B12

Question 1

What is plant biotechnology?

Answer 1

A method of introducing beneficial traits in plants more precisely using a variety of techniques, increasing yields and reduce harmful characteristics.

Question 2

What is totipotency?

Answer 2

When a differentiates plant cell retains the genetic info required to generate a whole organism.

Question 3

How is a plant tissue culture formed?

Answer 3

Piece of plant (explant) -sterile growth medium> callus -organ differentiation> root formation -plantlets generated> root and shoot formation -> micropropagation

Question 4

What is in a plant tissue culture growth medium?

Answer 4

Solid medium of agar, sucrose as a C source, macronutrients of N, P, micronutrients, vitamins, cofactors, hormones of auxin and kinetin.

Question 5

How can new plants be generated by single cells?

Answer 5

Micropropagation by meristem culture

Question 6

How are plant protoplasts formed?

Answer 6

After plant cells are treated with cell wall dissolving enzymes, protoplasts can be fused to generate hybrid species with increased vigour.

Question 7

What is a cell suspension culture?

Answer 7

Uniform suspension of cells in a liquid medium

Question 8

How is a cell suspension culture made?

Answer 8

Plant callus -> liquid medium -> agitate continuously -> cells separate -> sub culture cells.

Question 9

What are the model plants in molecular biology and genetics?

Answer 9

Arabadopsis thaliana (Thale cress), oryza sativa (rice).

Question 10

What is Arabidopsis?

Answer 10

Small, weedy, member of the brassicaceae. Very small genome size, easy to germinate, short life cycle. Self-fertile, lots of mutants, low amount of repetitive DNA, susceptible to T-DNA insertions. Basic similarity to over crops.

Question 11

What is T-DNA?

Answer 11

Transfer DNA Ti plasmid and bacteria

Question 12

What is a virus?

Answer 12

Small infection agent can only reproduce inside living cells

Question 13

What does electroporation do?

Answer 13

Increases permeability of cell membrane

Question 14

What happens in a microinjection?

Answer 14

Glass pipette injects a single cell

Question 15

What does a gene gun do?

Answer 15

DNA on precious metals, blasted into plant cells.

Question 16

What is a crown gall tumour?

Answer 16

A crown gall is a disease caused by the bacterium Agrobacterium tumefaciens, which enters the plant through wounds in roots or stems and stimulates the plant tissues to grow in a disorganised way, producing swollen galls.

Question 17

What does the Ti plasmid do in crown gall tumours?

Answer 17

The bacterium Agrobacterium tumefaciens, carries a plasmid called the Ti plasmid, which is tumour inducing, transduces the genetic information to plants. vir region enables infection, O is gene for opine synthesis, onc is region that specifies plant growth regulators.

Question 18

How does genetic transformation with T-DNA occur?

Answer 18

T-DNA disarmed - once and O genes taken out, foreign gene inserted to give recombinant plasmid. Binary plasmid vector constructed and transferred into Agrobacterium, T-DNA integrated into plant genome = transgenic plant produced. Limited by species that can be infected.

Question 19

What is electroporation and what does it do?

Answer 19

A method of introducing a substance into a cell, protoplasts in electric field take up DNA. Can be done with lots of different species but protoplast regeneration can be difficult. Increases permeability of plasma membrane cause by externally applied electric field.

Question 20

How is DNA directly introduced into plants?

Answer 20

Gene gun, DNA on tiny gold or tungsten particles blasted into plant cells. Microinjection or virus.

Question 21

What is the importance of mutants?

Answer 21

Important in elucidating gene function in plant biochemistry, physiology and development.

Question 22

How is mutagenesis brought about?

Answer 22

Chemical mutagen, irradiation, insertional mutagenesis.

Question 23

What are the advantages of GM Plants and agriculture?

Answer 23

Improved crop yield, improved nutritional value, herbicide resistance, pest resistant, grow under stressed conditions, better fruit ripening and shell life, control flowering and fruiting time

Question 24

What is a GMO?

Answer 24

The direct human manipulation of an organisms DNA in a laboratory environment. Addition of artificial DNA. Not traditionally bred. No long term testing,

Question 25

What other biotechnological are there?

Answer 25

Pharmaceuticals, bioplastics, oil, biofuel, phytoremediation (using plants to mitigate environmental problems).

Question 26

What is Ebola?

Answer 26

Severe, often fatal disease. Spreads through direct contact with blood or secretions of infected person, or via contaminated objects.

Question 27

What is ZMapp?

Answer 27

A experimental biopharmaceutical drug, under development to treat Ebola. It has 3 humanised monoclonal antibodies. Contains neutralising antibodies that provide passive immunity to the virus by directly and specifically reacting with it.

Question 28

How is ZMapp manufactured?

Answer 28

Tobacco plant by pharming.

Question 29

What are some recent plant biotechnology developments?

Answer 29

Engineering abiotic stress tolerance traits for mitigating climate change. Developing climate smart aerobic rice varieties for addressing climate emergency of water scarcity. Biotechnological aspects for enhancement of mineral bioavailability from cereals and legumes.