Celebrate National Biotechnology Month

When I began my undergraduate biology degree in the fall of 2000, I had no idea what biotechnology was. Just earlier that year, President Clinton had declared January as National Biotechnology Month, a time to explore and appreciate the incredible impact of biotechnology on our society and the potential it holds for the future. However, it wouldn’t be until 5 years later, in 2005, when I would finally come to understand the integral role biotechnology plays in our lives.

Twenty years later, I am still amazed by the ways biotechnology is improving healthcare, the environment, our food, and much more. While my college self had no clue what biotechnology was, or how it would shape the future, my 9 and 10 year old live with the products of biotechnology every day from the cereal they eat, to the medicines they take, and the water that they drink. For parents and teachers, this month offers a unique opportunity to ignite curiosity and enhance understanding of biotechnology’s role in everyday life. Let’s delve into what biotechnology is and how you can make it fun and educational for your children.

What is Biotechnology?

Simply put, biotechnology is using anything biological, or living, to develop technologies and products that help improve our lives. This means using living organisms or systems to create goods or services. Common applications of biotechnology include developing pharmaceuticals, enhancing crop yield, treating wastewater, and creating new products. While it might seem like a new, high-tech phenomenon, biotechnology has been used for centuries. The biological process of fermentation has been used throughout history to generate products like beer, wine, cheese, sauerkraut, and kimchi by manipulating microorganisms such as yeast and bacteria to create these products.

Microorganisms have long been at the forefront of biotechnology. Fermentation is the natural process of microbes eating sugars and converting them into alcohol (i.e. beer and wine) or acids (i.e. cheese, sauerkraut, and kimchi). This is an ancient technique enhanced by modern biotechnology to produce a wide array of products, from antibiotics and hormones to enzymes and biofuels. It involves using microorganisms to convert organic materials into desired products.

Culturing, or growing, microbial cells is a technique used in many current technologies. In fact, wastewater treatment is one example of a large cell culture. One stage of wastewater treatment pumps oxygen into dirty water to promote bacteria to grow and eat the organic contaminants in the water. Growing cells or tissues outside their natural environment, in controlled conditions, is fundamental for many biotechnological applications. This includes the culturing of microbial cells, plant cells, and animal cells for research, production of pharmaceuticals, and tissue regeneration.

More recently, it has become common practice to extract the DNA and RNA from a variety of cultured cells to either study or manipulate it. I have worked in several labs where my primary role is to grow bacteria and extract and DNA/RNA to study the genes found in the microbes. I’ve studied antibiotic resistance genes, genes that convert organic material into natural gas or biofuels, and genes that make proteins that can degrade toxic chemicals in the environment.  This is barely scratching the surface of what microbes can do. The genetic potential of microorganisms is limitless. Biotechnology heavily relies on manipulating genetic material to alter the characteristics of organisms. Techniques like genetic engineering, CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing, and RNA interference are used to modify or control gene expression.

While humans have long selected for certain gene production throughout history in agriculture, biotechnology allows for a more rapid selection process. For instance, plants contain genes that can repel certain pests and scientists can use genetic manipulation to “turn on” these genes in plants or insert them into the plant. This process used to take years of selective cross breeding but can now be done quickly in the lab.

Once the genes of an organism are better understood, scientists are able to alter the genetic material to force a cell to generate a product of interest. For example, the bacteria e.coli has been genetically modified using recombinant DNA technology to produce human insulin. Bioprocessing in this manner is common in biotechnology and involves using living cells or their components to obtain desired products. This includes techniques to scale up production from lab to industrial scale while ensuring product quality and consistency. Bioprocessing is used to create medicine, vitamins, and various enzymes. The use of enzymes in biotechnology is widespread, from detergents and food production to waste management and the production of medicine.

How can I teach my student about biotechnology?

Biotechnology is not just about scientists in labs; it affects the food we eat, the medicine we take, the water we drink, and much more. Understanding the basics helps kids appreciate the science behind everyday things and see how they might help solve global challenges as they grow up. Here are a few ways to experiment biotechnology principles in the comfort of your kitchen

Yeast Fermentation Experiment

Observe how yeast ferments sugar to produce carbon dioxide.

Materials Needed: Sugar, warm water, yeast, balloons, small plastic bottles.

Procedure:

1. Dissolve a few teaspoons of sugar in warm water and pour it into a plastic bottle.
2. Add a packet of yeast and swirl to mix.
3. Stretch a balloon over the mouth of the bottle.
4. Watch as the balloon inflates over time, indicating that the yeast is converting sugar into carbon dioxide and alcohol.

Homemade pH Indicator

Create a natural pH indicator from red cabbage and test the acidity or alkalinity of various household liquids.

 Materials Needed: Red cabbage, water, various household liquids (vinegar, baking soda solution, soap, etc.), filter paper or white coffee filters.

Procedure:

1. Boil chopped red cabbage in water until the water turns deeply colored.
2. Strain the liquid and cool it down. This solution acts as a pH indicator.
3. Dip strips of filter paper into the cabbage juice, then let them dry.
4. Test acidity or alkalinity by dipping these strips into different liquids and observing color changes.

Watch our video on making a pH indicator below!

Bacterial Growth Experiment

Cultivate and observe bacterial colonies from different sources.

Materials Needed: Glass bowl, Agar or gelatin powder, bouillon cube, sugar, water, short plastic disposable cups, plastic wrap (saran wrap) cotton swabs, marker for labeling.

Procedure:

1.In a glass bowl that is microwave safe, mix together:

•  1cup water
•  1 bouillon cube (or 1 tsp. granules)
• 2 tsp. sugar
• 1 Tbsp. agar powder OR  1.5oz (12g) unflavored gelatin powder

2. Microwave your mixture in 30 second intervals until the agar or gelatin is dissolved. Allow the mixture to cool in the microwave for 10 minutes before taking it out.

3.Carefully pour the mixture into plastic cups filling them about half an inch full. Cover with plastic wrap and allow to cool completely until the media is hardened.

4. Using a clean cotton swab or q-tip, wipe various surfaces around your home, like counter tops, door knobs, shoes, or sink handles.

5. Gently rub the swab over the agar or gelatin surface.

6. Seal the top with plastic wrap and store them upside down at room temperature.

7. Check daily to see if there is any bacteria or mold growing.

8. When you're done with your experiment, pour a splash of bleach into the cup to disinfect the growth, and throw them in the trash.

DNA Extraction from Fruits or Vegetables

Extract and visually inspect DNA from a fruit or vegetable.

Materials Needed: Salt, dish soap, rubbing alcohol, ziplock bag, strainer, and a fruit or vegetable like strawberries or bananas.

Procedure:

1. Put your container of rubbing alcohol in the freezer before you begin so that it gets very cold for the last step of the procedure.
2. Mash the fruit or vegetable inside a ziplock bag.
3. Make the extraction solution by mixing together ½ cup of water, 2 teaspoons of dish soap, and ¼ teaspoon of salt. Stir until the salt dissolves.
4. Pour your extraction solution into the bag of mashed fruit and gently mix, trying to avoid making too many bubbles.
5. Filter the mixture through cheesecloth or a coffee filter to remove solid pieces. Pour your filtered liquid into a clear container o you can see your DNA after the next step.
6. Very slowly and carefully, pour cold rubbing alcohol into the strained liquid. Do not mix. Try to form a layer of alcohol on top of the fruit liquid.
7. Observe the DNA precipitating out where the alcohol and fruit liquid layers meet.