Abstract:
Background: Application of molecular biology techniques and principles have become
more common in designing therapeutics.
Objectives: To identify the use of molecular biological techniques and principles in current
and emerging therapeutics and their challenges.
Methodology: This is a comprehensive literature critique from the last five years of
literature, searched through google scholar and PubMed search engines using keywords:
molecular biology, techniques, principles, therapeutics, recombinant DNA.
Results and conclusions: Today recombinant DNA and cell hybridoma technologies are
used to harvest mainstream protein drugs as therapeutics such as insulin. Also biofilm
formation in the body via commensals is also in practice as a method of therapy. Novel
aspect of these therapeutics are formation of biofilm or enhancement of an existing
nonpathogenic biofilm forming commensal using a drug carrying novel bacteria. Also
recombinant technology is used in many drug discovery studies and also in synthesis and
extraction of medicinal extracts in biotechnology. Proto- oncogenes become cancerous due
to genetic malfunctions such as mutation and deletion. Hence knocking out these genes
using inference techniques such as retro viruses, CRISPR, Zn finger proteins are used as
therapeutic methods in cancer treatments. Although, molecular biology assisted therapeutics
are feasible in principle they face many challenges in progressing to the future and in
becoming more accessible. As therapeutics or delivery systems, designing a bacterium with
desired qualities without compensating safety and efficiency is a must yet challenging. The
cost of some therapeutics is high due to limited technology available in production methods
and also due to necessary quality control and analysis throughout batch productions. Hence
design of better recombinant systems that includes desired post translational modifications is
a future outlook. Furthermore inference techniques used in cancer therapy cause limitations
such as complete and temporary knockdown of genes and these should be addressed. Hence
though promising, molecular biology assisted therapeutics pose some challenges yet to
overcome in future.
