Table Of Contents:
Forewords xii

Beer, Bread, and Cheese
The Tasty Side of Biotechnology 1(28)

In the Beginning, There Were Beer and Wine
Nurturing Civilization 2(1)

Yeasts
The Secret Behind Alcoholic Fermentation 2(3)

Now as Ever, Beer Is Brewed from Yeast, Water, Malt, and Hops 5(6)

Cells Run on Solar Energy 11(1)

For Yeast, Alcohol Has Nothing to Do With Enjoyment, but All With Survival 11(2)

Highly Concentrated Alcohol Is Obtained by Distillation 13(2)

Bacterially Produced Acidic Preservatives 15(2)

Coffee, Cocoa, Vanilla, Tobacco
Fermentation for Enhanced Pleasure 17(3)

An Alliance of Molds and Bacteria in Cheese Production 20(6)

Sake and Soy Sauce 26(1)

What Exactly Is Fermentation? 26(3)

Enzymes
Molecular Supercatalysts for Use at Home and in Industry 29(28)

Enzymes Are High-performing and Highly Specific Biocatalysts 30(1)

Lysozyme
The First Enzyme to Be Understood in Structure and Function Down to Minute Molecular Detail 30(5)

The Role of Cofactors in Complex Enzymes 35(1)

Animals, Plants, and Microorganisms as Enzyme Sources 35(3)

Extracellular Hydrolases Degrade Biopolymers into Smaller Manageable Units 38(1)

Amylases Are Used for Brewing, Baking, and Desizing 38(2)

Pectinases Increase Fruit and Vegetable Juice Production 40(1)

Biological Detergents
The Most Important Application Area of Hydrolytic Enzyme 40(1)

Proteases Tenderize Meat and Tan Leather 41(1)

Immobilization
Reusing Enzymes 42(2)

Glucose Isomerase and Fructose Syrup
Boosting the Sweetness of Sugar 44(1)

Immobilized Enzymes in Human and Animal Food Production 45(4)

Making Use of Cofactor Regeneration
Enzyme Membrane Reactors 49(1)

Immobilized Cells 50(7)

The Wonders of Gene Technology 57(26)

DNA
The Double Helix as a Physical Carrier of Genetic Material 58(1)

DNA Polymerases Catalyze the Replication of the DNA Double Strand 58(1)

Not All Genes Are Encrypted in DNA, RNA Viruses Use Single-Stranded RNA 59(1)

Deciphering the Genetic Code 59(1)

The Human Genome
A Giant 23-Volume Encyclopedia 60(1)

The DNA Code Deciphered Artificial RNA Decodes the Codons 61(4)

DNA Sites Around the Structural Genes Control the Expression of Genes 65(1)

Ribosomes
The Protein Production Plant Inside the Cell 66(5)

Recombination A Genetic Reshuffling of Cards 71(2)

Plasmids
Ideal Vectors for Genetic Material 73(1)

Scissors and Glue at a Molecular Level
Restriction Endonucleases and DNA Ligases 73(1)

First Experiments in Gene Technology
Croaking Bacteria? 74(3)

How to Obtain Genes 77(1)

Human Insulin from Bacteria? 78(2)

Insulin Synthesis in Humans 80(1)

Rat Proinsulin
The Beginnings of Genetic Engineering 81(1)

DNA-Hybridization
How to Find Bacteria Using DNA Probes 82(1)

A Slight Diversion
Somatostatin
The First Human Protein Obtained from Bacteria 83(1)

How Enzymes Turn Porcine Insulin into Human Insulin 83(2)

Eureka! The First Genetically Engineered Insulin Has Been Produced 85(1)

Asilomar
How Dangerous Is Modern Gene Technology? 85(1)

Human Proinsulin Obtained from a Single E. coli Strain 86(1)

Bakers' Yeast for Proinsulin Production 87(1)

Artificial Insulin Variants (Muteins) Obtained by Protein Engineering 88(2)

Genetically Modified Mammalian Cells for the Production of Modified Complex Proteins 90

White Biotechnology - Cells As Synthetic Factories 83(40)

An Overview 96(1)

