Lecture 21

Question 1

Does insulin require post-translational modification?

Answer 1

No

Question 2

Does EPO require post-translational modification?

Answer 2

Yes - glycosylation

Question 3

Does AT require post-translational modification?

Answer 3

Yes - gamma-carboxylation

Question 4

Where is insulin best expressed in?

Answer 4

Bacteria (prokaryotic) cells

Question 5

Where is EPO best expressed in?

Answer 5

CHO, mammalian (eukaryotic) cells

Question 6

Where is AT best expressed in?

Answer 6

Transgenic animals

Question 7

What are reasons for designing new proteins?

Answer 7

Improved therapeutics, industrial applications, biotechnology and biomedical research, drug discovery and development, agricultural and environmental applications, precision medicine, biodefence and biosecurity

Question 8

How do we design new proteins?

Answer 8

Identify a need, target selection, design the protein, gene synthesis, expression and purification, characterisation and optimisation, validation and testing

Question 9

How can biotechnology be used in gene therapy?

Answer 9

Viral vectors can be used to insert a recombinant gene into a patients cells for a permanent fix

Question 10

What is the problem with using gene therapy to treat type 1 diabetes?

Answer 10

The pancreatic beta-cells are destroyed therefore lacking the gene is not the problem, and there is no gene to be delivered

Question 11

What is the solution to the problem with using gene therapy to treat type 1 diabetes?

Answer 11

Reprogramming pancreatic alpha-cells to behave as beta-cells

Question 12

What is the protein used to produce dairy products?

Answer 12

Casein

Question 13

Why would we want to produce dairy products without the need of animals?

Answer 13

Lower carbon emissions, easier mass production at a lower cost and increase the ability to feed growing populations