Biotech
Primer

 
Agrobacterium tumefaciens. A naturally occurring soil bacterium used to genetically improve plants.

Amino acids. Building blocks of proteins. There are about 20 different amino acids; they are used by cells to make proteins.

 
Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt.). A naturally occurring bacterium present in soil and used successfully by home gardeners and organic farmers to control certain insects for more than 30 years. When ingested by a target insect, the protein produced by Bt. controls the insect by disturbing the digestive system. The Bt. protein is harmless to other insects, people and animals.

Bacterium. A class of single-cell organisms.

Base. A component of DNA made up of nitrogen and carbon atoms in a ring structure. There are two classes of bases: purines (adenine and guanine) and pyrimidines (cytosine and thymine). The bases pair in the DNA double helix.

Biological process. A process which involves a reaction normally carried out in a living cell or organism.

Biotechnology. The application of living organisms to develop new products.

 
Cell. The smallest structural unit of all living organisms that is able to grow and reproduce independently; a cell is formed of a mass of living material surrounded by a membrane.

Chymosin. One of the enzymes which causes milk to clot and turn into curds and whey during cheese making.

Code. The sequence of DNA bases which forms the instructions for a given characteristic or trait.

Copy gene. Genetic material incorporating the genetic code for a desirable trait which has been copied from DNA of the donor to the host organism. (It is not technically possible to take a gene from a donor organism and insert it directly into the host organism.)

Chromosome. Microscopic rod-shaped elements in the nucleus of the cell. Chromosomes, composed of DNA, contain the complete genetic information of the organism.

 
Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA). A compound of deoxyribose (a sugar), phosphoric acid and nitrogen bases. Each DNA molecule consists of two strands in the shape of a double helix. DNA is responsible for the transfer of genetic information from one generation to the next.

Double helix. The physical structure of DNA, consisting of two parallel strands of DNA coiled helically.

 
Enzyme. A protein produced by living cells that regulates the speed of chemical reactions involved in the metabolism of living organisms, without itself being altered in the process; also called a biological catalyst.

EPSP synthase. An enzyme in a plant's metabolic pathways that leads to aromatic amino acid production necessary for the development of proteins essential to the plant's growth.

 
Fermentation. The growing of microorganisms for the production of various chemical or pharmaceutical compounds. Large tanks, called fermentors, contain the microorganisms or other cells and the nutrients they require. Fermentation has been used for centuries in beer, wine and cheese production.

G

 
Gene. A portion of a chromosome that contains the hereditary information necessary for the production of a protein.

Gene splicing. See genetic engineering or recombinant DNA technology.

Genetic engineering. The technique of removing, modifying or adding genes to a living organism; also called gene splicing, recombinant DNA (rDNA) technology or genetic modification.

Genetic inheritance. The transfer of genetic instructions for different characteristics, such as the colour and size of the cell or organism, to successive generations, via reproduction.

Genetic modification. A technique where individual genes can be copied and transferred to another living organism to alter its genetic make-up and thus incorporate or delete specific characteristics into or from the organism. The technology is also referred to as genetic engineering, genetic manipulation and gene technology.

Growth hormone. A protein, produced by the pituitary gland, that promotes growth of the whole body.

 
Herbicide. A substance used to kill plants, especially weeds.

Hybrid. A plant resulting from a cross between parents that are related, but not genetically identical; or the offspring of two different species.

Hybridization. The process of breeding hybrid plants.

 
Insecticide. A substance used to control certain populations of insect pests. In agriculture, insecticides are used to control insect pests that feed on crops or carry plant disease.

Integrated Pest Management (IPM). A sustainable, ecological approach to pest control that includes biological, mechanical and chemical means. The goal of IPM is to produce a healthy crop in an economically efficient and environmentally sound manner.

 
Microorganism. Any organism that can be seen only with the aid of a microscope; a microbe.

 
No-till. A method of farming without tillage that helps conserve soil.

 
Organism. An individual plant, animal or microbe that can independently carry out all life functions.

Outcrossing. The unintentional breeding of a domestic crop with a related species.

 
Pesticide. A substance used to control pests, such as harmful insects, weeds or micro-organisms.

Plant biotechnology. The addition of selected traits to plants to develop new plant varieties.

Plasmid. A small piece of DNA found outside chromosomes in bacteria. Plasmids can be tools for inserting new genetic information into micro-organisms or plants.

Polymer. A chemical compound or mixture of compounds formed by a chemical reaction in which two or more small molecules combine to form larger molecules that contain repeating structural units of the original molecules.

Protein. Polymers of amino acids. The uniqueness of individual proteins is a function of the length and configuration of the polymer and the sequence of amino acids within the polymers.

 
Recombinant DNA technology. The technique of isolating a gene and inserting it into the DNA of another organism; also called genetic engineering, gene splicing or genetic modification.

 
Tillage. Cultivation, including hoeing and plowing. In agriculture, tillage is used to fight weeds.

 
Virus. A microorganism that consists minimally of protein and nucleic acid. A virus can replicate only within particular living cells.