🌸Chapter 10
Biotechnology: Biotechnology & Its Applications
(MCQs)
A. Introduction to Biotechnology
(Q1–10)
1.
Biotechnology
can be defined as:
a) Study of genes only
b) Manipulation of living organisms to develop products
c) Use of chemicals in labs
d) Study of fossils
Answer: b
Explanation: Biotechnology involves using living organisms or their
components to produce useful products.
2.
Red
biotechnology refers to:
a) Agriculture applications
b) Industrial applications
c) Medical and healthcare applications
d) Marine applications
Answer: c
Explanation: Red biotechnology deals with medical applications like
vaccines and gene therapy.
3.
Green
biotechnology is associated with:
a) Microbial fermentation
b) Agriculture
c) Industrial enzymes
d) Marine organisms
Answer: b
Explanation: Green biotechnology improves crop yield and pest
resistance.
4.
Blue
biotechnology focuses on:
a) Marine organisms
b) Plant tissue culture
c) Antibiotic production
d) Genetic engineering in humans
Answer: a
Explanation: Blue biotechnology deals with marine and aquatic
applications.
5.
White
biotechnology involves:
a) Industrial processes
b) Medicine
c) Agriculture
d) Cloning
Answer: a
Explanation: White biotechnology refers to industrial applications like
biofuels, enzymes.
6.
Which
of the following is not a branch of biotechnology?
a) Red
b) Green
c) Yellow
d) Blue
Answer: c
Explanation: Yellow biotechnology is not a standard branch.
7.
Which
microorganism is used in insulin production?
a) Saccharomyces cerevisiae
b) E. coli
c) Penicillium
d) Bacillus thuringiensis
Answer: b
Explanation: Recombinant E. coli produces human insulin.
8.
Which
is a fast-growing model organism used in biotechnology?
a) Humans
b) Bacteria
c) Plants
d) Fungi
Answer: b
Explanation: Bacteria grow rapidly and are easy to manipulate.
9.
Biotechnology
combines:
a) Chemistry + Physics
b) Biology + Technology
c) Botany + Zoology
d) Microbiology + Astrology
Answer: b
Explanation: Biotechnology is the application of technology to
biological systems.
10.
The
main aim of biotechnology is:
a) Study of fossils
b) Production of new species
c) Development of useful products and applications
d) Observation of microorganisms only
Answer: c
Explanation: Biotechnology aims to develop useful products for health,
industry, and agriculture.
B. Recombinant DNA Technology
(Q11–25)
11.
Recombinant
DNA is:
a) RNA + DNA
b) DNA from two sources
c) DNA from single organism
d) Artificial RNA
Answer: b
Explanation: Recombinant DNA combines DNA from two sources using
enzymes.
12.
Which
enzyme cuts DNA at specific sites?
a) DNA ligase
b) Restriction enzyme
c) RNA polymerase
d) Reverse transcriptase
Answer: b
Explanation: Restriction enzymes (endonucleases) cut DNA at specific
sequences.
13.
Which
enzyme joins DNA fragments?
a) DNA polymerase
b) DNA ligase
c) Helicase
d) RNA ligase
Answer: b
Explanation: DNA ligase seals DNA fragments to form recombinant DNA.
14.
Insulin
is produced using recombinant DNA in:
a) Yeast
b) E. coli
c) Bacillus
d) Penicillium
Answer: b
Explanation: Human insulin gene is inserted into E. coli for
production.
15.
The
vector in recombinant DNA technology is usually:
a) Plasmid
b) Ribosome
c) Enzyme
d) Protein
Answer: a
Explanation: Plasmids are circular DNA molecules used as vectors to
carry foreign genes.
16.
Gene
cloning is important to:
a) Destroy bacteria
b) Make multiple copies of a gene
c) Study fossils
d) Cure viruses
Answer: b
Explanation: Gene cloning amplifies specific genes for research or
therapy.
17.
