🌸Chapter 10
Biotechnology: Biotechnology & Its Applications
(3 Marks)
A. Introduction to Biotechnology
(Q1–10)
1.
Explain
biotechnology and its scope.
Answer: Biotechnology is the use of living organisms, cells, or their
components to develop useful products or processes. Its scope includes
medicine, agriculture, industry, and environmental management.
2.
Distinguish
between red, green, white, and blue biotechnology.
Answer:
- Red: Medical applications (e.g.,
vaccines, gene therapy).
- Green: Agriculture (e.g., GM crops,
biofertilizers).
- White: Industrial (e.g., biofuels,
enzymes).
- Blue: Marine and aquatic
applications.
3.
Why
are microorganisms preferred in biotechnology?
Answer: Microorganisms are preferred because they grow rapidly, are easy
to manipulate genetically, can be cultured in large quantities, and produce
useful metabolites.
4.
Give
two examples of microbial products used in industry.
Answer:
- Alcohol (by Saccharomyces
cerevisiae)
- Citric acid (by Aspergillus
niger)
5.
List
any two applications of biotechnology in agriculture.
Answer:
- Development of pest-resistant
crops (e.g., Bt cotton)
- Use of biofertilizers like Rhizobium
for nitrogen fixation
6.
Define
genetically modified organism (GMO).
Answer: GMO is an organism whose genetic material has been altered using
recombinant DNA techniques to express desired traits.
7.
Give
one example each of red, green, white, and blue biotechnology.
Answer:
- Red: Insulin production in E.
coli
- Green: Bt cotton
- White: Biofuel production
- Blue: Marine drug discovery
8.
What
is the importance of biotechnology in medicine?
Answer: Biotechnology helps in producing therapeutic proteins, vaccines,
gene therapy for genetic disorders, and diagnostic tools.
9.
Give
one example of a microbial application in environmental management.
Answer: Bioremediation using microbes to clean oil spills or degrade
pesticides.
10.
Mention
two industrial enzymes produced by microbes.
Answer: Amylase (starch breakdown) and protease (protein hydrolysis).
B. Recombinant DNA Technology
(Q11–20)
11.
Explain
recombinant DNA technology in brief.
Answer: Recombinant DNA technology involves isolating a gene of
interest, inserting it into a vector, and introducing it into a host cell to
express the desired product.
12.
Name
two restriction enzymes and their use.
Answer:
- EcoRI and BamHI – they cut
DNA at specific sequences to help insert genes into vectors.
13.
Describe
the role of DNA ligase in recombinant DNA technology.
Answer: DNA ligase joins DNA fragments by forming phosphodiester bonds,
creating a continuous recombinant DNA molecule.
14.
What
is a vector? Give one example.
Answer: A vector is a DNA molecule used to carry foreign genes into host
cells. Example: Plasmid.
15.
Explain
the role of plasmids in gene cloning.
Answer: Plasmids serve as vectors to carry foreign genes into bacteria,
replicate independently, and allow for expression of the inserted gene.
16.
Mention
two medical products produced by recombinant DNA technology.
Answer:
- Human insulin
- Human growth hormone
17.
What
is the importance of screening in recombinant DNA technology?
Answer: Screening identifies host cells that have successfully
incorporated the recombinant DNA to ensure production of the desired product.
18.
Give
one example each of a GM plant and a GM animal.
Answer:
- Plant: Bt cotton
- Animal: Transgenic mice
producing human proteins
19.
Describe
the role of Agrobacterium tumefaciens in plant genetic engineering.
Answer: It acts as a natural vector to transfer genes into plant cells
by integrating T-DNA from its plasmid into the plant genome.
20.
What
is PCR, and why is it important?
Answer: PCR (Polymerase Chain Reaction) is a technique to amplify a
specific DNA segment rapidly. It is important for cloning, diagnosis, and
forensic applications.
C. Gene Therapy & Stem Cells
(Q21–30)
21.
Define
gene therapy and give one example.
Answer: Gene therapy is the introduction of a functional gene into a
patient’s cells to treat a genetic disorder. Example: SCID treatment using
retroviral vectors.
22.
What
are stem cells? Explain their importance.
Answer: Stem cells are undifferentiated cells that can self-renew and
differentiate into specialized cells. They are important for regenerative
medicine and tissue repair.
23.
