22 - Cloning And Biotechnology Flashcards
1
Q
Arguments for micropropagation (22.2)
A
- Rapid, nigh yield, good genetics
- disease free
- viable numbers after GM
- sterile
- can grow naturally infertile plants e.g. orchids
2
Q
Arguments against micropropagation (22.2)
A
- monoculture - all plants susceptible to the same diseases
- expensive, skilled workers
- explants vulnerable to disease
- all clones infected if source is
- large numbers lost during process
3
Q
Arguments for animal cloning (22.3)
A
- higher yield than normal reproduction
- passes on desirable traits
- allows GM embryos to be replicated
- enables specific clones to be produced
- enables rare animals to be reproduced e.g. frozen nuclei
4
Q
Arguments against animal cloning (22.3)
A
- very inefficient- takes many eggs
- failure to develop, miscarry, malformed offspring
- short lifespans due to being clones of already matured animals
5
Q
Benefits of using microorganisms (22.4)
A
- no welfare issues
- large range of microorganisms
- can be genetically engineered e.g. to produce human insulin
- short life span + rapid growth rate
- simple and cheap nutrients required
- low temp, oxygen, food and removal of waste = cheap
6
Q
Disadvantages of microorganisms for food (22.4)
A
- can produce toxins if conditions not maintained
- have to be processed + separated
- need sterile conditions maintained - increased costs
- concerns around eating GM food
- must be purified
- dislike the thought of eating microorganisms grown on waste
- little natural flavour - require additives
7
Q
Advantages of microorganisms for food (22.4)
A
- fast reproduction
- high protein content, little fat
- can use a variety of waste products - decreased costs
- can be genetically modified to produce required protein
- not dependent on breeding seasons/weather - constant supply
- no welfare issues
- can be made to taste like anything
8
Q
Aseptic techniques - inoculating broth (22.6)
A
- make suspension of bacteria
- mix known volume with sterile nutrient broth
- stopper with cotton wool - prevents contamination
- incubate at suitable temperatures - prevents growth of unwanted pathogenic bacteria
9
Q
Aseptic techniques - inoculating agar (22.6)
A
- wire inoculating loop sterilised by holding in Bunsen burner flame until glowing
- dip sterilised loop into suspension
- half lift petri dish lid
- zigzag streak
-secure with tape but not fully to prevent anaerobic respiration - should flame rim of suspension bottle + allow loop to cool
10
Q
Batch fermentation (22.7)
A
- fixed volume of medium
- nutrients used up
- waste builds up
- biochemical changes - enzymes and antibiotics produced
- products harvested before death phase
11
Q
Continuous culture (22.7)
A
- nutrients medium added continually to culture when log phase reached
- culture broth continually removed
- culture volume in bioreactor remains constant
12
Q
Advantages of isolated enzymes + being extracellular (22.8)
A
- less wasteful
- more efficient
- more specific
- maximise efficiency
- less downstream processing
Extracellular advantages
- secreted so easy to isolate + use
- less of them so easy to identify + isolate
- require less specific conditions
13
Q
Advantages of immobilised enzymes (22.8)
A
- reused - cheaper
- easily separated from reactants + products
- less downstream processing
- more reliable
- greater temperature tolerance - cheaper
- easy to manipulate
14
Q
Disadvantages of immobilised enzymes (22.8)
A
- can lower enzyme activity
- high initial costs - enzymes + bioreactor
- more technical issues - bioreactors are complex
15
Q
Adsorption
A
- bind to an inorganic support e.g. cellulose silica
- hydrophobic interactions and an inorganic ionic support
✅ simple + cheap
✅ can be used in many processes
✅ enzymes accessible to substrate + activity is unchanged
❌ enzymes can be lost from matrix easily