Which
of the following is an application of recombinant DNA technology?
a) Antibiotics production
b) Insulin production
c) GM crops
d) All of the above
Answer: d
Explanation: Recombinant DNA is used in medicine, agriculture, and
industry.
18.
The
process of introducing recombinant DNA into a host cell is called:
a) Ligation
b) Transformation
c) Transcription
d) Translation
Answer: b
Explanation: Transformation introduces recombinant DNA into a host.
19.
Which
gene is inserted in Bt cotton?
a) Human insulin
b) Bacillus thuringiensis toxin
c) Alpha-amylase
d) Vitamin A gene
Answer: b
Explanation: Bt gene makes cotton resistant to bollworm pests.
20.
Golden
rice is genetically modified to produce:
a) Insulin
b) Vitamin A
c) Antibiotics
d) Bt toxin
Answer: b
Explanation: Golden rice contains genes for beta-carotene (Vitamin A
precursor).
21.
Which
is the first step in recombinant DNA technology?
a) Transformation
b) Gene isolation
c) Ligation
d) Expression
Answer: b
Explanation: Gene of interest is first isolated before inserting into a
vector.
22.
Which
of these is a vector in plants?
a) Plasmid
b) Agrobacterium tumefaciens
c) Virus
d) All of the above
Answer: d
Explanation: Agrobacterium and plant viruses can act as vectors.
23.
PCR
(Polymerase Chain Reaction) is used to:
a) Cut DNA
b) Amplify DNA
c) Ligate DNA
d) Sequence RNA
Answer: b
Explanation: PCR rapidly amplifies specific DNA fragments.
24.
Which
of the following is a restriction enzyme?
a) EcoRI
b) Taq polymerase
c) DNA ligase
d) Reverse transcriptase
Answer: a
Explanation: EcoRI is commonly used to cut DNA at specific sites.
25.
Screening
of recombinants is required to:
a) Identify transformed cells
b) Kill bacteria
c) Purify proteins
d) None of the above
Answer: a
Explanation: Screening identifies host cells that have successfully
incorporated the recombinant DNA.
C. Gene Therapy and Stem Cells
(Q26–40)
26.
Gene
therapy aims to:
a) Destroy defective genes
b) Insert normal genes into cells
c) Amplify bacteria
d) Clone humans
Answer: b
Explanation: Gene therapy treats genetic disorders by introducing
functional genes.
27.
Which
disease has been successfully treated with gene therapy?
a) SCID
b) Common cold
c) Diabetes type II
d) Malaria
Answer: a
Explanation: SCID has been treated using gene therapy.
28.
Stem
cells are:
a) Fully differentiated cells
b) Undifferentiated cells capable of differentiation
c) Only plant cells
d) Only bacterial cells
Answer: b
Explanation: Stem cells can develop into various specialized cells.
29.
Which
stem cells are used in bone marrow transplantation?
a) Embryonic
b) Hematopoietic
c) Mesenchymal
d) Induced pluripotent
Answer: b
Explanation: Hematopoietic stem cells regenerate blood cells.
30.
Pluripotent
stem cells can:
a) Form only one cell type
b) Form most cell types
c) Form all cell types including extraembryonic tissue
d) Cannot divide
Answer: b
Explanation: Pluripotent stem cells can differentiate into most but not
all cell types.
31.
Which
of the following is a source of stem cells?
a) Bone marrow
b) Umbilical cord
c) Embryos
d) All of the above
Answer: d
Explanation: Stem cells can be obtained from multiple sources.
32.
Stem
cells are important because they:
a) Cure infectious diseases
b) Repair damaged tissues
c) Produce antibiotics
d) Kill bacteria
Answer: b
Explanation: Stem cells help in regeneration of tissues/organs.
33.
Induced
pluripotent stem cells are:
a) Embryonic stem cells
b) Somatic cells reprogrammed to pluripotency
c) Plant cells
d) Bacterial spores
Answer: b
Explanation: Somatic cells are reprogrammed to behave like embryonic
stem cells.
34.
