B3 Biotechnology

Question 1

What are micro organisms grown in

Answer 1

Fermenters

Question 2

What is a fermenter

Answer 2

A big container of liquid or culture medium it is controlled to have the correct conditions for microorganism so to grow

Question 3

Where in a fermenter is the food source

Answer 3

In the culture medium, carbohydrates and nitrates vitamins and minerals are in this liquid

Question 4

What else to micro organisms in the fermenter need

Answer 4

They need oxygen this is pumped in, they need the right temperature so they have a water jacket in this jacket water temperature is changed therefore changing the temp of the fermenter. They need the right pH to survive and aseptic conditions to stop other microorganism growing. A stirrer is needed to keep the culture mixed

Question 5

How can you test the effect of factors on yeast

Answer 5

When yeast respites anaerobically it turns sugar into co2 and alcohol. You can do an experiment to measure the rate of CO2 production. Boil water in test tube to remove dissolved oxygen, add yeast and put paraffin to keep oxygen. Add a bung with a tube going to limewater. Count the bubbles in the limewater over a set time to see the rate of CO2 production

Question 6

What is mycoprotein

Answer 6

It is use to make meat substitutes.

Question 7

What is a benefit of mycoprotein

Answer 7

It contains more protein and fibre and less fat

Question 8

What is fermentation

Answer 8

The breaking down of sugars to release energy yogurt is fermented milk

Question 9

How to make yogurt?

Answer 9

Sterilise equipment, pasteurise the milk . A starter culture of lactobacillus bacteria is added and the mixture is incubated. The bacteria ferment the lactose sugar in the milk forming lactic acid. This acid clots the milk creating yogurt

Question 10

What are the advantages of using micro organisms to make food

Answer 10

They grow very quickly so can make food fast. Easy to look after all they need is a space to grow food oxygen and the right temperatures. This means you can use them to make food anywhere. Waste products can be used as food for them this can make them cheaper

Question 11

What are non biological washing powders.

Answer 11

They contain chemicals that break up stains on your clothes

Question 12

What are biological washing powders

Answer 12

They contain the same chemicals as non biological washing powders but also contain a mixture of enzymes which break down stubborn stains

Question 13

How do biological washing powders work

Answer 13

They breaks down insoluble stains such as fats into soluble ones such as fatty acids, the water can then wash these away

Question 14

What is chymosin used in

Answer 14

The production of cheese

Question 15

How is cheese produced

Answer 15

Cheese is made using a substance called rennet. It is usually taken from the lining of a calfs stomach, it contains chymosin which clots the milk. Vegetarian cheese is made from chymosin made from genetically modified organisms

Question 16

What is invert axe used for

Answer 16

Manufacture of sweets

Question 17

How is invertase used in the manufacture of sweets

Answer 17

Invertase converts sucrose into glucose and fructose which tastes sweeter. This means less sugar is needed for the same sweetness meaning cheaper production and lower calories sweets

Question 18

Why immobilise an enzyme

Answer 18

So you don’t need to separate it from a mixture after the reaction

Question 19

How to immobilise an enzyme

Answer 19

Attach it to an insoluble material e.g fibres. Or they’re encapsulated in alignate beads. The insoluble material with attached enzymes can be washed and reused

Question 20

Why is lactose free milk important

Answer 20

Lactose is a sugar found in milk, it is broken down in the digestive system by lactase . Some people lack the enzyme lactase therefore they cannot break it down. Gut bacteria feed on it causing abdominal pain wind and diarrhoea

Question 21

How to produce lactose free milk

Answer 21

First you need to immobilise the enzyme lactase. Create a column of these immobilised beads. Add the milk slowly into the syringe at the bottom treated milk will come out. Use a glucose test strip to confirm

Question 22

How can you immobilise lactase

Answer 22

Mix sodium alignate and lactase in a syringe. Add the mixture one drop at a time to a beaker of calcium chloride. Beads will form with the lactase inside

Question 23

What is pectinase used for

Answer 23

Extracting apple juice

Question 24

How to genetically modify bacteria to produce insulin

Answer 24

A plasmid is removed from a bacterium. The insulin gene is removed from the human chromosome using a restriction enzyme creating sticky ends. Plasmid then cut open with same enzyme . Plasmid and insulin gene mixed together, ligaments is added which joins the sticky ends to produce recombinant DNA ( two different bits of DNA together) grow the bacterium in a fermenter

