Cell Biol Educ 3(1): 18-19 2004
DOI: 10.1187/cbe.04-01-0025
© 2004 American Society for Cell Biology
Biology for the Utilitarian
Thomas Wolkow*
Department of Biology, University of Colorado, Colorado Springs, Colorado
80918
Review of: Introduction to Biotechnology by William J.
Thieman and Michael A. Palladino, Pearson Education, Inc., ISBN
0-8053-4825-5
Students enjoy learning about everyday applications of life science. I
highlight these on the first day of Cell Biology 302 using the job search
engine,
Monster.com.
By scrolling through the results of a "Cell Biologist" key-word
search, students learn how cell biologists apply fundamental biological
concepts to their careers. "Introduction to Biotechnology" begins
the same way. Tucked behind the front cover is a colorful, pin-up poster that
showcases numerous career opportunities for biotechnologists and includes the
educational pre-requisites and salary ranges of each. The book itself also
helps answer "what you can do with your biotechnology skills."
From a manufacturing technician holding a bachelor's degree in biology, to a
bioethicist with a doctorate in philosophy, "Introduction to
Biotechnology" is an excellent resource for anyone considering a career
in this broad field.
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CONTENT
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This utilitarian theme is woven among the book's chapters, the first of
which categorizes biotechnology into microbial, agricultural, animal,
forensic, bioremediation, medical, aquatic and regulatory fields. In
preparation for a more in-depth discussion of each field, Chapters 2, 3, and 4
review the fundamental principles of cell and molecular biology and the
techniques of recombinant DNA, protein production and protein purification.
The subsequent eight chapters characterize each of the eight individual fields
using historical accounts, current and future applications, common molecular
and biochemical techniques, environmental and ethical concerns, and career
profiles. The 300-page book ends with a chapter on ethics that introduces
Hippocrates and Kant before examining genetic engineering and the role that
economics and science play in the evolution of our age-old biotechnology
practices.
The reviews in Chapters 2, 3, and 4 are compressed into 80 pages and lack
clarity, among other things. For example, a Chapter 2 statement that RNA
polymerase "proceeds in a 5' to 3' direction along the DNA template
strand to copy a complementary strand of RNA" is ambiguous because the
relationship between coding information and the template strand is not
explained. The neighboring statement that "chromosomes are formed during
DNA replication only" is incorrect. In Figure 3.3, an attempt to diagram
plasmid cloning fails when non-recombinant ampR,
tet R bacteria are selected for amplication instead of the
desired, recombinant ampR cells. The one-half page review
of Protein Folding in Chapter 4 bravely tries to explain how hydrogen bonds
stabilize 
-helices and ß-sheets without a sufficiently detailed
diagram. These chapters will cause confusion among unfamiliar readers who
would be better off using more comprehensive sources for review.
Chapters 5-12 described the eight fields of biotechnology. Historical
accounts of each generally convey the benefits of biotechnology. Examples
include recombinant human insulin production, Bt crops, the bioremediation
powers of bacteria and the fertilizers that stimulate their decontaminating
chores, and the successful treatment of the first human gene therapy patient.
Attention is also paid to the government's regulatory framework that oversaw
development and production. Informative statistics document most of these
accounts:
- 74% of the soybean crop and 32% of the corn crop planted by American
farmers in 2002 were genetically engineered to resist pests or herbicides;
- Human tests are only performed with one out of every 1,000 potentially
useful compounds;
- Japan spends nearly $1 billion annually for research and development in
aquatic biotechnology, while the United States spends less than $50
million;
- By 2002, 20% of China's cotton acreage contained Bt varieties that reduced
the cost of producing a kilogram of cotton by 28%.
Current and future applications are excellent in some fields but less so in
others. I learned a tremendous amount about applications used in
bioremediation, agriculture and aquaculture. For example, the latter employs
triploid marine species to enhance the growth traits of fish and shellfish and
is investigating the ocean's electric gradient (produced by plankton) for
possible use as an energy source. Medical applications of biotechnology are
also addressed and the sections on gene therapy and stem cell research are
particularly good. However, a great deal of emphasis is placed on the impact
that bioinformatics has on medical applications although it is not clarified
how genome sequencing actually leads to the identification of genes.
