Biotechnology is a field of biological science that uses living organisms or their components to generate useful products for medical, technical, environmental and other applications. It builds on our understanding of chemical and physical processes within living cells, turning that knowledge into practical solutions.

Biotechnological applications have been in use for a very long time, even before the science of biology was developed. They originated from practical observations of living organisms and how they function. A turning point in biotechnology was the development of techniques for targeted DNA manipulation, which paved the way for genetic engineering — a purposeful change of the genetic material of living organisms. 

There are several ways to make permanent changes to protein-encoding DNA regions. With the introduction of CRISPR-based technology, scientists can now move away from random DNA insertions to precise corrections of gene sequence. Since Dr. Emmanuelle Charpentier and Dr. Jennifer Doudna received the 2020 Nobel Prize in chemistry for the development of a method for genome editing, the molecular scissors of CRISPR/Cas9 system has been tried and employed to generate the desirable genetic changes in many living organisms.¹

For instance, CRISPR technology has been utilized to generate a variety of genetically engineered bacteriophages (natural enemies of bacteria) that are highly efficient at destroying bacteria.² This approach can offer a solution to the current problem of antibiotic resistance that hampers the treatment of many microbial infections.

Gene Therapy for Rare Diseases: A CRISPR Application 

CRISPR was also instrumental in developing gene-editing therapies for the treatment of rare genetic liver conditions in children (such as phenylketonuria).³ This approach uses gene insertion tools to deliver a normal copy of the gene into the liver cells that have the defective gene copy, thereby attempting to completely cure these diseases.³

CRIPSR Screening in Drug Discovery 

CRISPR screening technology can also be used in drug discovery research to analyze the effect of a drug candidate on thousands of genes simultaneously, which can dramatically increase the speed of the discovery process.⁴

Compared to traditional crop breeding, CRISPR-based technology allows desirable changes in the genetic material of crop plants. This can shorten the timeline for the development of a new crop plant variety from seven to 10 years to two to four years.⁵

Many biotechnological processes and products were known to mankind well before the biological species in which they happened were identified and their biochemistry was studied. A good example of it is a fermentation process that yields a variety of wonderful products such as yogurt, kefir, pickles, cheese, etc.⁶

Fermented dairy products were made for millennia without any knowledge of the underlying microbes (lactic acid bacteria) that do the job of breaking down milk sugar and producing lactic acid. In 2024, the oldest known sample of cheese (dated to the Bronze Age of about 3,300 to 3,600 years ago) was studied and shown to contain the same species of lactic acid bacteria that are currently used in the production of kefir.⁶

By the end of the 19th century, French microbiologist Louis Pasteur identified lactic acid as the contributing factor in the fermentation of yogurt and British surgeon, Joseph Lister, obtained the first lactic acid bacterial species in pure culture.⁶

Modern Uses of Lactic Acid Bacteria

Nowadays, natural varieties of lactic acid bacteria have been successfully modified and are well known as efficient producers of many fermented dairy products, beverages, meats and vegetable products and a key source of probiotics.⁶ This trend reflects a broader shift in biotechnology toward harnessing beneficial microorganisms to enhance food quality, safety and nutritional value.

Many species of lactic acid bacteria are inhabitants of the human body, and they play a very important role in our health and well-being. Because lactic acid bacteria live on the surface of human mucosal membranes and interact with our immune system, they can be used to produce and deliver therapeutic compounds. For instance, lactic acid bacteria were genetically modified to produce the protein interleukin-10 (IL-10) for the treatment of inflammatory bowel disease, interleukin-12 (IL-12) for the treatment of asthma and interleukin-6 (IL-6) for the stimulation of immune response to vaccines.⁷ 

Furthermore, researchers used genetic engineering to employ lactic acid bacteria for the production of therapeutic compounds that would fight cancer, prevent tumor metastasis, reduce inflammation, decrease the incidence of type II diabetes, etc.⁷

Genetic engineering opened the door for new applications of the old and well-known microbial species of lactic acid bacteria for the benefits of us all. As research continues to evolve, we can expect even more innovative uses of these microorganisms to improve health, sustainability and food production in the future.

Biotech innovations are rapidly growing in the field of science that requires a basic knowledge of biological systems and processes, as well as a deep understanding of molecular mechanisms and their modifications. It opens new venues to produce extremely valuable compounds by genetic manipulations of living organisms and creates wonderful opportunities for research and development.

If you are interested in a career that may contribute to innovations in biotechnology, consider pursuing the Bachelor of Science in Molecular and Cellular Biology degree at GCU. If you are a current GCU student and would like to get research experience in this field, feel free to contact me about joining the Microbial Biotechnology Center.