The biotechnology revolution
WORKSSHEETS FOR STUDENTS.
BIOLOGY CLASS ACTIVITIES FOR 4th
YEAR OF SECONDARY SCHOOL
DEVELOPED BY:
A. TASK
Biotechnology is one of the most important driving forces in advanced societies and provides
numerous health benefits and improvements in quality of life for society as a whole. The
scientific community, however, is worried about how some advances in biotechnology are
being rejected.
There are currently certain civil society organisations carrying out campaigns in the press
to voice their disagreements with certain advances currently being enjoyed in biotechnologies.
Some of these groups oppose genetically modifying organisms, others are against certain
specific areas of research such as stem cells obtained from human embryos, and others are
against the rejection of using human embryos to eradicate inherited diseases or selection of
foetuses for treating ill siblings. These campaigns, which are completely just and necessary in
a democratic society, can result in a negative social perception of some fields of biotechnology.
The scientific community is worried, as in the past certain promising lines of research have
been blocked as a result of social rejection. For this reason we here at Xplore Health are
addressing secondary school students (as a section of society with above average levels of
education) to help us get the message across to society as a whole.
We'd like you to organise an information campaign in which you will explain what
biotechnologies consist of with a main focus on biomedicine. You can concentrate on the
advantages and disadvantages, applications and ethical, legal and social questions regarding
biomedicine in general. This campaign might take the form of an exhibition at your school, a
website, an entry on a blog, a theatre play, a presentation at a local community centre or even
a fair where you can invite everyone to come and carry out experiments and participate in
debates, etc.
However before attempting to do that, we first need to make you “biotechnology experts”.
To make it easier for you do that, we've prepared a series of activities which will help you.
Once you've completed your information campaign, don't forget to update us on how it went
on our blog!
Blog: http://www.xplorehealth.eu/en/xploreblog
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B. WHAT IS BIOTECHNOLOGY? Introduction
1. What do you think biotechnology is? Split yourselves up into groups and summarise what
you already know about this field. Write a general description of what you think it might be:
And jot down the concepts and topics you feel you need more information on here:
2. Watch the video entitled Biotechnology, life with us! on the Xplore Health website
http://www.xplorehealth.eu/en/media/biotechnology-life-us (it would be a good idea to watch it
at least three times). Note down the ideas you think are most important and the things you
don’t fully understand in the table below:
Important concepts and terms
Aspects I don’t fully understand
(to be resolved as the activity progresses)
3. In groups, share the ideas which you think are most important and the ones which aren’t
clear to you. As far as possible, try and clear up your doubts with the other members of the
group and then complete the tables. Make one large group and summarise all the ideas you’ve
written down with the others.
4. Put together a short text on what exactly biotechnology is and what it has been used for
right from its beginnings until the current day. Don’t worry about coming up with a very
academic description right now; it will develop over time to become more complete and
rigorous as you complete all of the tasks we ask you to do below. Also, what we want is your
description, not a dictionary entry.
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The experts classify the following different branches of biotechnology according to
their application:

Red biotechnology: biotechnology used in medical processes such as the study of
causes of illnesses, designing organisms to produce pharmaceuticals or designing
new pharmaceutical products such as antibiotics, vaccines and even therapies based
on the use of so-called stem cells (“cell therapies”) or the engineering of genetic cures
through genetic manipulation (“gene therapies”). It also refers to the design of new
diagnostic tools which will help us detect the earlier stages of illnesses.

White biotechnology: refers to industrial processes. One example of this is designing
micro-organisms to produce a certain chemical product or using enzymes to produce
chemical products or to destroy chemical contaminants posing a risk. Other industrial uses
include biotechnology for creating new materials such as biodegradable plastics and the
production of biofuels.

Green biotechnology: biotechnology applied to agricultural processes. An example of this
application is designing transgenic plants that can grow in unfavourable environments or
plants which are resistant to certain plagues and diseases.

Blue biotechnology: also known as marine technology as it refers to the application of
biotechnology in marine and aquatic environments. This is still a very new branch of
biotechnologies, but its use is very promising in the fields of aquafarming, cosmetics,
nutrition and health.