Tactical Adaptation 97(2)

Strategic Adaptation: Enzyme Production on Demand 99(2)

An Allosteric Molecular Computer
Glutamine Synthetase 101(3)

Catabolite Repression or Fishing for Polymerase 104(1)

Mold Replacing Lemons 104(1)

Overproduction of Lysine
How Mutants Outwit the Feedback Inhibition of Aspartate Kinase 105(2)

L-Glutamate
``Levorotatory'' Soup Seasoning in Abundance 107(1)

Chemical Synthesis Versus Microbial Production 108(1)

L-Ascorbic Acid (Vitamin C) 109(5)

Aspartame
Sweet Success of a Dipeptide Ester 114(3)

Immobilized Cells Producing Amino Acids and Organic Acids 117(1)

Mutations as a Way of Targeting Microbial Programming 117

Penicillium notatum
Alexander Fleming's Miraculous Fungus 106(13)

Screening
Biotechnologists In Search of Molds 119(3)

What's On The Microbial Menu? 122(1)

A Modern Biofactory 122(3)

Heat, Cold and Dry Conditions Keep Microbes at Bay 125(1)

Downstream Processing 126(1)

Streptomycin and Cephalosporins
The Next Generation of Antibiotics 126(5)

The Race Against Microbial Resistance 131(1)

Cyclosporin
A Microbial Product Used in Transplants 131(4)

Steroid Hormones
Cortisone and the Contraceptive Pill 135

Viruses, Antibodies, and Vaccines 123(26)

Viruses
Borrowed Life 140(1)

How Viruses Attack Cells 140(3)

How the Body Defends Itself Against Infections
Humoral Immune Response Through Antibodies 143(4)

Cellular Immune Response: Killer T-Cells 147(5)

The First Vaccination: Cowpox against Smallpox 152(1)

Contemporary Vaccination 153(4)

Live Vaccines 157(1)

Monoclonal Antibodies 157(2)

Catalytic Antibodies 159(1)

Recombinant Antibodies 159(4)

Recombinant Antibody Libraries 163(1)

Piggyback or Phage Display
The Next Revolution 164(1)

Phage Display for High Affinity Growth Hormone 165(1)

New Hope for Cancer Patients
Retuximab, a Recombinant Antibody 165

Environmental Biotechnology From One-Way Streets to Traffic Circles 149(22)

Clean Water
A Bioproduct 170(2)

Aerobic Water Purification
Sewage Farms, Trickling Filters, and Activated Sludge 172(1)

Biogas 173(3)

Biogas Could Save Forests! 176(1)

Biogas in Industrial Countries
Using Liquid Manure 177(1)

Fuel Growing in the Fields 178(1)

Ananda Chakrabarty's Oil-Guzzlers 179(1)

Sugar and Alcohol from Wood 180(5)

Basic Chemicals from Biomass? 185(5)

Silent Mining 190(1)

A New Life for Tired Oil Wells? 190(1)

Bioplastic
From Dead End to Merry-Go-Round 191

Green Biotechnology 171(32)

Microbes Are Edible 198(1)

Algae and Cyanobacteria 198(2)

Single Cell-Protein: the Hope for Cheap Sources of Protein 200(1)

Mycoprotein is a Success with Consumers as a Vegetable Protein 201(3)

``Green'' Biotechnology at the Doorstep 204(1)

Fields in a Test Tube: in vitro Plant Breeding 204(1)

Meristem Culture 205(4)

Haploid Cultures: Anthers and Ovaries 209(2)

Callus and Suspension Cultures 211(1)

Plant Cells in the Bioreactor Produce Active Substances 211(1)

Which Active Substances from Plants Will Follow Shikonin? 212(1)

Agrobacterium
A Pest as a Genetic Engineer 213(3)

Biolistic Gene Transfer: DNA Shot from a Gun 216(1)

Transgenic Plants: Herbicide Resistance 216(1)

Biological Insecticide 217(4)

Blue Carnations and Flavr Savr Tomatoes 221(1)

Danger from Genetically Modified Food? 222(1)

Should Genetically Modified Food Be Labeled? 223(1)