Differentiate
between embryonic and adult stem cells.
Answer:
- Embryonic: Pluripotent, can form almost
all cell types.
- Adult: Multipotent, limited
differentiation, e.g., hematopoietic stem cells.
24.
What
are induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs)?
Answer: Somatic cells reprogrammed to behave like embryonic stem cells,
capable of differentiating into various cell types.
25.
Explain
hematopoietic stem cells and their application.
Answer: Hematopoietic stem cells in bone marrow generate blood cells.
Used in treating leukemia and blood disorders.
26.
Define
transgenic animal. Give one application.
Answer: Transgenic animals carry foreign genes. Application: Production
of therapeutic proteins like clotting factors in milk.
27.
What
is somatic cell nuclear transfer?
Answer: Cloning technique where the nucleus of a somatic cell is
transferred into an enucleated egg cell to produce a genetically identical
organism. Example: Dolly the sheep.
28.
Mention
one ethical concern associated with gene therapy.
Answer: Potential misuse in germline modifications, leading to heritable
changes.
29.
Give
two applications of stem cells in medicine.
Answer:
- Regeneration of damaged tissues
or organs
- Treatment of genetic disorders
30.
Differentiate
between totipotent, pluripotent, and multipotent stem cells.
Answer:
- Totipotent: Can form all cell types,
including extraembryonic tissues.
- Pluripotent: Can form almost all cell
types.
- Multipotent: Can form a limited range of
cells.
D. Microbial Biotechnology (Q31–40)
31.
What
is fermentation? Give one application.
Answer: Fermentation is the microbial conversion of substrates into
useful products. Example: Alcohol production by Saccharomyces cerevisiae.
32.
Explain
single-cell protein (SCP).
Answer: SCP is protein-rich microbial biomass used as food or animal
feed to supplement nutrition.
33.
Name
two lactic acid bacteria and their applications.
Answer: Lactobacillus and Streptococcus – used in yogurt
and cheese production.
34.
What
is bioremediation? Give one example.
Answer: Use of microbes to degrade environmental pollutants. Example: Pseudomonas
degrading oil spills.
35.
Name
one microbe used in citric acid production.
Answer: Aspergillus niger.
36.
What
are probiotics? Give one application.
Answer: Beneficial microbes improving gut health. Example: Yogurt with Lactobacillus.
37.
Give
two industrial enzymes produced by microbes.
Answer: Amylase (starch breakdown), protease (protein hydrolysis).
38.
What
is biogas, and how is it produced?
Answer: Biogas is a mixture of methane and CO₂ produced by anaerobic
digestion of organic waste by microbes.
39.
Explain
microbial leaching.
Answer: Using microbes to extract metals from ores. Example: Thiobacillus
used for copper extraction.
40.
Give
one application of microbial biotechnology in agriculture.
Answer: Biofertilizers using Rhizobium to fix atmospheric
nitrogen.
E. Plant Biotechnology (Q41–50)
41.
What
is plant tissue culture? Explain with one application.
Answer: Growing plant cells or tissues in artificial nutrient media
under sterile conditions. Application: Mass propagation of disease-free plants.
42.
Explain
micropropagation.
Answer: Rapid mass multiplication of plants using tissue culture to
produce large numbers of genetically identical plants.
43.
What
is a callus, and how is it used?
Answer: An undifferentiated mass of plant cells; it is used for
regeneration of whole plants in tissue culture.
44.
What
is the role of auxins in tissue culture?
Answer: Auxins promote root formation from callus or shoots.
45.
What
is the role of cytokinins in tissue culture?
Answer: Cytokinins promote shoot formation and cell division in tissue
culture.
46.
Define
somaclones.
Answer: Genetically identical plants obtained through tissue culture.
47.
What
is Golden Rice, and what is its significance?
Answer: Rice genetically modified to produce beta-carotene, addressing
Vitamin A deficiency.
48.
Explain
the role of Agrobacterium tumefaciens in plant genetic engineering.
Answer: It transfers desired genes into plant genomes via T-DNA
insertion.
49.
Why
is hardening necessary in plant tissue culture?
Answer: To acclimatize tissue-cultured plants to natural environmental
conditions before field planting.
50.
Give
one example of a GM plant and its trait.
Answer: Bt cotton – contains Bacillus thuringiensis gene for
insect resistance.
