Practice Questions

Formulate a plan to produce human insulin using E. coli. Address the main challenge of assembling the A and B chains into a mature, functional hormone.

Define totipotency.

A company develops a new vaccine. Apply the principles of biotechnology to explain why transgenic mice would be used for safety testing before human trials.

A plant is heavily infected with a virus. Apply the principle of tissue culture to demonstrate how a healthy, virus-free plant can be recovered from it.

Recall the full form of GEAC.

Name the bacterium that produces Bt toxin.

Justify why the Bt toxin, which exists as an inactive protoxin, is a safe bio-pesticide for the plant and for humans who consume the plant.

Apply your knowledge of Bt toxin activation. Why would the Bt toxin be ineffective if an insect's gut had an acidic pH instead of an alkaline pH?

Create a hypothetical name for a gene that could be introduced into a crop to enhance its tolerance to high salinity, following the cry gene naming convention.

Name the first transgenic cow and the human protein it produced in its milk.

Justify why lymphocytes are chosen as the target cells for the initial attempts at gene therapy for ADA deficiency, even though this method is not a permanent cure.

Analyze the role of transgenic animals in studying human diseases. Demonstrate how a transgenic mouse model for Alzheimer's disease could help researchers investigate new treatments.

Examine the ethical and economic issues surrounding the patenting of Basmati rice by a US company. Analyze the concept of 'biopiracy' in this context and discuss the role of organizations like GEAC in preventing such incidents.

Compare the use of PCR and ELISA for the early diagnosis of a viral infection like HIV. Analyze which technique detects the pathogen's genetic material versus the body's immune response.

Analyze the statement: 'The first transgenic cow, Rosie, produced milk that was nutritionally a more balanced product for human babies than natural cow-milk.' Explain the specific genetic modification and the biological product involved that justifies this claim.

Contrast the properties of insulin isolated from slaughtered cattle and pigs with genetically engineered human insulin ('humulin'). Analyze why the latter is preferred for treating diabetic patients, focusing on immunological responses.

Evaluate the ethical implications of patenting a 'new' variety of Basmati rice derived from traditional Indian strains, as in the case of the American company in 1997.

Critique the use of enzyme replacement therapy for Adenosine Deaminase (ADA) deficiency compared to gene therapy, focusing on long-term effectiveness and patient quality of life.

Justify the use of Agrobacterium vectors for introducing nematode-specific genes into a host plant to induce RNAi. Why is this vector a suitable choice?

Design a method using PCR for the early diagnosis of a viral infection in a patient before clinical symptoms appear. What would be the key components needed for the PCR reaction?

Critique the process of creating 'pomato' through somatic hybridisation. Why did this plant fail commercially despite being a scientific achievement?

A child is diagnosed with adenosine deaminase (ADA) deficiency. Compare the long-term effectiveness of enzyme replacement therapy versus gene therapy. Analyze why gene therapy at an early embryonic stage is considered a potential permanent cure.

Describe the principle on which ELISA is based and what it can detect.

Explain why the Bt toxin does not kill the bacterium Bacillus thuringiensis that produces it.

List any three advantages of using genetically modified (GM) plants in agriculture.

Define the term biopiracy.

Explain gene therapy by illustrating the example of adenosine deaminase (ADA) deficiency.

List the three critical research areas of biotechnology.

Identify the two cry genes that control cotton bollworms.

Compare and contrast the production of human insulin by Eli Lilly using recombinant DNA technology with the natural maturation process of pro-insulin in the human body.

A farmer wants to grow a crop that is resistant to cotton bollworms. Apply your knowledge of Bt toxin to recommend which specific genes should be introduced into the crop.

Examine the case of 'Pomato', a somatic hybrid of potato and tomato. Analyze why, despite being a scientific achievement, it was not commercially successful.

Evaluate the significance of creating transgenic mice for vaccine safety testing, specifically for the polio vaccine. What are the main advantages over using primates like monkeys?

Evaluate the statement: "Genetically modified crops are the only viable solution to feed the growing global population." Consider the pros and cons of GM crops versus organic and agro-chemical based agriculture.

Describe five common reasons for creating transgenic animals.

Summarize the process of producing human insulin using recombinant DNA technology as achieved by the company Eli Lilly.

Design an experiment to create a tomato plant resistant to a specific leaf-curl virus using RNA interference (RNAi) technology. Outline the key steps.

Analyze the RNA interference (RNAi) mechanism used to create nematode-resistant tobacco plants. Explain how the introduction of nematode-specific genes into the host plant leads to the silencing of the nematode's mRNA and its subsequent death.

A scientist wants to create a genetically modified crop that is more tolerant to drought and uses soil minerals more efficiently. Analyze the steps involved and explain how these modifications would reduce reliance on agrochemicals and prevent the early exhaustion of soil fertility.

Compare and contrast the three options for increasing food production: agro-chemical based agriculture, organic agriculture, and genetically engineered crop-based agriculture. Analyze the potential benefits and drawbacks of each.

Propose a regulatory framework for a body like GEAC (Genetic Engineering Approval Committee) in a developing country. What key ethical and safety criteria should it evaluate before approving a GM crop for public use?

Describe the principle of RNA interference (RNAi) used to create pest-resistant tobacco plants.

Explain the controversy surrounding the patenting of Basmati rice.

Design a strategy to combat biopiracy of traditional knowledge related to medicinal plants in a biodiversity-rich nation. Propose legal and community-based measures that could be implemented.

Propose a strategy using recombinant DNA technology to produce a human protein, alpha-1-antitrypsin, in the milk of a transgenic sheep to treat emphysema. Detail the key steps involved.