Gene
therapy involves:
a) Only bacteria
b) Viral vectors often used to deliver genes
c) Plant tissue culture
d) Fermentation
Answer: b
Explanation: Viruses are commonly used as vectors in gene therapy.
35.
Which
of the following is NOT an application of stem cells?
a) Leukemia treatment
b) Parkinson’s disease therapy
c) Biofuel production
d) Tissue regeneration
Answer: c
Explanation: Biofuel production uses microbes, not stem cells.
36.
Hematopoietic
stem cells are derived from:
a) Liver
b) Bone marrow
c) Brain
d) Skin
Answer: b
Explanation: They regenerate blood cells in bone marrow.
37.
Embryonic
stem cells are:
a) Totipotent
b) Pluripotent
c) Multipotent
d) Unipotent
Answer: b
Explanation: Embryonic stem cells can form almost all cell types.
38.
The
first cloned mammal was:
a) Sheep named Dolly
b) Cow named Bella
c) Mouse named Molly
d) Goat named Nanny
Answer: a
Explanation: Dolly the sheep was cloned from an adult somatic cell.
39.
Which
of the following is a limitation of gene therapy?
a) Ethical issues
b) Immune reactions
c) High cost
d) All of the above
Answer: d
Explanation: Gene therapy faces ethical, immunological, and economic
challenges.
40.
Stem
cells are important in biotechnology because they:
a) Produce antibiotics
b) Help in regenerative medicine
c) Act as enzymes
d) Kill bacteria
Answer: b
Explanation: They are used in tissue regeneration and treating genetic
disorders.
41.
Fermentation
technology involves:
a) Using microbes to produce products
b) Cloning humans
c) Tissue culture
d) Genetic screening
Answer: a
Explanation: Fermentation uses microbes to produce products like
alcohol, antibiotics, and enzymes.
42.
Single
Cell Protein (SCP) is:
a) Microbial biomass rich in protein
b) Human protein
c) Plant protein
d) Artificial chemical protein
Answer: a
Explanation: SCP refers to protein-rich microbial biomass used as food
or feed.
43.
Which
microorganism is used in alcohol production?
a) E. coli
b) Saccharomyces cerevisiae
c) Bacillus
d) Aspergillus
Answer: b
Explanation: Yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) ferments sugars to
produce ethanol.
44.
Which
microbe produces penicillin?
a) Penicillium
b) Bacillus thuringiensis
c) E. coli
d) Saccharomyces
Answer: a
Explanation: Penicillium fungus produces penicillin antibiotic.
45.
Microbes
used in dairy industry:
a) Lactobacillus and Streptococcus
b) E. coli
c) Penicillium
d) Bacillus
Answer: a
Explanation: These lactic acid bacteria ferment milk to produce yogurt
and cheese.
46.
Microbial
biotechnology is important for:
a) Environment
b) Industry
c) Medicine
d) All of the above
Answer: d
Explanation: Microbes are used in multiple sectors for products and
solutions.
47.
Bioremediation
uses microbes to:
a) Pollute soil
b) Degrade pollutants
c) Produce biofuels only
d) Clone plants
Answer: b
Explanation: Microbes break down environmental pollutants into harmless
substances.
48.
Which
microbe is used in biofertilizers?
a) Rhizobium
b) E. coli
c) Penicillium
d) Saccharomyces
Answer: a
Explanation: Rhizobium fixes atmospheric nitrogen, enriching soil
fertility.
49.
Alcohol
production is an example of:
a) Red biotechnology
b) Green biotechnology
c) White biotechnology
d) Blue biotechnology
Answer: c
Explanation: Industrial fermentation for alcohol is white biotechnology.
50.
SCP
can be used as:
a) Food for humans
b) Animal feed
c) Both a and b
d) Biofuel
Answer: c
Explanation: Microbial protein can supplement human and animal diets.
51.
Antibiotics
are produced by:
a) Only bacteria
b) Only fungi
c) Bacteria and fungi
d) Plants
Answer: c
Explanation: Both bacteria (e.g., Streptomyces) and fungi (e.g., Penicillium)
produce antibiotics.
