RFI midterm Flashcards
What is biotechnology?
Study & manipulation of living things or their components
What is data?
Information gathered during an experiment
What is a hypothesis?
Testable prediction to a scientific question
What is a journal?
Scientific magazine in which scientists publish their experiments
What is recombinant DNA?
DNA from 2 or more source organisms in 1 molecule
What is a variable?
A factor that gets manipulated during an experiment
What are the steps in the process development of a pharma product?
Product ID,
R&D,
Small scale manufacture, Tests for safety & efficacy, Manufacturing (at a normal scale),
Sales marketing
What are federal agencies involved in biotechnology?
FDA: Food & Drugs, EPA: Environment, USDA: meats & dairy
What are chromosomes?
Long DNA molecule wrapped around histone proteins
What are macromolecules?
Large molecules composed of repeating smaller molecules
What are organelles?
Specialized membrane bound structures with certain functions in the cell
What is photosynthesis?
Process in which plants & algae use light energy to make chemical energy
What are proteins?
Macromolecules composed of amino acids bound by peptide bonds
What are eukaryotic organisms?
Animals, plants, fungi & protozoa
What are prokaryotic organisms?
Organisms without a nucleus or membrane bound organelles
What is insulin?
A hormone that regulates metabolism
What is CD4?
Glycoprotein T-cell receptor
What is hemoglobin?
Protein that transports oxygen in the blood
What is keratin?
Structural, fibrous proteins
What is amylase?
Enzyme that catalyzes starch to sugars
What does aqueous mean?
Water is the solvent in the solution
What is a buffer?
A solution that resists change in pH
What is concentration?
Proportion of solute to solvent
What is dilution?
Addition of solvent to make the solution less concentrated
What is a micropipette?
Under 1 mL
What is a pipet?
1-20 mL
What is a graduated cylinder?
Larger volumes 1-1000 mL
What is a tabletop balance?
1-100 grams
What is an analytical balance?
Under 1 gram
What is the equation for mass?
Concentration x volume = mass
What is the equation for mass using molecular weight?
Volume x concentration (mol/L) x molecular weight = mass
What is the equation for mass using decimal value?
Decimal value x volume = mass
What is an enhancer?
Region of DNA that increases gene expression
What is an exon?
A section of gene that gets expressed
What is gel electrophoresis?
Using electricity to separate molecules on a gel slab
What is gene therapy?
Process of correcting DNA codes that cause genetic disorders
What are the steps of genetic engineering?
Identify a molecule to enhance, Isolate a gene of interest, Transfer the gene into host organism
What is agarose electrophoresis?
Method to separate larger DNA fragments
What is polyacrylamide electrophoresis?
To separate smaller molecules like proteins
What is an epitope?
Specific region on antigen where an antibody will bind
What are hybridomas?
Immortal tumor cells fused with specific white blood cells that produce monoclonal antibodies
What is PAGE?
Method of separating DNA or proteins using a vertical gel made of polyacrylamide
What are the steps in PAGE?
Coomasie blue stain,
Buffer to conduct electricity,
Loading dye to visualize samples & monitor sample migration
polyacrylamide percentage
What is polyacrylamide percentage?
Choose a certain percent to achieve best separation → start with gradient
What is translation in biotechnology?
RNA nucleotide code is used to make a polypeptide
What is the primary structure of a protein?
A chain of amino acids bonded through peptide bonds
What is the secondary structure of a protein?
Hydrogen bonding between carboxyl group and alpha amino acids for beta pleated and alpha helices
What is the tertiary structure of a protein?
Folding due to interactions between non-polar & polar amino acids
What is the quaternary structure of a protein?
Disulfide bonds between different polypeptide chains
What is the goal of a biotech company?
Provide a product or service that is useful to society and profit
What is a product pipeline?
An assortment of products at various stages of development that need to be reviewed regularly
Where can biotech research labs be found?
In companies, universities, and government agencies
What is recombinant DNA technology?
Branch of science started when they found out how to cut and paste pieces of DNA
What is agricultural biotech?
To make transgenic crops
What is a scientific notebook?
Hypothesis, experimental plan, and data
What was the first biotech pharma product?
t-PA activator - dissolves blood clots
What are membrane proteins?
Transport molecules in & out of the cell, Identify & recognize other molecules, Maintain cell shape
What is translation in the context of mRNA?
Amino acids are connected together in the order specified by the mRNA
What is recombinant insulin?
Causes less allergies & works well in humans & is more readily available
What is cell specialization?
Different cell types perform different functions
What is glucose?
A monosaccharide that gives us a lot of energy
What are phospholipids?
Have hydrophobic tails & hydrophilic heads
What are carbohydrates in the context of DNA isolation?
Interfere with the purification process during DNA isolation
How many different proteins are there?
2000 different proteins
What is tap water used for in a lab?
Only to wash glassware
4 different types of product categories.
Pharmaceuticals/ medical products
Agricultural products
industrial/ environmental products
Research or production instruments
