DNA fingerprinting originally developed as a genetic mapping strategy but has quickly found many other applications ranging from forensic casework to wildlife conservation. The versatility of various DNA fingerprinting methods is illustrated by a series of examples taken from the work of one laboratory in New Zealand.
One of the important problems in forensic science is the limited availability of biological samples left behind at the scene of the crime. Research in the area of obtaining DNA data from such limited biological samples has resulted in successful court convictions. The ability to carry out DNA fingerprinting from such minute sources relies both on the successful extraction of DNA as well as its subsequent characterisation and analysis. Improved techniques designed to obtain DNA from such samples combined with a small-volume polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and highly informative genetic markers will mean that law enforcement agencies will increasingly be better equipped to deal with violent crime. This review describes some of the sources from which DNA is obtained as well as the techniques used to derive from them valuable genetic information.
The increasing world production of cheese, coupled with a decline in the number of slaughtered calves, has stimulated a search for alternative sources of chymosin. This article briefly reviews microbial alternatives to chymosin and discusses chymosins produced using recombinant DNA technology. Recombinant chymosin represents one of the first successful applications of recombinant DNA technology in the food industry.
Biotechnology and genetic engineering are defined and their applications in the dairy industry described for pasture and animal improvement, and for dairy product processing in the factory. Problems in establishing new biotechnologies in the dairy industry and the regulatory hurdles that have to be overcome are discussed. Gene probes and monoclonal antibodies as diagnostics, bovine somatotropin to increase milk production, recombinant DNA-rennin in cheesemaking, recombinant-DNA starter cultures, and enzymes to convert lactose to oligosaccharides are used as examples relevant to the dairy industry. It is advocated that the dairy industry develop a biotechnology policy and an education programme, and actively consider joint ventures with dedicated biotechnology companies.
Peptide Technology Limited (Peptech) recently announced in Australia that its associate company, Cambridge Antibody Technology (CAT) had obtained rights to the commercial development of a new kind of engineered antibody molecule. Diabodies were pioneered by Dr Greg Winter of the Medical Research Council Laboratories in Cambridge. In this article, the origins and potential of diabodies are examined in the context of other recent developments in this very fast moving field.
Techniques for the synthesis of peptides by solid phase procedures have advanced considerably over recent years and now enable the rapid and efficient preparation of complex and difficult sequences. These developments have led to many novel and unique applications of synthetic peptides which will find increasing and important utility in biotechnology.
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