Cloning and biotechnology

Question 1

Advantages of asexual reproduction

Answer 1

Quick
take advantage of resources
all offspring adapted to environment(as long as it stays the same)
Possible when sexual reproduction is not available

Question 2

Disadvantages of asexual reproduction

Answer 2

No genetic variation
More risk when environment changes

Question 3

What are the 2 methods of animal cloning

Answer 3

Artificial embryo splitting
Somatic cell nuclear transfer

Question 4

How does artificial embryo splitting occur

Answer 4

Eggs and sperm is collected from high value parents
In vitro fertilisation
Grow in vitro to 16-cell embryo
Split embryo into 4 segments
Implant into surrogate mothers treated with hormones
Offspring are all clones while remaining genetically different to parents

Question 5

How does somatic cell nuclear transfer occur

Answer 5

Sheep to be cloned has mammary cells removed from udder
Ovum has nucleus removed
Electrofusion occurs between enucleate ovum and mammary cell
Reconstructed cell culture tied in oviduct of sheep
Recover early embryo and implant in surrogate

Question 6

What is the result of somatic cell nuclear transfer

Answer 6

Nuclear DNA is from donor of nuclear material
Mitochondrial DNA from donor of enucleated ovum

Question 7

Advantages of animal cloning

Answer 7

Can clone large numbers of animals and quickly
Clone desirable animals, endangered animals, GM animals and infertile animals
Can clone at anytime
Can clone tissues to treat diseases

Question 8

What is therapeutic cloning

Answer 8

When tissues are cloned to treat diseases

Question 9

Disadvantages of animal cloning

Answer 9

Difficult, time consuming and expensive
Welfare of animals not always a priority
Monoculture
Long term health concerns - short life span

Question 10

What is natural vegetative propagation

Answer 10

Natural methods of asexual production for plants

Question 11

What are some method of natural vegetation propagation

Answer 11

Rhizomes
Stolen/runners
Suckers
Tubers
Bulbs

Question 12

What are rhizomes

Answer 12

stems that grow horizontally underground

Question 13

What are runners

Answer 13

stems that grow horizontally above ground

Question 14

What are suckers

Answer 14

shoots that grow up from buds on shallow roots

Question 15

What are tubers

Answer 15

Large underground plant structures that act as food stores - covered in ‘eyes’ that can form new plants

Question 16

What are bulbs

Answer 16

Underground food stores - new bulbs can develop from original bulbs and form new plants

Question 17

How does cutting from a stem work

Answer 17

Section of stem cut between leaf nodes -> trim lower leaves -> add rooting powder -> place in compost (reduce water loss) -> plant when roots have formed

Question 18

How does leaf cutting work

Answer 18

Remove a leaf and score the large veins on the lower surface with a scalpel. Put the leaf, veins facing down, on compost. A new plant should form from veins

Question 19

How does grafting work

Answer 19

Short section of woody plant is joined to rootstock
Line up vascular tissue and add bindings till growth is supported

Question 20

What are disadvantages of traditional cloning methods

Answer 20

Cant produce large numbers
Doesnt work with some plants

Question 21

What are callus tissue cultures

Answer 21

The separation of cells of any type and their growth in a nutrient medium

Question 22

What are the advantages of callus tissue cultures

Answer 22

Produce large numbers of clones
rapid
develop disease free stock
small amount of parental material

Question 23

What is the method of callus tissue culture

Answer 23

Cells taken from shoot tip using sterile forceps - called a callus
Callus placed in nutrient agar
Split into little clumps of cells
Add auxins + cytokines
Place into compost

Question 24

Advantages of plant cloning

Answer 24

Aided development of desirable crops
Reproduction and survival of sterile plants
Predictability of crop
Economic benefits
Reduced waste

Question 25

Disadvantages of plant cloning

Answer 25

Decreased genetic variation genetic monoculture Clones all susceptible to new pests, diseases and environmental changes

Question 26

What is biotechnology

Answer 26

the use of living organisms or biological process to improve agriculture, animal husbandry, food science, medicine and industry

Question 27

Why are microorganisms suitable for biotechnology

Answer 27

Wide range of organisms Prokaryotes reproduce asexually Pure products Can be grown in controlled conditions Simple gene expression Grow at relatively low temps Produce proteins/chemicals that can be harvested grow rapidly ethics