52.
Which
enzyme is industrially produced by microbes?
a) Amylase
b) Lipase
c) Protease
d) All of the above
Answer: d
Explanation: Microbes produce various enzymes for industrial use.
53.
Industrial
fermentation occurs in:
a) Test tubes
b) Fermenters
c) Petri dishes
d) Soil only
Answer: b
Explanation: Fermenters are vessels for controlled microbial growth for
product synthesis.
54.
Which
microorganism is used for citric acid production?
a) Aspergillus niger
b) E. coli
c) Saccharomyces cerevisiae
d) Rhizobium
Answer: a
Explanation: Aspergillus niger produces citric acid industrially.
55.
Biogas
is produced from:
a) Plant biomass only
b) Microbial fermentation of waste
c) Chemical synthesis
d) Animal cloning
Answer: b
Explanation: Microbes digest organic waste anaerobically to produce
methane (biogas).
56.
Probiotics
are:
a) Pathogenic bacteria
b) Beneficial microbes for gut health
c) Viruses
d) Antibiotics
Answer: b
Explanation: Probiotics improve gut microflora and aid digestion.
57.
Which
microbe is used in vinegar production?
a) Acetobacter
b) E. coli
c) Saccharomyces
d) Rhizobium
Answer: a
Explanation: Acetobacter oxidizes ethanol to acetic acid
(vinegar).
58.
Yeast
is a:
a) Bacteria
b) Fungus
c) Virus
d) Protozoa
Answer: b
Explanation: Saccharomyces cerevisiae is a fungus used in
fermentation.
59.
Which
of the following is used in biofuel production?
a) Clostridium
b) Saccharomyces cerevisiae
c) E. coli
d) All of the above
Answer: d
Explanation: Various microbes ferment biomass to produce biofuels like
ethanol and butanol.
60.
Lactic
acid bacteria are used in:
a) Cheese and yogurt production
b) Biofuel
c) Antibiotics only
d) Soil bioremediation
Answer: a
Explanation: Lactic acid bacteria ferment lactose to produce dairy
products.
E. Plant Biotechnology (Q61–75)
61.
Plant
tissue culture involves:
a) Growing plant cells in nutrient media under sterile conditions
b) Cloning animals
c) Fermentation
d) Producing antibiotics
Answer: a
Explanation: Plant tissue culture allows propagation of disease-free
plants.
62.
Explant
in tissue culture is:
a) Nutrient medium
b) Small piece of plant tissue used to initiate culture
c) Sterile container
d) Microbial inoculum
Answer: b
Explanation: Explants are used to regenerate plants in vitro.
63.
Callus
is:
a) Undifferentiated mass of plant cells
b) Fully developed plant
c) Microbe
d) DNA fragment
Answer: a
Explanation: Callus forms from explants before differentiation.
64.
Steps
of plant tissue culture:
a) Explant → Callus → Regeneration → Hardening → Field planting
b) DNA isolation → Ligation → Transformation
c) Fermentation → Antibiotics
d) Cloning → Gene therapy
Answer: a
Explanation: Correct tissue culture process sequence.
65.
Bt
cotton is resistant to:
a) Fungal infections
b) Insects (bollworm)
c) Herbicides
d) Viral infections
Answer: b
Explanation: Bt gene produces toxin that kills bollworms.
66.
Golden
rice contains:
a) Bt gene
b) Beta-carotene gene
c) Insulin gene
d) Amylase gene
Answer: b
Explanation: Golden rice is enriched with Vitamin A precursor
(beta-carotene).
67.
Plant
tissue culture helps in:
a) Cloning disease-free plants
b) Large-scale plant propagation
c) Producing GM plants
d) All of the above
Answer: d
Explanation: Tissue culture is used for propagation, genetic
modification, and research.
68.
Micropropagation
is:
a) Mass production of plants via tissue culture
b) Microbe fermentation
c) Gene therapy
d) Antibiotic production
Answer: a
Explanation: Micropropagation allows rapid multiplication of plants.
