Cloning and Biotechnology

Question 1

Define biotechnology

Answer 1

Use of biological organisms or enzymes to produce materials for human benefits.

Question 2

Benefits of using microorganisms in biotechnology.

Answer 2

• Can genetically engineer.
• No welfare issues.
• Enormous range.
• Short life cycle and fast growth rate.
• Easy to harvest.
• Growth/nutrient requirements relatively cheap and easy to meet.

Question 3

Microorganism used in baking:

Answer 3

Yeast - mixed with sugar and water to produce aerobically. Carbon dioxide produced makes bread rise.

Question 4

Process involved in baking:

Answer 4

• Active yeast mixed with other ingredients, left in warm env, to rise.
• Dough knocked back to remove excess air, kneaded, shaped and left to rise again.
• Cooked in oven - carbon dioxide bubbles expand, so bread rises more.
• Yeast cells killed during cooking.

Question 5

Microorganism used in brewing:

Answer 5

Yeast - respires anaerobically to produce ethanol. GM yeasts respire at lower temperatures than normal yeast, so cheaper. Clump together and sink at the end of the process, leaving beer clear.

Question 6

Other examples of biotechnological processes?

Answer 6

Bioremediation, yoghurt production, cheese making and insulin production.

Question 7

Methods of immobilising enzymes:

Answer 7

Adsorption: where enzyme binds to a support via hydrophobic and ionic interactions.
Covalent bonding: where enzymes covalently bind to a support with the help of a cross linking agent.
Entrapment: enzymes trapped in semi-permeable material such as gel beads which allows the passage of substrate and product only.
Membrane separation: partially permeable membrane serves to separate the enzymes from the substrate.

Question 8

Advantages of using immobilised enzymes in biotechnology:

Answer 8

• Can be reused, cheaper.
• Easily separated from reactants and products of the reaction.
• Greater temperature tolerance.
• Ease of manipulation.

Question 9

Disadvantages of using immobilised enzymes in biotechnology:

Answer 9

• Reduced efficiency.
• Higher initial costs of materials.
• Higher initial costs of bioreactor.
• More technical issues.

Question 10

Immobilised penicillin acylase:

Answer 10

Used to make semi-synthetic penicillin from natural penicillin.

Question 11

Immobilised glucose isomerase:

Answer 11

Used to produce glucose from fructose.

Question 12

Immobilised lactase:

Answer 12

Hydrolysis of lactase to glucose and galactose to produce lactose-free milk.

Question 13

Immobilised aminoacyclase:

Answer 13

Used to produce pure samples of L-amino acids.

Question 14

Immobilised glucoamylase:

Answer 14

Used to complete the breakdown of starch to glucose. Amylase breaks down starch into dextrins (short chain polymers). Final breakdown of dextrins to glucose catalysed by immobilised glucoamylase.

Question 15

Immobilised nitrile hydratase:

Answer 15

Conversion of acrylonitrile to acrylamide for use in the plastics industry.