Question 28

What is generation time

Answer 28

Time taken for numbers to double

Question 29

What are advantages of using Quorn as a source of proteins

Answer 29

can grow on waste materials quick,easy and cheap can culture anywhere healthier

Question 30

Disadvantages of using Quorn as a source of protein

Answer 30

Contamination by unwanted bacteria Texture/taste is different Health problems when eaten in large quantities

Question 31

What is a closed culture

Answer 31

Growth of micro-organisms in fixed conditions that is contained with no removal or adding of substances

Question 32

What is the lag phase of a growth curve

Answer 32

Cells increase in size and synthesise enzymes but cell numbers are relatively constant Organisms are adjusting to environment

Question 33

What is the log phase of a growth curve

Answer 33

Exponential growth, conditions are ideal for cell division

Question 34

What is the stationary phase of a growth curve

Answer 34

nutrient levels decrease and wast rebuilds up. reproductive rate = growth rate

Question 35

What is the death phase of the growth curve

Answer 35

Nutrient exhaustion and inc levels of toxic culture Death rate>growth rate

Question 36

What are primary metabolites

Answer 36

Substances produced by an organism as part of normal growth

Question 37

What are secondary metabolites

Answer 37

Substances produced by an organism that are not part of normal growth Only produced by a small num of organisms Produced to protect dwindling nutrients

Question 38

When are primary metabolites produced

Answer 38

Production matches population growth

Question 39

When are secondary metabolites produced

Answer 39

After main growth period

Question 40

How do Industrial scale fermenters work

Answer 40

Starter population needed Sterile air inlet, nutrient inlet Sensors to maintain conditions Culture broths

Question 41

What are obligate aerobes

Answer 41

An organism that needs O2 to survive

Question 42

What are facultative anaerobes

Answer 42

An organism that can survive with or without oxygen

Question 43

What are obligate anaerobes

Answer 43

An organism that cant survive in the presence of O2

Question 44

What are good conditions for harvesting primary metabolites

Answer 44

Nutrients added and products removed at regular intervals Matches growth of population so keep just below stationary phase Continuous culture

Question 45

What are good conditions for secondary metabolites

Answer 45

Starter population and specific quantity of nutrient solution needed Grown for a fixed time before products are removed and fermenter is emptied Population kept in stationary phase

Question 46

Types of primary metabolites

Answer 46

insulin, ethanol, amino acids

Question 47

Types of secondary metabolites

Answer 47

antibiotics

Question 48

What is asepsis

Answer 48

The absence of unwanted micro-organisms

Question 49

Why are contaminants bad in microbe cultures

Answer 49

Compete with culture organism Reduce yield May cause spoilage, produce toxins and destroy products

Question 50

What are the lab and starter culture aseptic techniques

Answer 50

UV light, autoclave, inoculating loop, flaming

Question 51

What are large scale level aseptic techniques

Answer 51

Sterilisation of all equipment Washing, disinfecting and steam cleaning Filters on inlets and outlets Fermenters made of stainless steel to prevent sticking

Question 52

How do you isolate enzymes

Answer 52

Culture microorganism in fermenter then downstream processing (extract enzymes from fermentation mixture)

Question 53

Advantages of free enzymes

Answer 53

High rate of reaction

Question 54

Disadvantages of free enzymes

Answer 54

Downstream processing of products Enzymes not all recycled Enzymes broken down

Question 55

How are enzymes immobilised

Answer 55

Enzymes are attached to insoluble support and separated from the reaction mixture

Question 56

Advantages of Immobilised enzymes

Answer 56

Can be reused Product not mixed with enzymes More stable at high temps and extreme pH

Question 57

Disadvantages of immobilised enzymes

Answer 57

Extra equipment needed expensive Slower rate of reaction

Question 58

What are the methods of immobilising enzymes

Answer 58

Encapsulate in alginate beads that act as a semi-permeable membrane Trap in silica gel matrix Covalently bond to cellulose/collagen fibres

Question 59

What are examples of immobilised enzymes

Answer 59

Glucose Isomerase Penicillin acylase Lactase

Question 60

Advantages of immobilising whole organisms for industry

Answer 60

No extraction Less expensive Used when there is a series of enzyme reactions Used when enzyme is unstable

Question 61

Disadvantages of immobilising whole organisms for industry

Answer 61

Expensive to maintain microorganism Some substrate is used by cell

Question 62

What are some components in a culture medium for micropropogation

Answer 62

Auxin Cytokines sucrose water agar