69.
Somatic
hybridization is:
a) Fusion of somatic cells from different plants
b) Fusion of gametes
c) Microbial fermentation
d) Cloning animals
Answer: a
Explanation: Hybrid plants are produced by fusing somatic cells from
different species.
70.
Which
hormone is used in tissue culture to induce shoot formation?
a) Auxin
b) Cytokinin
c) Gibberellin
d) Ethylene
Answer: b
Explanation: Cytokinins promote shoot differentiation in plant tissue
culture.
71.
Auxins
in tissue culture promote:
a) Root formation
b) Shoot formation
c) Callus disintegration
d) Flowering
Answer: a
Explanation: Auxins promote root initiation from callus.
72.
Hardening
in plant tissue culture refers to:
a) Acclimatization of tissue-cultured plants to field conditions
b) DNA ligation
c) Microbial fermentation
d) Antibiotic synthesis
Answer: a
Explanation: Tissue-cultured plants are gradually adapted to normal
conditions.
73.
Agrobacterium
tumefaciens is used as a:
a) Microbial fertilizer
b) Vector for plant genetic engineering
c) Antibiotic producer
d) Biofuel producer
Answer: b
Explanation: Agrobacterium transfers desired genes into plant cells.
74.
Somaclones
are:
a) Plants derived from tissue culture
b) Microbes producing antibiotics
c) Cloned animals
d) Synthetic DNA molecules
Answer: a
Explanation: Somaclones are genetically identical plants produced by
tissue culture.
75.
Callus
can be induced to form:
a) Whole plants
b) Microbes
c) Antibiotics
d) None
Answer: a
Explanation: Callus differentiation leads to the formation of shoots and
roots.
F. Animal Biotechnology (Q76–85)
76.
Transgenic
animals are:
a) Animals with foreign genes inserted
b) Animals cloned naturally
c) Only microbes
d) Plants
Answer: a
Explanation: Transgenic animals carry genes from another species to
produce desired proteins or traits.
77.
Which
protein is produced in transgenic animals?
a) Human insulin
b) Human growth hormone
c) Clotting factors
d) All of the above
Answer: d
Explanation: Transgenic animals are used to produce medically important
proteins.
78.
Dolly
the sheep was:
a) First cloned mammal from adult somatic cell
b) First GM plant
c) First transgenic cow
d) First recombinant bacterium
Answer: a
Explanation: Dolly was cloned from a differentiated adult mammary cell
using nuclear transfer.
79.
Cloning
refers to:
a) Producing genetically identical copies
b) Producing microbes
c) DNA sequencing
d) Fermentation
Answer: a
Explanation: Cloning produces exact genetic copies of an organism.
80.
Which
method was used to clone Dolly?
a) Somatic cell nuclear transfer
b) Tissue culture
c) Recombinant DNA technology
d) PCR
Answer: a
Explanation: Dolly was cloned by transferring the nucleus of an adult
cell into an enucleated egg cell.
81.
Animal
biotechnology applications include:
a) Producing vaccines
b) Producing hormones
c) Disease-resistant animals
d) All of the above
Answer: d
Explanation: Animal biotech is used in medicine, research, and agriculture.
82.
Transgenic
mice are used in:
a) Drug testing
b) Disease models
c) Cancer research
d) All of the above
Answer: d
Explanation: Transgenic mice model human diseases and are used in
research.
83.
Gene
knockout animals are:
a) Animals with a specific gene disabled
b) Animals with foreign genes inserted
c) Plants
d) Microbes
Answer: a
Explanation: Gene knockout helps study gene function by removing a
target gene.
84.
Biopharming
refers to:
a) Producing pharmaceuticals in transgenic animals
b) Fermentation
c) Plant tissue culture
d) Gene therapy
Answer: a
Explanation: Biopharming uses genetically modified animals to produce
therapeutic proteins.
85.
