Chapter 20: Biotechnology and genetic engineering

Question 1

What is biotechnology ?

Answer 1

The process of using organisms (viruses, bacteria, fungi and protoctists) to make useful products for humans (like alcohol, bread, and washing powders)

Question 2

What is genetic engineering?

Answer 2

changing the genetic material of an organism by removing, changing or inserting individual genes.

Question 3

Why is bacteria used in biotechnology and genetic engineering?

Answer 3

• rapid reproduction rate
• ability to make complex molecules
• presence of plasmids
• lack of ethical concerns over the manipulation and growth
• genetic code shared with all other organisms

Question 4

What are genetically modified crops?

Answer 4

Crops that have had their genomes modified by the insertion of a desired gene from another organism which they can then make more resistant to herbicides, pests and get better yields and provide more vitamins.

Question 5

What is ligase?

Answer 5

an enzyme used to join pieces of DNA together (for example joining the desired gene to a plasmid)

Question 6

What are plasmids?

Answer 6

loops of DNA found in the cytoplasm of prokaryote cells and can be used as vectors to transfer recombinant DNA into host cells.

Question 7

How is bacteria used in the production of human proteins?

Answer 7

• isolation of DNA making up a human gene using restriction enzymes which form sticky ends
• the same restriction enzyme cuts the bacterial plasmid which forms complementary sticky ends
• DNA ligase is used to form a recombinant plasmid of human DNA which is inserted into bacterial plasmid DNA
• Plasmid is inserted into bacteria
• replication of bacteria containing recombinant plasmids which make the human protein as they express the gene