F215 2.1 - Cloning in Plants and Animals

Question 1

Clone

Answer 1

Genes, cells or whole organisms that carry identical genetic material as they are derived from the same original DNA.

Question 2

Callus

Answer 2

A mass of undifferentiated plant cells formed by meristematic tissue taken from a plant and grown in tissue culture.

Question 3

Micropropagation

Answer 3

A form of artificial vegetative propagation using sterile explant tissue grown to form a callus culture from which many new plants are grown. It produces lots of cloned plants very quickly.

Question 4

Asexual reproduction

Answer 4

The process of producing genetically identical cells or organisms from the cells of an existing organism.

Question 5

Explant

Answer 5

A piece of tissue taken from a particular plant which is then sterilised in order to grow a callus in tissue culture micropropagation.

Question 6

Tissue culture

Answer 6

A technique used to grow isolated plant cells or small pieces of plant tissue under sterile conditions on a nutrient culture medium of known composition. It is widely used to produce clones of a plant in a method known as micropropagation.

Question 7

Cloning

Answer 7

The production of new individuals or offspring in plants without the fusion of gametes. The plants are genetically identical to the parent plants and each other, except when mutations occur.

Question 8

Transgenic plants

Answer 8

Plants that possess a gene or genes that have been transferred from a different species such as another plant, or a microorganism, or other source.

Question 9

Vegetative propagation

Answer 9

A form of asexual reproduction in plants making use of specialised vegetative structures e.g. roots, stems leaves that grow to form new and separate individuals.