Differentiate between diagnostics and therapeutics. Give one example and for each category.
A diagnostic technique helps us to identify a disease. e.g., ELISA for HIV. A therapeutic agent on the other hand helps in the treatment of a disease. e.g., antibiotics for bacterial infections.
Give the full form of ELISA. Which disease can be detected using it? Discuss the principle underlying the test.
ELISA stands for Enzyme Linked Immuno Sorbent Assay. It is used for the detection of (HIV) AIDS disease.
ELISA is based on the principle of antigen-antibody interaction. Infection by pathogen can be detected by the presence of antigens (proteins, glycoprotieins, etc.) or by detecting the antibodies synthesised by the host against the pathogen.
Can a disease be detected before its symtoms appear? Explain the principle involved.
When the symptoms of the disease are not yet visible,the pathogen concentration is very low so, the detection by conventional diagnostic tests is very difficult.
However, detection of a disease before the appearance of symptoms is possible by the amplification of victim's nucleic acid by PCR.
The principle involved here is that a single DNA molecule can be copied endlessly in a test tube using primers, DNA polymerase enzyme and free nucleotides. The desired DNA of the pathogen is amplified by PCR from a limited amount of DNA template.
Write a short note on biopiracy highlighting the exploitation of developing countries by the developed countries.
Biopiracy is the term used to refer the use of bio-resources by the multinational companies and other organisations without proper authorisation from the countries and from the people concerned without compensatory payment.
Most of the industrialised nations are rich financially but poor in biodiversity and traditional knowledge. In contrast, the developing and the underdeveloped world is rich in biodiversity and traditional knowledge related to bio-resources.
So, sometimes industrialised nations tend to exploit the resources or biodiversity of developing nations, for their own advantages.
Many proteins are secreted in their inactive form. This is also true to many toxic proteins produced by microorganisms. Explain how the mechanism is useful for the organism producing the toxin?
Many proteins including certain toxins are secreted in their inactive form. They get activated only when exposed to a specific trigger ( pH , temperature etc.). This mechanism is advantageous to the organism (e.g., bacteria) producing the toxins, as the bacteria does not get killed by the action of proteins present in the toxin.