In order to explain better some of the aspects you might not yet fully understand, we will now
investigate red and white biotechnology in more detail with the help of the activities set out
below.
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C. DNA and biotechnology
C.1 DNA: the essence of biotechnology
A bit later on we’ll be asking you why you think it’s important to study DNA so as to understand
what biotechnology is about. In other words: what is the relationship between DNA and
biotechnology? But for the moment, let’s concentrate on DNA itself:
5. Watch the following video carefully: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qy8dk5iS1f0
After watching the short video, give a brief description of a DNA molecule. To help you:
- pay attention to its components;
- give a name to each of the components of the molecule;
- describe their structure.
6. Following the instructions that will be given to you by your teacher, come up with a 3D
representation of a DNA molecule. Afterwards, we’d love you to share your models on the
Xplore Health blog.
7. After building the molecules, explain how you think genetic information is stored in DNA.
Watch these videos:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g8pc7MCb3Sc (“DNA Duplication” - in Spanish
only)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T-g-G0-kehU&list=PLFcpfjDt4lWYqaBojai4pJ3TQonoR7Z7 (“DNA Replication” - in Spanish only)
They contain very detailed information on how DNA molecules replicate, but it’s more
important that you understand the following ideas:
8. What would the new chains for the following DNA molecule look like?
…AGCTTAAGGCCTAG…
…TCGAATTCCGGATC…
How can we be sure that the information contained in the DNA is kept during the
replication procedure?
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9. As well as replication, DNA can also undergo “expression”. What do you think
“expression” could refer to? What do you think is the result of DNA expression?
To find out more about this process, watch the following videos:
 Transcription
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qOA25GbUkdA&list=PLD42710E1C4C27459
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mFh9L-nu8Hk (“Transcription of DNA into RNA” - in
Spanish only)
 Translation
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FNqmh4PoMPQ&list=PLD42710E1C4C27459
replication” - in Latin Spanish)
(“DNA
 All three processes in one video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yqESR7E4b_8
10. These videos will have explained to you how DNA expression works.
We now invite you to carry out the following activity:
Given the following DNA fragment, write down which protein fragment corresponds to it.
...GTGCACCTTACTCCAGAGGAG...
You’ll need to look it up on the following genetic code:
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C.2 How can DNA be manipulated?
11. Now watch the following video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_QLO0QLopaE
As you’ll have noticed, the video is actually entitled: What
exactly is a Gene? We don’t want you to do that, as it’s
already done in the clip. But to make sure you’ve
understood the information given in the video, we’d like
you to “invent” a gene and the function it might perform in
a hypothetical organism.
12. How is DNA manipulated? Based on this diagram, put together a short text explaining this
process of manipulating DNA:
14. Now compare in group your explanations with the information given in the following videos:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x2jUMG2E-ic
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V9PtQlp-e7g (“PCR” - in Spanish only)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6UiKZKFHbMQ
Now complete your short explication (you may need to rewrite it completely):
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C3. DNA extraction. Optional: carry out an experiment with two different test protocols: a more simple
one which can be carried out with products you can find in any home, or a more realistic one which you
can find on the Xplore Health page. If you choose to do the simpler experiment, go ahead with exercise
15; if the more complex experiment is chosen, you don’t need to do it.
These videos have shown you different biotechnological processes carried out in the
laboratory. One of them is DNA extraction, a technique essential to many different lines of
research. As an example, if scientists want to investigate the genetic causes of an illness, they
need to extract DNA from a patient’s cell and from an unaffected cell in order to compare the
two. We’d now like you to explore how to carry out a DNA extraction:
15. Before downloading the protocol, we want you to design your own protocol by putting the
items in the following table in order:
Number
a) Steps in the protocol
b)
See DNA strands floating on the
surface.
c)
Mix liquid soap and water to dilute
it.
d)
Justification (explain why)
Add salt solution and mix.
Deposit bottled water in a glass,
mouthwash for 2-3 minutes and
redeposit the liquid in the glass.
Deposit the mixture of cells and
water in a test tube.
Mix salt and water to prepare a
solution of salt.
Add alcohol.
Add diluted soap and mix.