"Understanding the genome of V. cholerae will help scientists
identify toxin genes, genes for antibiotic resistance, and other genes that
will augment our current methods for combating this microbe."
Unfortunately, the reader does not learn how the genome sequence of this
organism can actually be used to find toxin genes. In addition, chemical
genomics and its cutting-edge medical applications are not discussed, and only
a brief mention of small molecular inhibitors exists. Thus, little attention
is paid to current molecular methods of drug discovery that have
revolutionized the pharmaceutical industry. Likewise, only a few sentences
refer to antisense RNA, so its present and future medical impacts are not
addressed.
Descriptions of common molecular and biochemical techniques are good. For
example, diagrams clearly show how a cystic fibrosis patient can be treated
with gene therapy, how DNA fingerprints for a murder case are produced, and
how Flavr SavrTM transgenic tomatoes (an agricultural reference to
antisense RNA) and transgenic fish that over-express growth hormones are
developed.
Environmental and ethical concerns over applications of biotechnology are
tackled, including what can go wrong when transgenic organisms are released
into the environment. Triploid carp, which have a ravenous appetite for
freshwater vegetation, were released into American waterways to control weed
growth. Unfortunately, they consumed too much vegetation, causing water
quality to drop and native fish to lose substantial amounts of habitat.
Question and Answer boxes challenge readers to face the ethical questions
posed by biotech advances. "Should reproductive cloning of humans be
banned?" "Is routine collection of blood and the compilation of
DNA databases a reasonable tool in the effort to fight crime or unwarranted
invasion of privacy?" Keep in mind that guidelines for answering these
questions do not appear until the last chapter, which will make it difficult
to determine if the risk of an antibiotic gene passing from a plant to a
bacterium is acceptable while you are reading Chapter 6.
Again, the career profiles are outstanding. And while the book contends
that "career prospects in biotech are excellent," and drug
discovery is "a hot job market," I was relieved to find the more
candid view submitted by a recent graduate. "Gaining employment with a
biopharmaceutical company is not easy. Competition is fierce." I know
many people who would tend to agree with Mr. Sexton's pragmatic view.
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AUDIENCE
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Readers can be as diverse as the eight different fields of biotechnology,
and divided roughly into students and reference-seekers. Students are those
interested in learning about the eight fields of biotechnology and
understanding the science behind each. But remember that Chapters 2, 3, and 4
are intended to be quick reminders of, and not teaching tools for, DNA
replication, transcription, translation and basic techniques of molecular
biology and protein chemistry. Students should acquire an understanding of the
central dogma and these basic life science skills elsewhere. Candidates
include undergraduate juniors and seniors who are familiar with these
topics.
The reference-seekers are those trying to relate just about any life
science topic to a real world application. High school and undergraduate
teachers can use it to show students that biotechnology contributes to their
stone-washed jeans, clean contact lenses and any edible vaccines they may
encounter in future cafeteria meals. People on both sides of the Genetically
Modified Food protest line would likely benefit by reading the Plant
Biotechnology portion that addresses both sides of the debate. Importantly,
the book conveys an objective tone when addressing such volatile issues.
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AESTHETICS
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The photographs are black and white and the figures are typically black and
white diagrams colored with different shades of red. The font of the figure
legends was small and tedious to read.
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EFFICACY
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The book effectively discusses the nonmedically related applications of
biotechnology, excelling in the areas of bioremediation, agriculture and
aquaculture. Chapters on ethics and the regulatory procedures in America and
abroad are also well done. Apart from the sections on gene therapy and stem
cell research, the medically related applications fall short of cutting-edge.
In conclusion, this is a good introduction to biotechnology that can be used
as a reference source for high school and undergraduate teachers, one-credit
hour seminar course material for undergraduate juniors and seniors, and career
programs that prepare adults for entry-level biotech jobs.
*
Corresponding author. E-mail address:
twolkow{at}uccs.edu.
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