Gene Pharming 223(2)

Transgenic Plants
A Heated Debate 225(1)

Tropical Palms 226(5)

Bacteria in Snow Guns Safeguard Skiing Holidays 231

Embryos, Clones and Transgenic Animals 203(40)

Artificial Insemination 236(1)

Embryo Transfer and In Vitro Fertilization 236(1)

Animals Threatened with Extinction Could be Saved by Embryo Transfer 237(1)

Chimeric Animals Have at Least Four Genetic Parents 238(1)

Transgenic Animals
From Giant Mouse to Giant Cow? 239(1)

Growth Hormones for Cows and Pigs 240(1)

``Gene Pharming''
Valuable Human Proteins in Milk and Eggs 241(2)

Transgenic Fish
From Glo Fish to Giant Trout 243(3)

Knockout Mice 246(1)

Xenotransplantation 247(1)

Cloning
Mass Production of Twins 247(3)

Clones of Frogs and Newts 250(1)

Dolly
The Breakthrough in Animal Cloning 251(3)

Difficulties in the Cloning Process 254(1)

Cloning Cats
Parental Variations 255(2)

What About Humans? Cloning, IVF, and PID 257(3)

The Embryo Yielding Its Secret and the Human Genome Project 260

Myocardial Infarction, Cancer And Stem Cells Biotechnology is a Life Saver 243(10)

Myocardial Infarction and Anticoagulants 264(1)

Fibrinolysis Following Myocardial Infarction: Using Enzymes to Dissolve Thrombi 264(1)

Stroke: Help from the Vampire Enzyme 265(2)

Genetically Engineered Factor VIII
Safe Help for Hemophiliacs 267(1)

EPO for Kidney Patients and in Sport 268(1)

Interferons for Fighting Viruses and Cancer 268(2)

Interleukins 270(1)

Cancer: Abnormal Uncontrolled Cell Growth 270(4)

New Cancer Treatments 274(1)

Paclitaxel against Cancer 275(1)

Human Growth Hormone 275(3)

Epidermal Growth Hormone
Wrinkles Disappear and Diabetic Feet Heal 278(1)

Stem Cells, the Ultimate Fountain of Youth? 279(6)

Gene Therapy 285(1)

The Junk Yields its Treasures: RNAi, RNA Interference 285

Analytical Biotechnology and the Human Genome 253(82)

Enzyme Tests for Millions of Diabetics 294(2)

Biosensors 296(1)

Microbial Sensors
Yeasts Measuring Water Pollution in Five Minutes 297(1)

Immunological Pregnancy Tests 297(1)

AIDS Tests 298(1)

Myocardial Infarction Tests 298(1)

Point of Care (POC) Tests 299(1)

How DNA Is Analyzed
Gel Electrophoresis Separates DNA Fragments According to Size 300(1)

Life And Death
Genetic Fingerprinting in Establishing Paternity and Investigating Murders 300(2)

DNA Markers
Short Tandem Repeats and SNPs 302(1)

Polymerase Chain Reaction
Copying DNA on a Mega Scale 303(1)

A New Lease of Life for Dinosaurs and Mammoths 304(1)

The Sequencing of Genes 305(3)

Southern Blotting 308(1)

Automatic DNA Sequencing 308(1)

Fish
Identifying the Location on a Chromosome and the Number of Gene Copies 309(3)

The Ultimate Biotechnological Achievement
The Human Genome Project 312(1)

Genetic Genome Maps 313(2)

Physical Genome Mapping 315(1)

Which Method
Contig Versus Shot Gun? 316(1)

The Human Genome Project
Where Do We Go from Here? 317(4)

. . . And How Can the Sequence of the Genome Be Understood? 321

Pharmacogenomics 279(46)

DNA Chips 325(1)

Identifying the Causes of Disease
Gene Expression Profiles 325(1)

Proteomics 326(1)

MALDI
A Gas from Protein Ions 327(1)

Aptamers and Protein Chips 327(4)

Is Total Control Over the Human Genome Possible? 331(1)

Quo Vadis, Biotech? 331(4)
Photo and Citation Credits 335(3)
Index 338