From DNA to Beer

National Center of Biotechnology Information (NCBI) produces information resources on a range of topics covering chemical and biological macromolecules, DNA and RNA, genomes and their mappings, genetic sequencing and medicine, along with taxonomy of over 160,000 organisms.

The web site includes journals and databases, clinical studies and current research being done along with abstracts related to biotechnology. Among these related resources is the Molecular Modeling Database (MMDB), this search program allows researchers and scientists to view and upload protein sequences along with creating 3D modeling of the sequenced structures in the database.

• Explore: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/Structure/index.shtml
• Visit: The molecular model of
  • Diphtheria toxin a harmful substance released by the diphtheria bacteria that infect and cause illness in people.
  • Human Growth Hormone a protein that stimulates growth and cell regeneration/reproduction.
  • Insulin a harmful substance released by the diphtheria bacteria that infect and cause illness in people.
  • Yeast ribosome a harmful substance released by the diphtheria bacteria that infect and cause illness in people.

PubMed Central (PMC) is a free archive of biomedical and life sciences journal literature at the U.S. National Institutes of Health’s National Library of Medicine (NLM). In keeping with NLM’s legislative mandate to collect and preserve the biomedical literature, PMC serves as a digital counterpart to NLM’s extensive print journal collection. Launched in February 2000, PMC was developed and is managed by NLM’s National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI).

There are a variety of biotechnology topics to research on the PMC site, below are a selection of subjects.

• Visit: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/
  Visit: National Center for Biotechnology Information: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/

• RECOMBINANT DNA in insulin
  • David R. Owens, Wolfgang Landgraf, Andrea Schmidt, Reinhard G. Bretzel, Martin K. Kuhlmann “The Emergence of Biosimilar Insulin Preparations—A Cause for Concern?” Diabetes Technol Ther. 2012 November; 14(11): 989–996. doi: 10.1089/dia.2012.0105
  • I C Hart, P M Chadwick, T C Boone, K E Langley, C Rudman, L M Souza “A comparison of the growth-promoting, lipolytic, diabetogenic and immunological properties of pituitary andrecombinant-DNA-derived bovine growth hormone (somatotropin).” Biochem J. 1984 November 15; 224(1): 93–100.
  • Mariusz Kamionka “Engineering of Therapeutic Proteins Production in Escherichia coli” Curr Pharm Biotechnol. 2011 February; 12(2): 268–274. doi: 10.2174/138920111794295693
• Hormone Therapy for HGH
  • Primus E. Mullis “Genetics of Isolated Growth Hormone Deficiency” J Clin Res Pediatr Endocrinol. 2010 June; 2(2): 52–62. Published online 2010 May 1. doi: 10.4274/jcrpe.v2i2.52
  • Richard I. G. Holt “Detecting growth hormone misuse in athletes” Indian J Endocrinol Metab. 2013 October; 17(Suppl1): S18–S22. doi: 10.4103/2230-8210.119494
  • Vageesh S. Ayyar “History of growth hormone therapy” Indian J Endocrinol Metab. 2011 September; 15(Suppl3): S162–S165. doi: 10.4103/2230-8210.84852
• Penicillin/Antibiotics Overuse
  • Bonnie M. Marshall, Stuart B. Levy “Food Animals and Antimicrobials: Impacts on Human Health” Clin Microbiol Rev. 2011 October; 24(4): 718–733. doi: 10.1128/CMR.00002#45;11
  • Ian M. Gould, Abhijit M. Bal “New antibiotic agents in the pipeline and how they can help overcome microbial resistance ” Virulence. 2013 February 15; 4(2): 185–191. Published online 2013 January 9. doi: 10.4161/viru.22507
  • Julian Davies, Dorothy Davies “Origins and Evolution of Antibiotic Resistance ” Microbiol Mol Biol Rev. 2010 September; 74(3): 417–433. doi: 10.1128/MMBR.00016-10
  • Robert, J Guidos “Combating Antimicrobial Resistance: Policy Recommendations to Save Lives ” Clin Infect Dis. 2011 May 1; 52(Suppl 5): S397–S428. doi: 10.1093/cid/cir153
• Animal Testing’s issues and contributions
  • Douglas A Fitts.“Ethics and Animal Numbers: Informal Analyses, Uncertain Sample Sizes, Inefficient Replications, and Type I Errors” J Am Assoc Lab Anim Sci. 2011 July; 50(4): 445–453. Published online 2011 July.
  • Liebsch, Barbara Grune, Andrea Seiler, Daniel Butzke, Michael Oelgeschläger, Ralph Pirow, Sarah Adler, Christian Riebeling, Andreas Luch, “Alternatives to animal testing: current status and future perspectives” Arch Toxicol. 2011 August; 85(8): 841–858. Published online 2011 May 24. doi: 10.1007/s00204-011-0718-x
  • Ray Greek, Annalea Pippus, Lawrence A Hansen “The Nuremberg Code subverts human health and safety by requiring animal modeling” BMC Med Ethics. 2012; 13: 16. Published online 2012 July 8. doi: 10.1186/1472-6939-13-16
  • Ray Greek, Mark J Rice “Animal models and conserved processes” Theor Biol Med Model. 2012; 9: 40. Published online 2012 September 10. doi: 10.1186/1742-4682-9-40
  • Shyam K Saraf, Vinay Kumaraswamy “Basic research: Issues with animal experimentations” Indian J Orthop. 2013 Jan-Feb; 47(1): 6–9. doi: 10.4103/0019-5413.106882
• Researchers in the Exhibition

  Louis Pasteur’s groundbreaking work with yeast determined that microbes are the agents of fermentation, and that they originate from like organisms, rather than spontaneously coming into existence or from dust, air, or other organisms. His discoveries supported the germ theory of disease and led to industries based on fermentation, like the beer and wine industries, adopting more scientific methods of production.

