🌸Chapter 10
Biotechnology: Biotechnology & Its Applications
(4 Marks)
A. Introduction to Biotechnology
(Q1–10)
1.
Explain
biotechnology and its types.
Answer: Biotechnology is the use of living organisms or their products
to develop useful products, processes, or technologies. Types:
- Red: Medical applications
(vaccines, gene therapy)
- Green: Agriculture (GM crops,
biofertilizers)
- White: Industrial (biofuels, enzymes)
- Blue: Marine and aquatic
applications.
2.
Differentiate
between conventional breeding and biotechnological approaches in agriculture.
Answer:
- Conventional breeding is slow
and depends on natural variation; it may transfer unwanted traits.
- Biotechnology is precise,
faster, allows transfer of specific genes across species (e.g., Bt gene
into cotton).
3.
Give
two applications of biotechnology in medicine and explain.
Answer:
- Production of insulin: Human insulin produced in E.
coli.
- Gene therapy: Introduction of functional
genes to treat genetic disorders like SCID.
4.
Explain
the importance of microbes in biotechnology.
Answer: Microbes grow fast, are easy to manipulate, can produce enzymes,
antibiotics, biofuels, and are used in environmental management like
bioremediation.
5.
Describe
an example of white biotechnology in industry.
Answer: Industrial fermentation of sugar by Saccharomyces cerevisiae
to produce ethanol, used as biofuel or in beverages.
6.
Explain
the role of blue biotechnology.
Answer: Uses marine organisms for pharmaceutical compounds, enzymes, and
bioactive molecules. Example: Seaweed-derived agar or bioactive drugs.
7.
Differentiate
between red and green biotechnology.
Answer:
- Red: Human health and medicine
(vaccines, diagnostics).
- Green: Agriculture (GM crops,
pest resistance, biofertilizers).
8.
Give
an example of microbial biotechnology in environment.
Answer: Bioremediation of oil spills by Pseudomonas species.
9.
Explain
the concept of GMOs.
Answer: GMOs are organisms with genes artificially inserted from another
species to express desired traits. Example: Bt cotton resists pests.
10.
Describe
the scope of biotechnology in agriculture, medicine, and industry.
Answer:
- Agriculture: GM crops,
biofertilizers
- Medicine: Gene therapy,
recombinant proteins
- Industry: Enzymes, biofuels,
bioplastics
B. Recombinant DNA Technology
(Q11–20)
11.
Explain
recombinant DNA technology with a diagrammatic flow.
Answer:
Steps:
12.
Isolation
of gene of interest
13.
Insertion
into vector (plasmid) using restriction enzyme and DNA ligase
14.
Introduction
into host cell (transformation)
15.
Screening
for recombinant host
16.
Expression
of gene for product
(Diagram can show gene → vector → host → product)
17.
Explain
the role of restriction enzymes and DNA ligase.
Answer:
- Restriction enzymes cut DNA at
specific sequences.
- DNA ligase joins DNA fragments
to form recombinant DNA.
13.
Explain
the use of plasmids as vectors.
Answer: Plasmids are circular DNA molecules in bacteria that replicate
independently. They carry foreign genes into host cells and allow expression of
desired proteins.
14.
Describe
the production of human insulin using recombinant DNA technology.
Answer: Human insulin gene is inserted into E. coli plasmid
vector → transformed into bacteria → bacteria express insulin → insulin
purified for medical use.
15.
Explain
the use of Agrobacterium tumefaciens in plant genetic engineering.
Answer: Agrobacterium naturally transfers its T-DNA into plant cells.
Scientists replace tumor-causing genes with desired genes, which integrate into
the plant genome.
16.
Describe
PCR and its applications.
Answer: PCR amplifies specific DNA sequences using DNA polymerase.
Applications: cloning, genetic diagnosis, forensic identification.
17.
Explain
the difference between transformation, transduction, and conjugation.
Answer:
- Transformation: Uptake of free DNA from the
environment.
- Transduction: Gene transfer via
bacteriophages.
- Conjugation: Gene transfer between bacteria
via pili.
18.
What
is gene cloning? Explain its significance.
Answer: Gene cloning produces multiple copies of a specific gene.
Significance: Produces recombinant proteins, studies gene function, develops
GMOs.
19.
Explain
screening and selection in recombinant DNA technology.
Answer: Screening identifies cells with recombinant DNA using selectable
markers; selection ensures only transformed cells grow.
20.
Describe
an application of GM plants.
Answer: Bt cotton contains Bacillus thuringiensis gene, producing
insecticidal proteins that protect plants from bollworms.
C. Gene Therapy & Stem Cells
(Q21–30)
21.
Explain
gene therapy with one example.
Answer: Gene therapy introduces a functional gene into a patient’s cells
to treat a disorder. Example: SCID treated using retroviral vectors carrying
the functional gene.
22.
