Biotechnology Application

Question 1

The applications of biotechnology include
(7)

Answer 1

therapeutics
diagnostics
genetically modified crops for agriculture
processed food
bioremediation
waste treatment
energy production

Question 2

Three critical research areas of biotechnology are:

Answer 2

(i) Providing the best catalyst in the form of improved organism usually a microbe or pure enzyme.
(ii) Creating optimal conditions through engineering for a catalyst to act, and
(iii) Downstream processing technologies to purify the protein/organic compound.

Question 3

Statement 1: The Green Revolution succeeded in tripling the food supply but yet it was not enough to feed the growing human population
Statement 2:The Increased yields have partly been due to the use of improved crop varieties, but mainly due to the use of better management practices and use of agrochemicals (fertilisers and pesticides)

Answer 3

Both are correct

Question 4

Plants, bacteria, fungi and animals whose genes have been altered by manipulation are called

Answer 4

Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO)

Question 5

Genetic modification has:

Answer 5

(i) made crops more tolerant to abiotic stresses (cold, drought, salt, heat).
(ii) reduced reliance on chemical pesticides (pest-resistant crops).
(iii) helped to reduce post harvest losses.
(iv) increased efficiency of mineral usage by plants (this prevents early exhaustion of fertility of soil).
(v) enhanced nutritional value of food, e.g., golden rice, i.e., Vitamin ‘A’ enriched rice

Question 6

GM has been used to create tailor-made plants to supply alternative resources to industries, in the form of…./…/…….

Answer 6

starches, fuels and pharmaceuticals.

Question 7

Bt toxin gene has been cloned from the bacteria and been expressed in plants to provide resistance to insects without the need for insecticides; in effect created a………

Answer 7

bio-pesticide

Question 8

Examples are Bt plants are
(6)

Answer 8

Bt cotton
Bt corn
Bt rice
Bt tomato
Bt potato
Bt soyabean

Question 9

Name Lepidopterans

Answer 9

tobacco budworm
armyworm

Question 10

Name some Coleopterans

Answer 10

beetles

Question 11

Name Dipterans

Answer 11

flies
mosquitoes

Question 12

The inactive toxin is into an active form of toxin due to the……… pH of the gut

Answer 12

alkaline

Question 13

The activated toxin binds to the surface of………. epithelial cells and create pores that cause cell swelling and lysis and eventually cause death of the insect.

Answer 13

midgut

Question 14

The choice of Cry genes (Bt) depends upon the targeted pest only

Answer 14

False
The choice of genes depends upon the crop and the targeted pest

Question 15

Most Bt toxins are insect group specific

Answer 15

True

Question 16

Cry IAc and CryIIAb control

Answer 16

cotton bollworms

Question 17

CryIAb controls

Answer 17

corn borer

Question 18

A nematode…….. infects the roots of tobacco plants and causes a great reduction in yield

Answer 18

Meloidegyne incognitia

A novel strategy was adopted to prevent this infestation which was based on the process of RNA interference (RNAi)

Question 19

RNAi takes place in all………. organisms as a method of cellular defense

Answer 19

eukaryotic

Question 20

This method involves silencing of a specific mRNA due to a complementary……… molecule that binds to and prevents translation of the mRNA (silencing).

Answer 20

dsRNA

Question 21

The source of this complementary RNA could be

Answer 21

an infection by viruses having RNA genomes
mobile genetic elements (transposons) that replicate via an RNA intermediate.

Question 22

At present, about……. recombinant therapeutics have been approved for human-use the world over. In India…….. of these are presently being marketed.

Answer 22

30
12

Question 23

In mammals, including humans, insulin is synthesised as a……..

Answer 23

pro-hormone

Question 24

1983…………. an American company prepared two DNA sequences corresponding to A and B, chains of human insulin and introduced them in plasmids of E. coli to produce insulin chains

Answer 24

Eli Lilly

Question 25

Chains A and B were produced separately, extracted and combined by creating disulfide bonds to form human insulin

Answer 25

True

Question 26

………..is a collection of methods that allows correction of a gene defect that has been diagnosed in a child/embryo.

