Preface

Chapter 7 **The Use of Lactic Acid Bacteria in the Fermentation of Fruits and Vegetables — Technological and Functional**

Juodeikiene and Daiva Vidmantiene

Chapter 8 **Growing Uses of 2A in Plant Biotechnology 165**

Chapter 9 **Synthetic Biology and Intellectual Property Rights 195**

Dalia Urbonaviciene, Pranas Viskelis, Elena Bartkiene, Grazina

Garry A. Luke, Claire Roulston, Jens Tilsner and Martin D. Ryan

**Properties 135**

**VI** Contents

Rajendra K. Bera

Biotechnology is a discipline at the intersection of biology, chemistry, pharmacology and various other biological specialties, where they are involved with use of living systems and organisms to develop or make useful products. It often overlaps with the related fields of bioengineering and biomedical engineering depending on the tools and applications.

Biotechnology uses technological applications that utilize biological systems, living organ‐ isms or derivatives to make or modify products or processes for specific use. For many years biotechnology has been used by humans in agriculture, food production and medicine. In the late 20th and early 21st century, biotechnology has expanded to include new and diverse sciences such as genomics, recombinant gene technologies, applied immunology, and devel‐ opment of pharmaceutical therapies and diagnostic tests.

This book titled *"Biotechnology"* contains a selection of chapters focused on the research area of molecular biology, molecular aspects of biotechnology, synthetic biology and agricultural applications in relevant approaches. The book provides an overview on basic issues and some of the recent developments in biotechnological studies. Particular emphasis is devoted to both theoretical and experimental aspects of modern biotechnology. The primary target audience for the book includes students, researchers, biologists, chemists, chemical engi‐ neers and professionals who are interested in associated areas.

The book is written by international scientists with expertise in chemistry, protein biochem‐ istry, enzymology, molecular biology and genetics, many of which are active in biochemical and biomedical research. I would like to acknowledge the authors for their contributions. We hope that the book will enhance the knowledge of scientists in the complexities of some medicinal approaches; it will stimulate both professionals and students to dedicate part of their future research in understanding relevant mechanisms and applications.

> **Dr. Deniz Ekinci** Associate Professor of Biochemistry Ondokuz Mayıs University, Turkey
