Cloning And Biotechnology

Question 1

What is the definition of biotechnology?

Answer 1

The industrial use of living organisms in industrial processes

Question 2

Why are microorganisms used in biotechnological processes?

Answer 2

Can use waste from industry, not dependent on climate, production can take place at lower temperatures/pressures, cheaper, no ethical issues, rapid life cycle, specific/simple requirements, easily genetically modified.

Question 3

What is indirect food production?

Answer 3

Eat effects of what microorganisms do, don’t actually eat microorganism

Question 4

What is direct food production?

Answer 4

Grow organisms in order to eat them

Question 5

Advantages of using microorganisms to produce human food?

Answer 5

Reproduce fast, produce protein faster than animals and plants. Higher protein content, little fat.
Use a variety of waste materials, reducing cost.
Genetically modified easily to produce more protein.
Not dependent on weather, breeding cycles etc, takes place constantly.
No welfare issues when growing microorganisms.
Can be made to taste like anything.

Question 6

Disadvantages of using microorganisms to produce human food?

Answer 6

Some produce toxins if conditions aren’t optimum.
Microorganisms have to be separated from nutrient broth and processed to make them food.
Need sterile condition - costly.
Concerns about eating GM food.
Protein has to be purified to make sure there’s no toxins/contaminants.
Thought of eating microorganisms grown on waste.
Little natural flavour.

Question 7

What are the 4 parts of a growth curve?

Answer 7

Lag phase
Log/exponential phase
Stationary phase
Death/decline phase

Question 8

What happens in the lag phase of a growth curve?

Answer 8

When bacteria are adapting to their new environment. They are growing, synthesising the enzymes they need and are not reproducing at their maximum rate.

Question 9

What happens in the log/exponential phase of a growth curve?

Answer 9

When the rate of bacterial reproduction is close to/at its theoretical maximum rate. Plenty of nutrients/space

Question 10

What happens in the stationary phase of a growth curve?

Answer 10

When the total growth rate=zero. Number of new cell created by binary fission is equal to the number of cells dying. Waste materials are building up, less space/nutrients.

Question 11

What happens in the decline/death phase of a growth curve?

Answer 11

When reproduction has almost ceased and death rate of cells is increasing.

Question 12

What are primary metabolites?

Answer 12

Small molecules which are essential for the normal growth of microorganisms

Question 13

When are primary metabolites produced?

Answer 13

During the log/exponential phase

Question 14

What are secondary metabolites?

Answer 14

Products that are not essential for the growth of microorganisms but are useful in other ways eg penicillin

Question 15

When are secondary metabolites produced?

Answer 15

Stationary phase

Question 16

Why are fermenters made of stainless steal?

Answer 16

Allow easy steam cleaning, doesn’t corrode when acids are formed during fermentation

Question 17

What occurs to the tank of a fermenter before the sterile nutrient solution is added?

Answer 17

Steam sterilisation

No contaminant microorganisms

Question 18

What conditions need to be controlled in a fermenter and why?

Answer 18

Temp/pH, denature enzymes, reduce aerobic respiration
Oxygen content - needed for aerobic respiration
Pressure - avoid explosions

Question 19

What is produced as microorganisms respire in a fermenter?

Answer 19

Heat

Question 20

How is heat controlled in a fermenter?

Answer 20

Water jacket (cool down)
Stirrers (distribute heat)

Question 21

What elements do microorganisms need?

Answer 21

Carbon - component of organic molecules
Nitrogen - Component of amino acids/protein/ATP
Sulphur - Component of some amino acids
Phosphorus - Component of nucleic acids / phospholipids / ATP

Question 22

What type of fermentation is better for producing primary metabolites?

Answer 22

Continuous - kept in exponential growth phase

Question 23

What type of fermentation is better for producing secondary metabolites?

Answer 23

Batch - Removed when in stationary phase

Question 24

What are the 2 types of fermentation?

Answer 24

Batch

Continuous

Question 25

What is continuous fermentation?

Answer 25

Nutrients added constantly
Product continuously removed - kept in exponential growth phase so higher productivity so can be smaller scale.
Can be difficult to maintain conditions
Contamination can affect huge volume of product
More efficient use of time
Product quality more consistent

Question 26

What is batch fermentation?

Answer 26

Nutrients only added at the start
Product removed when fermentation stops
Growth rates/product formation slower as limiting factors. So need larger vessels.
Easy to set up/maintain.
Contamination can only affect 1 batch.
Less efficient/more time wasted.
Product quality can vary between batches

Question 27

What is downstream processing?

Answer 27

The isolation, extraction and purification of the product at the end of the culture in the fermenter.

Question 28

How is air filtered before it enters the fermenter?

Answer 28

High temperature, air filters

Question 29

What are the advantages of using enzymes in industry?

Answer 29

Lower temperature - cheaper
Quicker
Higher yield
Reusable
Specific

Question 30

What are the 2 ways to speed up chemical reactions in industry?

Answer 30

Inorganic catalysts

Organic enzymes

Question 31

Advantages of organic enzymes?

Answer 31

Specific
Work at moderate temperature/pressure - reduce activation energy so cheaper
Proteins - biodegradeable

Question 32

Disadvantages of organic enzymes?

Answer 32

Usually present in a mixture of other compounds so must be removed.
Highly sensitive to change so pH and temperature must be controlled.

Question 33

Advantages of using isolated enzymes instead of the whole microbe?

Answer 33

Whole microbe, some substrate used for growth.
Only one enzyme present.
Each process requires different optimum conditions.

Question 34

What does the stability of an enzyme refer to?

Answer 34

Its ability to retain its tertiary structure

Question 35

What are the 2 types of enzymes?

Answer 35

Extracellular - work outside the cell

Intracellular - work inside the cell

Question 36

What are immobilised enzymes?

Answer 36

Enzymes that can’t move in solution