Answer 26

Gene therapy

Question 27

The first clinical gene therapy was given in 1990 to a 4-year old girl with…………

Answer 27

adenosine deaminase (ADA) deficiency

Question 28

The disorder is caused due to the deletion of the gene for adenosine deaminase.

Answer 28

True

Question 29

A functional ADA……… (using a………) is then introduced into these lymphocytes, which are subsequently returned to the patient

Answer 29

cDNA retroviral vector

Question 30

……../……./…….are some of the techniques that serve the purpose of early diagnosis

Answer 30

Recombinant DNA technology Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) Enzyme Linked Immuno-sorbent Assay (ELISA)

Question 31

PCR is now routinely used to detect….. in suspected…….. patients

Answer 31

HIV AIDS

Question 32

Assertion: The clone having the mutated gene will hence not appear on the photographic film

Answer 32

Reason: The probe will not have complementarity with the mutated gene

Question 33

Animals that have had their DNA manipulated to possess and express an extra (foreign) gene are known as……

Answer 33

transgenic animals

Question 34

Transgenic……./……./……./……./……./…….have been produced

Answer 34

rats, rabbits, pigs, sheep, cows and fish

Question 35

Over 95 per cent of all existing transgenic animals are

Answer 35

mice

Question 36

By introducing genes from other species that alter the formation of this factor and studying the biological effects that result, information is obtained about the biological role of the factor in the body. This is

Answer 36

Study of Normal physiology and development

Question 37

These are specially made to serve as models for human diseases so that investigation of new treatments for diseases is made possible.

Answer 37

Study of disease

Question 38

Today transgenic models exist for many human diseases such as (4)

Answer 38

cancer cystic fibrosis rheumatoid arthritis Alzheimer’s.

Question 39

Transgenic animals that produce useful biological products can be created by the introduction of the portion of DNA (or genes) which codes for a particular product

Answer 39

True

Question 40

Goat Tracey is transgenic animal for human protein………..used to treat emphysema

Answer 40

α-1-antitrypsin

Question 41

In 1997, the first transgenic cow, Rosie, produced human protein-enriched milk with content………. The milk contained the human……………… and was nutritionally a more balanced product for human babies than natural cow-milk.

Answer 41

2.4 grams per litre alpha-lactalbumin

Question 42

Transgenic mice are being used to test the safety of the

Answer 42

polio vaccine

Question 43

If successful and found to be reliable, they could replace the use of monkeys to test the safety of batches of the vaccine Who?

Answer 43

Transgenic mice

Question 44

Statement 1: Transgenic animals are made that carry genes which make them more sensitive to toxic substances than non-transgenic animals Statement 2: They are then exposed to the toxic substances and the effects studied. Toxicity testing in such animals will allow us to obtain results in less time.

Answer 44

Both are correct

Question 45

Indian Government has set up organisation…………which will make decisions regarding the validity of GM research and the safety of introducing GM-organisms for public services

Answer 45

GEAC (Genetic Engineering Approval Committee) Or appraisal committee

Question 46

There are an estimated……… varieties of rice in India alon

Answer 46

200,000

Question 47

Basmati rice is distinct for its unique aroma and flavour and……. documented varieties of Basmati are grown in India

Answer 47

27

Question 48

In 1997, an American company got patent rights on Basmati rice through the

Answer 48

US Patent and Trademark Office

Question 49

Assertion: This ‘new’ variety of Basmati had actually been derived from Indian farmer’s varieties. Reason: Indian Basmati was crossed with semi-dwarf varieties and claimed as an invention or a novelty.

Answer 49

Both are correct

Question 50

………………… is the term used to refer to the use of bio-resources by multinational companies and other organisations without proper authorisation from the countries and people concerned without compensatory payment

Answer 50

Biopiracy

Question 51

The Indian Parliament has recently cleared the………. amendment of the……………..that takes such issues into consideration, including patent terms emergency provisions and research and development initiative.

Answer 51

second Indian Patents Bill