Describe
stem cells and their potential in medicine.
Answer: Stem cells can self-renew and differentiate into specialized
cells. Applications: Regeneration of tissues, treatment of genetic disorders,
and organ repair.
23.
Differentiate
embryonic stem cells and adult stem cells with examples.
Answer:
- Embryonic: Pluripotent, e.g.,
from blastocyst, can form most cell types.
- Adult: Multipotent, e.g.,
hematopoietic stem cells, limited differentiation.
24.
Explain
the significance of induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs).
Answer: iPSCs are reprogrammed somatic cells that behave like embryonic
stem cells. Significance: Overcomes ethical issues, used in regenerative
medicine.
25.
Describe
somatic cell nuclear transfer.
Answer: Nucleus from an adult somatic cell is transferred to an
enucleated egg to produce a clone. Example: Dolly the sheep.
26.
Give
one application of transgenic animals.
Answer: Transgenic animals produce therapeutic proteins like insulin or
clotting factors in milk.
27.
Explain
ethical concerns in gene therapy and stem cell research.
Answer: Potential misuse in germline modification, risk of cancer,
issues with consent, and moral objections to embryo use.
28.
Differentiate
totipotent, pluripotent, and multipotent stem cells.
Answer:
- Totipotent: Forms all cells +
extraembryonic tissues.
- Pluripotent: Forms almost all
body cells.
- Multipotent: Forms limited cell
types (e.g., blood cells).
29.
Explain
the term “somaclones” in plant biotechnology.
Answer: Somaclones are genetically identical plants produced through
tissue culture techniques.
30.
Give
two examples of therapeutic proteins produced using biotechnology.
Answer: Human insulin and human growth hormone.
D. Microbial Biotechnology (Q31–40)
31.
Explain
fermentation and its industrial applications.
Answer: Fermentation is microbial conversion of substrates into valuable
products. Applications: Alcohol, citric acid, antibiotics, enzymes.
32.
Describe
single-cell protein and its uses.
Answer: Protein-rich microbial biomass used as food or feed, e.g., Spirulina
or yeast biomass.
33.
Give
two examples of lactic acid bacteria and their applications.
Answer: Lactobacillus and Streptococcus – used in yogurt
and cheese production.
34.
Explain
microbial bioremediation with one example.
Answer: Use of microbes to degrade pollutants. Example: Pseudomonas
degrading oil spills.
35.
Name
two industrial products obtained using microbes.
Answer: Citric acid (Aspergillus niger) and antibiotics
(penicillin from Penicillium).
36.
Explain
the role of probiotics.
Answer: Probiotics are beneficial microbes improving gut health, aiding
digestion, and preventing pathogenic infections.
37.
Explain
microbial leaching with an example.
Answer: Microbes extract metals from ores. Example: Thiobacillus
ferrooxidans used for copper extraction.
38.
Describe
biogas production.
Answer: Biogas is methane-rich gas produced by anaerobic digestion of
organic waste by microbes, used as fuel.
39.
Explain
the use of microbes in biofertilizers.
Answer: Rhizobium fixes atmospheric nitrogen; Azospirillum
promotes plant growth by nitrogen fixation.
40.
Give
two examples of microbial enzymes and their uses.
Answer:
- Amylase: Starch hydrolysis in
food industry
- Protease: Protein hydrolysis in
detergents
E. Plant Biotechnology (Q41–50)
41.
Explain
plant tissue culture and its applications.
Answer: Plant tissue culture grows plant cells in sterile nutrient
media. Applications: Mass propagation, disease-free plants, conservation of
endangered species.
42.
Explain
micropropagation.
Answer: Rapid multiplication of plants using tissue culture to produce
large numbers of genetically identical plants.
43.
What
is a callus? Explain its use.
Answer: Callus is an undifferentiated plant cell mass. It can
differentiate into whole plants under proper hormone treatment.
44.
Describe
the role of auxins in tissue culture.
Answer: Auxins promote root initiation from callus or shoots in plant
tissue culture.
45.
Describe
the role of cytokinins in tissue culture.
Answer: Cytokinins promote shoot formation and cell division in tissue
culture.
46.
Explain
hardening of tissue-cultured plants.
Answer: Gradual acclimatization of tissue-cultured plants to natural
environmental conditions before field planting.
47.
Give
an example of a GM crop and its trait.
Answer: Bt cotton – contains Bt gene, resistant to bollworms.
48.
What
is Golden Rice? Explain its significance.
Answer: Rice genetically modified to produce beta-carotene, addressing
Vitamin A deficiency.
49.
Explain
somatic hybridization in plants.
Answer: Fusion of somatic cells from different plants to produce hybrid
plants with desired traits.
50.
Describe
the role of Agrobacterium tumefaciens in plant genetic engineering.
Answer: Transfers foreign genes into plant genomes via T-DNA insertion,
facilitating development of GM plants.
