Topic 6 - Genetic Engineering

Question 1

Give one useful substance that bacteria has been genetically modified to produce.

Answer 1

Human insulin

Question 2

How could genetic modification be used in medicine in the future.

Answer 2

It could be used to treat inherited diseases with faulty genes.

Question 3

Give two reasons why crops might be genetically modified.

Answer 3

Increase crop yield.

To produce plants more resistant to disease, insects and herbicides.

Question 4

A population of species of insects live in a crop field. Explain one possible effect of growing GM crops has on the insects. (2 marks)

Answer 4

GM crops may have more or less wild flowers.

This will either increase or decrease the population.

Question 5

How is a useful gene isolated from an organisms genome? (4 marks)

Answer 5

A useful gene is isolated from a genome.
It is cut out using an enzyme as a vector.
The vector is usual a virus a bacterial plasmid.
When the vector is introduced to a target organism a useful gene is inserted into its cell.

Question 6

How do scientists transfer an isolated gene into a target cell? (2 marks)

Answer 6

A vector.

Usually a plasmid or a virus.