Question 25

What does transgenic mean

Answer 25

That the organism contains a gene transferred from another species such as bacteria that produce human insulin

Question 26

What is Agrobacterium Tumefaciens

Answer 26

It is a pathogen that invades plant cells and inserts its genes into the plants DNA

Question 27

When and how is Agrobacterium Tumefaciens used

Answer 27

It is used to modify plants, you find a gene that is resistant to herbicides. You insert the gene into the Tumefaciens circular loop of DNA. Allow the bacteria to infect a plant cells. Grow these infected cells to create an adult plant with the gene

Question 28

What bacteria helps make plants resistant to insects

Answer 28

Bacillus thuringiensis

Question 29

What does bacillus thuringiensis do

Answer 29

Produces a toxin which kills many of the inesects larvae that are harmful.

Question 30

What is Bt used in

Answer 30

The gene for the Bt toxin is inserted into crops, this makes them resistant to insects. It is harmless to humans

Question 31

What is a danger with using the Bt toxin

Answer 31

Insects may develop resistance and no longer be killed farmers try to avoid this by using different insecticides

Question 32

How can biotechnology help reduce world hunger

Answer 32

Crops can be developed to be resistant to pests meaning a higher crop yield . They can be engineered to grow better in drought conditions. Some can be modified to combat certain deficiency diseases such as Golden a Rice which contains vitamin A

Question 33

Why is biotechnology to decrease hunger not feasible

Answer 33

Some say they can’t afford to buy food not because there isn’t enough. Fears that countries become dependant on companies that sell GM seeds. Poor soil sometimes means crop fails even Gm seeds can fix that

Question 34

What are flavonoids

Answer 34

Are molecules found in many plants that have antioxidant effects which are thought to protect against cancers and heart disease

Question 35

What are purple tomatoes

Answer 35

They are genetically engineered tomatoes that contain flavonoid genes from the snapdragon plant. This is an easy way to get antioxidants

Question 36

Why do people have problems with flavonoids

Answer 36

They believe it may change the flavour of the tomato slightly
Some are worried the flavonoid crops may have long term effects. (GM crops are made by the man to kill us all)

Question 37

What is food security

Answer 37

The idea that everyone has the correct amount of nutrients they need every day

Question 38

How can you reduce pest numbers

Answer 38

Using insecticides which kill pests, genetically modify plants to produce toxins that kill the pests. Crop rotation meaning changing what is grown in each section each year this means insects don’t build up. Use biological control such as ladybirds which eat aphid

Question 39

How can you increase food production

Answer 39

Reduce pest numbers

Selectively breed plants

Question 40

How can selectively breeding plants increase food production

Answer 40

Bred the best offspring of plants or the one that produce the greatest yield. Grow that crop it will grow largest

Question 41

What are biofuels made from

Answer 41

Biomass such as plants animals or their waste products

Question 42

What is biogas

Answer 42

Microorganism decompose waste material and produce this. It is usually 70% methane 30% carbon dioxide . It can be burned to power a turbine or heat water and produce steam for central heating systems

Question 43

What is biodiesel

Answer 43

It is an alternative fuel, made from vegetable oils, animals fats or waste cooking oil

Question 44

What is ethanol

Answer 44

It can be burnt as fuel, it is a cleaner fuel producing fewer pollutants. Produced by yeast fermenting glucose. Materials like sugar cane, corn and barley can be used as a source of glucose in ethanol production. Cars can run on a mixture of ethanol and petroleum (. Gasohol)

Question 45

What are advantages of using biofuels

Answer 45

A “Greener alternative” . They are sustainable or renewable . Plants grown to make biofuels photosynthesis removing CO2 this balances the release of CO2 from burning biofuels so they don’t release as much C02 so not global warming. Fairly clean produce few participate. Doesn’t produce significant amount of sulphur dioxide which causes acid rain.

Question 46

What are disadvantages of biofuels

Answer 46

You need to grow crops which take s a large a,punt of land stripping land available for food production. Things like power stations and vehicles have to be adapted to run on biofuels this takes time and money