  • Louis Pasteur, Chamberland, Roux “Summary report of the experiments conducted at Pouilly-le-Fort, near Melun, on the anthrax vaccination, 1881.” Yale J Biol Med. 2002 Jan-Feb; 75(1): 59–62.
  • Louis Pasteur “Mémoire sur la fermentation appelée lactique (Extrait par l'auteur)” Mol Med. 1995 September; 1(6): 599–601.

  
  

  Dr. Charles C. Brinton, Jr, a microbiologist, gained insights into bacterial conjugation—a reproductive process—that would be instrumental in the development of recombinant DNA technology. Earlier in his career, he studied pili, hair-like protrusions from bacterial cells that allow the transfer of DNA between bacteria. Later, he was involved in the development of recombinant DNA technology with other scientists.

  • Charles Novotny, Judith Carnahan, Charles C. Brinton, Jr. “Mechanical Removal of F Pili, Type I Pili, and Flagella from Hfr and RTF Donor Cells and the Kinetics of Their Reappearance” J Bacteriol. 1969 June; 98(3): 1294–1306.

  
  

  Dr. P.G. Katsoyannis was one of the first to synthesize insulin. The synthetic version has since replaced insulin from ground animal pancreases in treating people with diabetes. Dr. Katsoyannis was featured in a Time Magazine article in 1964 for his groundbreaking work.

  • P G Katsoyannis, A Tometsko “Insulin synthesis by recombination of A and B chains: a highly efficient method.” Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1966 June; 55(6): 1554–1561.

The National Library of Medicine (NLM) holds more than 7,000 films and video recordings from 1900 to the present. This audiovisual collection includes instructional films, public health documentaries, commercial films with medical themes, public service announcements, histories of medicine on film, recordings of public lectures and ceremonies, and documentary footage of biomedical research.

LocatorPlus is the NLM free online catalog for searching and locating items in the library collections. Here are a selection of audiovisual catalog records related to a variety of biotechnology topics. These items may be viewed onsite or can be requested via the Interlibrary Loan Service for off-site viewing.

• SeARCH LocatorPlus: http://locatorplus.nlm.nih.gov/

For information on Interlibrary Loans

• Visit: http://www.nlm.nih.gov/psd/cas/illhome.html

• Diptheria
  • Laboratory diagnosis of diptheria. Part II, Determination of types of C. Diphtheria. Multiple formats. Washington, DC: United States Public Health Service, 1951.
• EARLY microbiology
  • Druon, Jean and Eusebio Serrano. Pasteur: a contemporary view. Multiple formats. New York: Pasteur Foundation, 1995.
  • Galdston, Iago. Man against microbe. Multiple formats. New York: Metropolitan Life Insurance Company, 1932.
• human Growth hormone
  • ABC News Productions. Hormone therapy: fountain of youth. VHS. Princeton, NJ: Films for the Humanities and Sciences, 1999.
  • Adrian, Erle K. Exposure and removal of the brain. U-matic. Chapel Hill, NC: Health Sciences Consortium, 1979.
  • Clemente, Carmine D. and Herbert J. Harwick. The cranial cavity: removal of the brain. Multiple formats. Houston: Teaching Films, 1971.
• penicillin
  • Heller, John Roderick. Penicillin and venereal disease. Multiple formats. Washington, DC: United States Public Health Service, 1947.
  • Living longer, 1954. VHS. Directed by John Forsythe. South Burlington, VT: WGBH Boston Video, 1999.
  • Newmark, Peter. Discovery of penicillin. Audio cassette. London: British Broadcasting System, 1983.
  • Penicillin: discovering the truth. VHS. Princeton, NJ: Films for the Humanities and Sciences, 1998.
  • Rovold, Keith. Penicillin. Marshfield, WI: Marshfield Regional Video Network, Marshfield Clinic, 1982.
  • Wonder drugs. VHS. Great American Film Factory, 1977.
• recombinant DNA
  • Adrian, Erle K. DNA, RNA & protein synthesis. Multiple formats. San Antonio: University of Texas Medical School at San Antonio, Department of Anatomy, 1972.
  • Ende, Norman, John Stuart Soeldner, and Ellington P. Joslin. Applications of insulin and growth hormone serum assays in clinical medicine. Multiple formats. Atlanta: National Medical Audiovisual Center, 1969.
  • Leder, Phillip. Genetics and recombinant DNA. VHS. Bethesda, MD: Clinical Center, National Institutes of Health, United States Department of Health and Human Services, 1980.
  • Thompson, Monna. Insulin. Film strip. La Crosse, WI: Western Wisconsin Technical Institute, 1977.
  • Wang, James C. E. coli omega protein: an enzyme which breaks and rejoins the DNA backbone. VHS. Houston: University of Texas Cancer Center M. D. Anderson Hospital, 1977.