What is biotechnology?

Biotechnology is a comprehensive scientific and technological system based on the theory and technology of life science, combined with various modern engineering technologies, making full use of the latest achievements of molecular biology and providing goods and social services according to human needs. It mainly includes five branches: genetic engineering, cell engineering, enzyme engineering, fermentation engineering and protein engineering.

Biotechnology can be divided into traditional biotechnology and modern biotechnology according to its development history. Traditional biotechnology refers to the traditional process of making sauce, vinegar, wine, bread, cheese, yogurt, pickles and other foods; Modern biotechnology refers to a new discipline developed in the late 1970s, which is based on the achievements of modern biological research and centered on genetic engineering, especially DNA recombination. Currently, biotechnology basically refers to modern biotechnology.

Biotechnology can be divided into genetic engineering technology and non-genetic engineering technology according to whether genetic engineering technology is used or not. Genetic engineering includes gene analysis, gene location, gene fingerprinting, gene extraction, gene recombination, transgenic transformation and gene bank establishment. Non-genetic engineering technologies include strain screening and mutation, high-density fermentation engineering technology, space breeding, cell freezing and dormancy, cell culture in vitro, cell hybridization, embryo transfer, in vitro fertilization and so on.

Biotechnology is divided into medical biotechnology, industrial biotechnology, agricultural biotechnology and marine biotechnology by industry. Biotechnology in each industry is subdivided into more specialized biotechnology, such as agricultural biotechnology, feed biotechnology, food biotechnology, veterinary biotechnology, plant biotechnology, animal biotechnology and so on.