Chapter 11: Biotechnology

Question 1

What is biotechnology?

Answer 1

The use of living organisms and biological systems ans processes for human benefit

Question 2

What are gentically modified organisms (GMOs)?

Answer 2

An organism that has been modified by incorporating into its genome a piece of foreign DNA

Question 3

What is recombinant DNA technology?

Answer 3

Teh process of transferring a gene from a cell of a member of one species to the cell of a different species

Question 4

What is DNA ligase?

Answer 4

An enzyme used to catalyze the formation of a bond between two pieces of DNA

Question 5

What are restriction enzymes?

Answer 5

An enzyme that cuts DNA at a specific restriction site

Question 6

What are restriction fragments?

Answer 6

A short fragment of DNA is generated after the cutting of a longer DNA fragment by a restriction enzyme

Question 7

What is a restriction site?

Answer 7

A specific fragment nucleotide sequence (usually 4-8 bp (base pairs)) that is recognized as a cleaving site for a restriction enzyme

Question 8

What is the difference between a sticky end and a blunt end?

Answer 8

After cleavage by a restriction enzyme, a sticky end is an end that may form overhanging steps which leave some nucleotides exposed, while blunt ends have no overlapping strands (refer to figure 11.1.3 pg 212 for diagram)

Question 9

What are the steps in making recombinant DNA?

Answer 9

1) Plasmids are extracted from bacteria by rupturing the cell membranes and cell walls, the DNA of interest is isolated from the donor organism
2) The same restriction enzyme is used to cut the plasmid DNA and the DNA of the gene to be inserted to ensure complementary sticky ends
3) The plasmid vectors and the gene of interest are mixed together (sticky ends join)
4) DNA ligase joins the two segments to form recombinant plasmids
5) The recombinant plasmids are added to a bacterial culture for transformation, the plasmid then can be replicated
(Refer to figure 11.1.4 pg 212)

Question 10

What is a recombinant plasmid?

Answer 10

A plasmid with foreign DNA inserted into it

Question 11

What is transformation?

Answer 11

The process by which genetic material is taken up from the surroundings and incorporated into the genome

Question 12

What is a toll used to make millions of copies of the same piece of DNA (a tool used at a crime scene)

Answer 12

Polymerase chain reaction (PCR)

Question 13

What is TAQ polymerase?

Answer 13

DNA polymerase from the bacterium Thermus aquaticus, which lives in hot thermal springs and is used in the polymerase chain reaction because it can withstand the high temperatures used in the process

Question 14

What is a primer?

Answer 14

A single-stranded DNA molecule that acts as the start of the amplification process

Question 15

What are the three steps of PCR?

Answer 15

1) Denaturation
2) Annealing
3) Extension
(Refer to figure 11.2.1 pg 216 for diagram)

Question 16

What is denaturation?

Answer 16

In the polymerase chain reaction, the application of high temperatures to break the hydrogen bonds in DNA, which causes the two strands to separate

Question 17

What is annealing?

Answer 17

In the polymerase chain reaction, a process of joining together separate strands of DNA as a result of hydrogen bonds pairing; occurs when the temperature is lowered

Question 18

What is extension?

Answer 18

The temperature is again raised to 72˚C, the ideal temperature for the DNA polymerase used in PCR. Starting from the primers, new DNA strands are synthesized using DNA polymerase, and the available nucleotides

Question 19

What is gel electrophoresis?

Answer 19

A technique that separates DNA fragments according to their size and charge

Question 20

What is PCR and gel electrophoresis used for?

Answer 20

These can be used in biotechnology, particularly in forensics, molecular biology, genetics and microbiology

Question 21

What is a molecular size marker?

Answer 21

A set of pieces of DNA of known length that is used to estimate the size of other DNA fragments in a gel

Question 22

What is DNA sequencing?

Answer 22

A process of establishing the nucleotide sequence of a piece of DNA

Question 23

What can DNA sequencing be used for?

Answer 23

Help us to understand geneitc diseases, medicine, agriculture, livestock and plant breeding, forensic identification, paternity testing, metagenomics and determining the origins and early history relationships of present-day humans

Question 24

What is metagenomics?

Answer 24

The study of genetic material recovered directly from environmental samples

Question 25

What is DNA profiling?

Answer 25

A process that is able to identofy natural variations that exist within an indivual’s genome, by using the plymerase chain reaction and gel electrophoresis

Question 26

What can DNA profiling be used for?

Answer 26

Can be used to explore relatedness betweem individuals and is used in the fields of forensics to match individuals with biological samples

Question 27

What is a transgenic organism?

Answer 27

An organism that has been modified by incorporating a peice of foreign DNA into its genome

Question 28

How many attempts and pregnancies did it take to produce one Dolly?

Answer 28

227 attempts and 27 pregnancies

Question 29

Ho wmany modifed eggs were lost in the first few days of trying to produce one Dolly?

Answer 29

30 (11%)

Question 30

How many eggs that were transferred into ewes were NOT developed?

Answer 30

88%

Question 31

What was the total sucess rate of cloning a ewe?

Answer 31

0.4%