How enzyme technology and genetic modification has affected and is affecting society

Enzymes are essential to everyday life. They are essential in the way we live and how our body works. Due to technology they are now used widely in commercial areas and are significant to the advanced technology in medicine. Without these developments the way in which we live would be significantly different with an unestablished medical world. The majority of enzymes come from microorganisms, many of these being fungi. There is increasing evidence of these enzymes being used to break down complex molecules such as starch, fats, cellulose and proteins in various everyday industrial processes in our society.

The catalysation of these vital chemical reactons is used extensively in modern biotechnology, which includes the use of enzymes in products such as washing powders, certain foods, and drinks encorporating the label of ‘diet’. The development of ‘diet’ drinks has become a massivly debated topic of today’s society. With modern day pressures on both men and women to be a desirable shape, the breakthrough in enzyme technology has brought about a new way of marketing.

Practically all soft drink companies of today have at least one of their drinks labelling ‘diet’. Biotechnology also includes the manipulation of living orgasims in genentic engineering and as such, has developing applications in pharmacology, medicine and agriculture. It is this which is one of the most significant topics on todays society. Enzymes play a major part in recombiant DNA technology, where animals are now bread to give a high yield of meat, milk or wool by artificial selection.

This is accoplashiseed by taking a useful gene and combineing with the animal therefore artificially determining which characteristics dominate the the population. Examples are sheep which have been bread to produce more wool than their natural ancestors. (J . E . Smith, 1996) Genentically modified plants rely on enzymes and in todays society most supermarket foods have been genetically modified in someway, wheather its protecting the plant agaist disease or ensuring it takes longer to ripen. The technology means supermarkets can offer us more of the produce we want and in a better condition.

However in recent years the publicity of genetically modified plants has raised concerns in many areas. It is feared that one day the genetically modified crops could ‘escape’ and plants resistant to herbicides ect. Could not be controlled. Supermarkets have resulted in the manufacturing of ‘organic’ foods ever increasing the range of organic products available. There are a growing number of people who now think ‘organic’ foods are the way for the future and only time will tell if one day society abolishes genetically modified plants.

The food industry has depended on enzymes for thousands of years, where enzymes produced by yeast have been used for brewing, baking and biological systems featured in the industries of wine making and cheese manufacture. However, enzymatic treatments are now a major way of producuing sweetener in the form high fructose syrup from the cheap raw material of starch. This commercially created a mass amount of money and has changed the way many of our food are produced today. This process consists of three main stages with four enzymes, a-amylase, amyloglucosidase, pullulanase and glucose isomerase.

The producton of glucose syrup from starch is formed from the treatment of amylolytic enzymes and the glucose may be either sold directly in crystalline form or used as a food ingredient in the production of soft drinks, jams, sweets, confectionary or ice cream. (www. enzymes. co. uk) Fungi produced enzymes are also used in the production of Far-Eastern foods such as soy sauce and miso whilst glucoamylase and cellulase are used in food modification. In the farming industry enzymes are used in animal feeds to aid digestability and increase growth rate. Eg the enzyme phytase is communly found in cereal grains and oil seeds.

Farmers hav ebeen able to therefore produce better products and gain more profit aswell as aiding the economy. (E . Wraith, Nov. 2002) In milk, the lactose can cause problems for many ethinic groups. Because milk is such a vital form of calcium people with a lactase intolerance previously sruggled to gain the required amounts of calcium in a healthy diet. This was a problem for vast majority of the population but the use of the enzyme has enabled lactose to be brokendown in milk and buttermilk. The use of amalayses on starchs used for beread, beer etc. can also be used in the production of textiles especially leather. (D . Fishlock, 1986)

The enzyme Trypsin removes the hair and excess tissue from hides and skin therefore making the leather more pliable. Proteases also help in the removal of hair in a more economical way as they digeat away the protein content of the cells which anchor the hair follicle. (G . Denny, May 2002) Enzymes are also used in the commercial industry of biological washing powders to help reduce the energy needed in the heat of the water therefore benifting the environment. Before biolodgical washing powders had been developed, people were forced to use extremely high temperatures and generally the whole process was time-consuming.

The high temperatures required substantial amounts of energy which in long term would be burning out the natural resources of the earth. Detergents together with lipasees and proteases, are used as they are the enzymes capable of digesting food stains caused by fats and proteins. New technology developments and advancing research as created washing powders, which have been designed to impaticulary restore colour. This is through cellulases, a class of enzymes which remove damaged fibres from the surface of a garment and therefore restores the fabrics original condition. (G . Robson, Jan. 2001)

Commercial advances such as these produce profit on a high scale which in turn benefits the economy as well as the way in which we live. In the medical world genetically engineered microorganisms can mean large amounts of insulin and human growth hormone are able to be produced. They can be produced commercially and cheaply in this way and are then used in many instances. People who suffer from diabetes can use the insulin themselves to help with the symptoms of tremendous thirst and tiredness. Human gene therapy is a now vital way in curing genetic disorders e. severe combined immune deficiency (SCID).

However the continuos development of genetic engerneering is a dangerous prospect for the society if taken out of hand. If particular genes can be inserted into egg and sperm cells to prevent death, it could also be used to give idivduals characteristics that are considered to be desirable. This has raised great debates on how such a thing could change the society wwe are living in with the potential of ‘designer babies’. To many people it is unacceptable as it could result in lack of individuality and the eradication of less powerful ethinic groups.