cells in the body n Fetus development n Serve as the body’s natural repair system n

Utilization of regenerated cell types from stem cells for multiple organs and cell types

Advantages of Stem cells n Purpose Therapies for diseases n Awaken the natural capacity for self-repair that resides in our genes n n Example: repairing damaged nerve cells (e. g. , spinal cord injuries) n Potential results Patients receive own stem cells to treat disease n No need for donor match n

Stems Cell Value: Regeneration of the Eye

Biotechnology, Genetic Engineering and Medicine Biotechnology n Genetic engineering n Stem cells and regenerative medicine n Crime investigations using DNA n Drug design (text) n Cancer n Gene therapy n Virus and epidemic n Evolution’s “mismatched” n

DNA Fingerprinting in Criminal Investigations n Analysis of DNA in human tissue n n Process n n Identify criminals/victims 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 n Genetic engineering n Stem cells and regenerative medicine n Drug design (text) n Cancer n Gene therapy n n Virus and epidemic n Evolution’s “mismatched” diseases (not in book)

Cancer: A Different Kind of Genetic Disease n Normal Cell n Genetic “stewardship” n Cancer n Cells reproduce without restraint n n n Genetic defect Usually multiple damaged genes Collection of diseases n Genetic defects n Therapies n Surgery, radiation, chemotherapy

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 n Genetic engineering n Stem cells and regenerative medicine n Drug design (text) n Cancer n Gene therapy n n Virus and epidemic n Evolution’s “mismatched” diseases (not in book)

Gene Therapy n Gene therapy n Engineer gene with 100% functional DNA (nucleotide excision) n Replace defective gene with healthy gene n in vivo (in the body) and in vitro (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

Biotechnology, Genetic Engineering and Medicine Biotechnology n Genetic engineering n Stem cells and regenerative medicine n Drug design (text) n Cancer n Gene therapy n n Virus and epidemic n Evolution’s “mismatched” diseases (not in book)

Viruses and Human Diseases n Virus n n n Structure n n n No metabolism Cannot reproduce on own Short segment of nucleic acid as “information broker” (DNA or RNA) Protein coat How it works n n Taken into cell and takes over cell’s metabolism Your body produces more Kills cell Continues to spread – reproduce as a contagion

HIV n Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) n n n 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 H 1 N 1 strain of influenza A. The Asian Flu in 1957 was the H 2 N 2 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 H 3 N 2. 750, 000 people died of the virus worldwide

Biotechnology, Genetic Engineering and Medicine Biotechnology n Genetic engineering n Stem cells and regenerative medicine n Drug design n Cancer n Gene therapy n n Virus and epidemic n 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” n Hypothesis: n Genes in the human body evolved in response to humankind’s 4 million years of evolutionary history in Africa n Many of those genes adapted to the paleolithic era (> 20, 000 YBP) and before (millions of years) n In today’s world, many of these genes poorly matched to the environment and are a liability n

The Origin of Mismatch Diseases/Maladies 4 M M Ardi sapiens Years Before Present 2 M 1 M 0. 5 M Lucy H. erectus 0 H. 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 n n n n Dental carries Impacted wisdom teeth Hypertension (heart) Smallpox Flu Measles Mumps Myopia (short-sightedness) n n n n 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 n Early Paleolithic (> 20, 000 YBP) human diet n n n Neolithic (< 5, 000 YBP) human diet n n n Mix of fruits, tubers, nuts and occasional meat Very little evidence of dental carries in archaeology Progressive enrichment of carbohydrate-rich foods Pervasive evidence for dental carries in archaeology Modern human diet n n Rich in carbohydrates: sugar + starch Action of starch and sugars on dental surfaces n Microbes feast on sugars and excrete enameldestroying acids

Differences in Environments: Earlier Humankind vs Present Day n Diet n n n Stress n n Less chronic stress Sleep n n Fruits, tubers and occasional meat Days w/o adequate caloric intake ~30% lower sugar intake 30 -50% less total caloric intake/day ~ 2 hours more per day Physical Activity n ~30% or more (all demographics and gender) Look in this mirror!

“Mis-matched Disease”/Malady: Myopia/Short Sightedness

“Mis-match Disease”/Malady: Myopia n n Mechanics of the eye and “sightedness” Early Paleolithic (> 20, 000 YBP) and before environment n n n Limited need for shortsightedness Diversity of “sightedness” including distances, geometries and colors Beginning in Neolithic (5, 000 YBP) coming forward n n Slowly increasing need for short sightedness New demands on shortsightedness: accounting, sewing, tool use, etc

Biotechnology, Genetic Engineering and Medicine Biotechnology n Genetic engineering n Stem cells and regenerative medicine n Drug design (text) n Cancer n Gene therapy n Mitochondrial DNA n Virus and epidemics n Evolution’s “mismatch” diseases n