week 27

Question 1

what is the Bt (bacillus thuringiensis) toxin

Answer 1

Gram-negative bacteria which produce crystalline proteins called BT toxins. it naturally produces proteins toxic to insects but is safe for plants, humans and most animals.

Question 2

how can the Bt toxin be inserted into plants

Answer 2

using agrobacterium or biolistics (shooting DNA into target cell).

Question 3

what is biolistics

Answer 3

shooting DNA into target cell

Question 4

how are bt toxin transgenic plants not toxic to beneficial insects

Answer 4

high specificity of bt toxin

Question 5

give some examples of functions plants use biological clocks for

Answer 5

• move leaves up during day and down at night
• stomata opening and closing
• flowers open and close to protect reproductive organs

Question 6

most circadian clocks are transcription-translation feedback loops. true or false

Answer 6

true

Question 7

what is bioluminescence imaging

Answer 7

common method for studying circadian rhythms. luciferase gene is inserted into target cells.

Question 8

what is the circadian oscillator

Answer 8

a complex feedback loop primarily based on rhythms of gene expression. generated a rhythm with a 24hr period within the cell.