Which
of the following is a concern in animal biotechnology?
a) Ethical issues
b) Immune rejection
c) High cost
d) All of the above
Answer: d
Explanation: Ethical, immunological, and financial challenges exist in
animal biotech.
G. Industrial Applications (Q86–95)
86.
Which
industry uses microbes for enzyme production?
a) Textile
b) Food
c) Pharmaceutical
d) All of the above
Answer: d
Explanation: Microbial enzymes are applied across various industries.
87.
Biogas
is mainly composed of:
a) Methane
b) Oxygen
c) Nitrogen
d) Carbon dioxide only
Answer: a
Explanation: Methane is the primary component of biogas produced by
anaerobic digestion.
88.
Vinegar
is produced by:
a) Saccharomyces
b) Acetobacter
c) Penicillium
d) Rhizobium
Answer: b
Explanation: Acetobacter converts ethanol to acetic acid.
89.
Which
of the following is an example of white biotechnology?
a) Antibiotic production
b) Fermentation for biofuel
c) Tissue culture
d) Gene therapy
Answer: b
Explanation: Industrial fermentation is white biotechnology.
90.
Probiotics
improve:
a) Soil fertility
b) Gut microflora
c) Enzyme production
d) Fermentation yield
Answer: b
Explanation: Beneficial microbes in probiotics enhance digestive health.
91.
Which
of the following is produced by microbial fermentation?
a) Alcohol
b) Citric acid
c) Lactic acid
d) All of the above
Answer: d
Explanation: Fermentation by microbes produces multiple industrially
valuable compounds.
92.
Biofertilizers
contain:
a) Microbes that fix nitrogen or solubilize phosphates
b) Chemical nutrients
c) Enzymes
d) None
Answer: a
Explanation: Biofertilizers improve soil fertility biologically.
93.
Which
microbe is used in acetone-butanol fermentation?
a) Clostridium acetobutylicum
b) E. coli
c) Saccharomyces
d) Aspergillus
Answer: a
Explanation: Clostridium produces acetone and butanol
industrially.
94.
Industrial
application of Aspergillus niger is for:
a) Citric acid production
b) Alcohol production
c) SCP production
d) Antibiotics
Answer: a
Explanation: Aspergillus niger is widely used to produce citric
acid.
95.
Microbial
leaching is used in:
a) Mining and metal extraction
b) Antibiotic production
c) Plant tissue culture
d) Biofuel
Answer: a
Explanation: Microbes help extract metals from ores (bioleaching).
H. Bioethics & Safety (Q96–100)
96.
Biosafety
Level (BSL) 4 is for:
a) Non-pathogenic microbes
b) High-risk, lethal pathogens
c) Food microbes
d) Plant tissue culture
Answer: b
Explanation: BSL-4 labs handle highly dangerous pathogens like Ebola.
97.
Ethical
concerns in biotechnology include:
a) Cloning
b) GM organisms
c) Gene therapy
d) All of the above
Answer: d
Explanation: Ethical issues arise due to manipulation of life forms.
98.
GM
crops may raise concerns about:
a) Environmental imbalance
b) Allergies
c) Resistance in pests
d) All of the above
Answer: d
Explanation: GM crops may affect ecosystems and human health.
99.
Biosafety
measures prevent:
a) Uncontrolled release of GM organisms
b) Pollution
c) Cloning
d) Antibiotic production
Answer: a
Explanation: Biosafety ensures GMOs and pathogens are handled safely.
100.
The
primary purpose of bioethics in biotechnology is:
a) Ensure safe and responsible use of technology
b) Produce more microbes
c) Improve industrial fermentation
d) Clone animals
Answer: a
Explanation: Bioethics focuses on moral and safe use of biotechnology.
✅ Summary:
- MCQs 1–10: Introduction
- 11–25: Recombinant DNA
- 26–40: Gene Therapy & Stem Cells
- 41–60: Microbial Biotechnology
- 61–75: Plant Biotechnology
- 76–85: Animal Biotechnology
- 86–95: Industrial Applications
- 96–100: Bioethics & Safety