You can now extract your DNA by following the protocol you can find at:
http://www.irsicaixa.es/sites/default/files/unit_6_eng.pdf or the one you can find at
http://www.xplorehealth.eu/sites/default/files/Obesity%20protocol%20Xplore%20Health%20EN.pdf Answer the questions you’ll find in the protocol.
C.4. DNA and biotechnology
19. Now answer why you think it’s important to study DNA so as to understand what
biotechnology is about.
But before you try to do that, go to the Xplore Health page and carry out the virtual experiment
you’ll find in the Biotechnology revolution section. Complete the experiment at least to lab 1
where you will have to check whether the DNA you have is right for producing what you’re
asked:
http://www.xplorehealth.eu/en/media/use-organisms-grow-drug-against-anaemia
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Now you’re able to relate DNA to biotechnology:
We believe that...
20. You’ve just discovered some of the techniques used in biotechnology. These are all part
of what experts refer to as genetic engineering.
You should now be able to summarise all of the concepts, processes and techniques you’ve
seen that make up genetic engineering. Draw a conceptual map consisting of the following
terms: gene, DNA, restriction enzyme, PCR, amplification, duplication, proteins, translation,
recombinant DNA, special gene, etc.
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D. WHAT TYPES OF DRUGS AND THERAPIES HAVE BEEN DEVELOPED WITH
BIOTECHNOLOGIES?
DNA extraction is extremely useful in laboratories. An example of this is hospitals which
perform DNA extractions on tumours in patients whose genetic profiles are then compared
against tumours known to be aggressive.
This helps doctors diagnose how serious a tumour is in order to decide on the best course of
treatment. Once a disease is diagnosed, biotechnologists can develop different types of
pharmaceuticals and therapies which can modify organisms and therefore cure illnesses.
You’re now ready to discover how the different types of pharmaceutical on the market function.
Some are synthetic drugs, others are peptides or proteins, some are based on providing
antibodies, and there are even some recent developments which use cells directly for
treatment. We also often hear about gene therapy which consists of introducing DNA into a
patient to change their genetic make-up. We now invite you to try out some different tools and
fill out the table in Appendix 2 with the different types of medicines you can find.
D.1 Different drug types
21. At home, play the game entitled “Become a doctor and give each patient the best treatment”
http://www.xplorehealth.eu/en/media/become-doctor-and-give-each-patient-best-treatment.
Describe how some of the treatments in the game work. Then, during your next class, some students
should present what they have learnt from the game. Take a screenshot of your score at the end of the
game and paste it here. Fill out the table in Appendix 2.
22. Now play a game in which you’ll be asked to help cure Nadia, a young researcher aged just 25, who
has been diagnosed with leukaemia: http://www.xplorehealth.eu/en/media/help-me-cure-nadiascancer.
22.1 Take a screenshot of your score at the end of the game and paste it here. What different kinds
of treatments do you think can be used to help treat Nadia without destroying her healthy cells?
Why?
As we’ve seen, some treatments actually help stop cell division. You will probably need to
review
the
topic
of
cell
division:
http://www.biology.arizona.edu/cell_bio/tutorials/cell_cycle/cells3.html.
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22.2 Identify the different phases in cell division and explain what is happening in each one:
Name
stage:
of
Explanation:
22.3 Why is it that Nadia’s (and everyone’s) cells divide? You might like to phrase the question
like this: as we grow, do our cells get bigger too, or do we just get more and more cells as we
age?
22.4 If you study the whole cell division process, you’ll see that the end result is two new cells
for each single old one. But what is the relationship between the two new cells?
22.5
The previous question also leads onto a new one: why aren’t all our cells the same?
22.6 After studying cell division, you’ll be able to understand the aim of treatments which
work by blocking this division. Give an explanation of it here, with a diagram if you think
it’ll help:
22.7 To conclude this section, evaluate your work as 21st century “doctors” in helping cure
Nadia. Can you imagine being in the same situation in the 19th century? What has changed?
How would you evaluate these changes? Write a short text explaining your opinion.
