Cloning and Biotechnology: Biotechnology

Question 1

What is biotechnology?

Answer 1

INDUSTRIAL use of LIVING microorganisms to produce SUBSTANCES

Question 2

Give two reasons for using microorganisms in biotechnology

Answer 2

• SHORT life cycle so can be REPRODUCED RAPIDLY
• Grown ANY TIME of year

Question 3

What does biotechnology also use?

Answer 3

ENZYMES to make products

Question 4

What are the two types of enzymes used in biotechnology?

Answer 4

INTRACELLULAR and ISOLATED

Question 5

What are intracellular enzymes?

Answer 5

Enzymes contained WITHIN cells

Question 6

What are isolated enzymes?

Answer 6

Enzymes NOT contained within cells

Question 7

How are some isolated enzymes made?

Answer 7

SECRETED naturally by miceroorganisms

Question 8

What needs to happen to the other isolated enzymes?

Answer 8

Need to be EXTRACTED

Question 9

What is bioremediation?

Answer 9

Process of using MICROORGANISMS to REMOVE pollutants from CONTAMINATED sites

Question 10

What can some microorganisms be grown as a source of?

Answer 10

Protein

Question 11

Give an example of this

Answer 11

• FUNGUS f.venetatuim
• Makes popular meat SUBSTITUTE QUORN

Question 12

Give two advantages of using microorganisms to produce food

Answer 12

• Microorganisms can be grown QUICKLY, EASILY and CHEAPLY
• SINGLE CELL protein considered HEALTHIER alternative to ANIMAL protein

Question 13

Give two disadvantages of using microorganisms to produce food

Answer 13

• People might NOT like idea of eating food grown using WASTE products
• Single cell protein DOESN’T have SAME TEXTURE or FLAVOUR as real meat

Question 14

What does biotechnology use?

Answer 14

CULTURES of microorganisms

Question 15

What is a culture?

Answer 15

POPULATION of ONE type of MICROORGANISM grown under CONTROLLED conditions

Question 16

What are cultures grown in?

Answer 16

LARGE containers called FERMENTATION vessels

Question 17

What are the **two main methods **for culturing microorganisms?

Answer 17

BATCH and CONTINUOUS fermentation

Question 18

What is batch fermentation?

Answer 18

Bacteria grown in INDIVIDUAL HATCHES in fermentation vessel

Question 19

What is continuous fermentation?

Answer 19

Microorganisms CONTINUALLY grown in fermentation vessel without BREAK

Question 20

Give three examples of factors which need to be controlled inside fermentation vessels

Answer 20

• pH
• Temperature
• Access to nutrients

Question 21

How is pH regulated inside a fermentation vessel?

Answer 21

pH probe

Question 22

How is temperature regulated inside a fermentation vessel?

Answer 22

Surrounded by WATER JACKET surrounding entire vessel

Question 23

How is access to nutrients regulated inside a fermentation vessel?

Answer 23

PADDLES constantly CIRCULATE fresh nutrient medium around vessel

Question 24

What is a closed culture?

Answer 24

Growth occurs in vessel ISOLATED from EXTERNAL environment

Question 25

What are the four phases of the standard growth curve?

Answer 25

LAG phase, EXPONENTIAL phase, STATIONARY phase and DEATH phase

Question 26

What happens during the lag phase?

Answer 26

• REPRODUCTION rate is LOW
• Population size increases SLOWLY
• Microorganisms synthesise ENZYMES and other molecules

Question 27

What happens during the exponential phase?

Answer 27

• Population size increases QUICKLY
• Number of microorganisms DOUBLES

Question 28

What happens during the stationary phase?

Answer 28

• NO CHANGE in population size
• DEATH rate EQUALS REPRODUCTIVE rate
• NOT enough food

Question 29

What happens during the death phase?

Answer 29

• Population size FALLS
• DEATH rate GREATER than REPRODUCTIVE rate
• Food very LITTLE

Question 30

Give three examples of aseptic techniques in the lab

Answer 30

• DISINFECTING work surfaces
• Wear GLOVES and LAB COAT
• Sterilise WIRE INOCULATION LOOP by holding it in a BUNSEN flame

Question 31

Process of creating broth