Final answer:
Industries that rely on biomolecules include healthcare, with the creation of drugs and vaccines, agriculture, through the enhancement of crop quality and disease resistance, energy, in the production of biofuels and environmental cleanup, and technology, especially in the field of bioinformatics. Biodiversity serves as a source of valuable biological resources, with ongoing discussions about ethical use and profit sharing. The correct option is c. Healthcare
Step-by-step explanation:
Several industries rely on biomolecules for their profitability and business operations. These industries include:
- Healthcare: Biotechnology is used to create drugs, such as antibiotics and vaccines, which are fundamental for treating diseases. Knowledge of genetics and the ability to manipulate genes provide methods to treat heritable diseases as well.
- Agriculture: Biotechnology enhances resistance to disease, pests, and environmental stress, thereby improving crop yield and quality. It also makes production cheaper and more manageable through the development of crops engineered to tolerate certain herbicides or resist pests.
- Energy: In the energy sector, biotechnology contributes to the production of biofuels, like ethanol, and the development of enzymes that convert biomass to biofuel. This makes fuel production more efficient and can also assist in environmental cleanup efforts, such as oil spill remediation.
- Technology: The field of bioinformatics is an intersection of biotechnology and information technology. Bioinformatics plays a critical role in sequencing genomes and analyzing the data, which is essential for advancing medical research and biotechnological applications.
The biodiversity present in our natural environments harbors potentially valuable biological resources for these industries. Ethical considerations regarding the sharing of profits or royalties from the use of these resources continue to be an important discussion point. The correct option is c. Healthcare