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The structure of this kind of text which is meant to convince others of your way of thinking
might be something along the lines of: “I think that... the reasons I think this are... I would
convince someone who thinks differently by... the evidence I would provide to convince others
is...” Write your text here:
22.8 Complete the table in Appendix 2.
22.9 Do you think that there is another type of cell division? Come up with a sequence of
drawings and describe the process for this other type of cell division. You can find out more
from these sources:
http://www.biology.arizona.edu/cell_bio/tutorials/cell_cycle/cells3.html
http://www.biology.arizona.edu/cell_bio/tutorials/meiosis/page3.html
D.2. Cell therapies
As we have already seen, research in the field of biotechnology has already allowed us to find
protocols with which scientists can manipulate the division of cells in order to use them to
regenerate tissue. In this area of research they use so-called “stem cells” which have a high
capacity for division into more cells and can differentiate into different cells in our bodies.
23. This video will give you a little information on an ongoing European project in which
researchers
use
stem
cells
to
regenerate
different
tissues:
http://www.xplorehealth.eu/en/media/can-you-cure-cells.
Design a poster (the application GLOGSTER which you can find on the internet at:
http://edu.glogster.com/ will help you) or a PowerPoint presentation which shows the process
by which stem cells are obtained.
24. Now visit this virtual lab: http://www.xplorehealth.eu/en/media/engineer-skin. In it you’ll see
how tissue engineers produce different cells in order to regenerate skin for a diabetic patient
suffering from an ulcer. Fill out the table in Appendix 2.
25. Now go back and rewrite your definition of what biotechnology is that you wrote before
carrying out the actions in this project.
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E. IS BIOTECHNOLOGY GOOD FOR US?
Up till now we’ve been learning about stem cells, genetic modification and the many different
applications of biotechnology. But why are they all so controversial?
Go to the internet and find some of the arguments that different civil society organisations use
to argue against research using stem cells or into genetically modified organisms.
Apart from these controversies, there are also other topics related to biotechnologies which
are currently resulting in intense debate: to what extent should scientists be allowed to alter
and create living things? What restrictions should be in place regarding selection and
implantation of embryos? How might biotechnology affect developing nations? To what extent
do we have the right to know and not to know about genetic predisposition to illnesses? Who
should assume the cost of providing such genetic information?
Organise a debate on these different questions. To help you, you can use the “Discussion
Continuum Game” on the Xplore Health page:
http://www.xplorehealth.eu/en/biotechnology-revolution0?arg0=node&arg1=155&arg2=educators
Rules of the game: copy some of the ethical, legal and socio-economic questions that you’ll
find in the game onto the board and answer them individually.
Then play the game as explained in the instructions. We recommend you start off with just 6
cards, as playing with all of them can complicate game play. First of all play in groups of 5 or
6 students and then compare the order of your cards with those of the other groups.
Find arguments both for and against for each card. This video will help you find some ideas:
http://www.xplorehealth.eu/en/media/biotechnology-and-ethics.
Finally, return to the questions you started off with on the board and decide whether you have
changed your opinion after the debate as part of the game.
F. HELP PROVIDE A FAIRER IMAGE OF BIOTECHNOLOGIES!
With the help of your teacher, decide what kind of information campaign you want to promote
as explained in section A. Don’t forget to tell us all about it on the Xplore Health blog:
http://www.xplorehealth.eu/en/xploreblog.
Decide whether it might also be a good idea to get other people, such as NGOs, politicians,
scientists, journalists, etc. involved too to share your findings.
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APPENDIX 1. HOW TO WRITE A REPORT WITH YOUR FINDINGS.
What do we want to research?
Hypothesis
Objectives
Procedure
Procedure
Justification
Observation
Results
Conclusions
APPENDIX 2. CATEGORIES OF DRUGS AVAILABLE ON THE MARKET
THERAPY
DRUGS LOOKED AT IN THE CLASSROOM
1. Small synthetic molecule
2. Peptide-based or protein-based drug
3. DNA for gene therapy*
4. Therapy using antibodies
5. Cell therapy
* Gene therapy is still relatively unused. This article will give you some more information
about how this kind of therapy is being used in China:
http://www.nature.com/nbt/journal/v22/n1/full/nbt0104-3.html.
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Authors: Albert Poveda & Rosina Malagrida. With the help of Montse
Cabello and Mariona Domènech.
Part of the Tandem project of the Catalunya-La Pedrera Foundation
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