biotechnology

mycoprotein:

large amounts of microorganisms can be cultured industrially under controlled conditions in large vats for use as a food source

mycoprotein means protein from fungi

used to make high protein meat substitutes for vegetarian meals eg quorn

fusarium is the main source of mycoprotein

grown in large vats on glucose syrup which acts as food for fungus

fungus respires aerobically so oxygen is supplied with nitrogen and other minerals.

the mixture is kept at the right temperature/pH

the fungal biomass is harvested purified and dried to make mycoprotein

producing human insulin:

1. a plasmid is removed from bacterium

2. insulin gene cut out of human chromosome using a restriction enzyme. restriction enzyme recognises specific sequences of dna and cut the dna at these points. the cut leaves one of the dna strands with unpaired bases-the sticky end

3. plasmid is cut open using same restriction enzyme leaving same sticky ends

4. plasmid and human insulin gene are mixed together

5. ligase(an enzyme) is added and this joins the…