Unit 4 - Ch. 20: Biotechnology

Question 1

What is recombinant DNA technology?

Answer 1

Combining DNA from two different sources to study gene function, create transgenic organisms, or for gene therapy

Question 2

What is gene cloning?

Answer 2

Isolating and replicating a specific DNA sequence to produce many copies

Question 3

What are the components of a gene cloning experiment?

Answer 3

Chromosomal DNA (gene of interest) and Vector DNA (carrier like plasmids with origin of replication and selectable marker)

Question 4

What do restriction enzymes do?

Answer 4

Cut DNA at specific palindromic sequences, creating sticky or blunt ends for ligation

Question 5

What are the steps in the gene cloning process?

Answer 5

1) Digest chromosomal and vector DNA,
2) Ligate them
3) Transform bacteria with recombinant vector.

Question 6

What is PCR and who developed it?

Answer 6

Polymerase Chain Reaction amplifies DNA without a host; developed by Kary Mullis in 1985

Question 7

What are the 3 main steps of PCR?

Answer 7

Denaturation (95°C), Annealing (45–65°C), Extension (72°C)

Question 8

What is RT-PCR used for?

Answer 8

Quantifies RNA by converting it to DNA using reverse transcriptase

Question 9

What is reproductive cloning?

Answer 9

Creating genetically identical organisms, e.g., Dolly the sheep

Question 10

What is CRISPR-Cas?

Answer 10

A gene editing tool that uses Cas9 protein and guide RNA to cut DNA at a target site

Question 11

What are the two DNA repair pathways after CRISPR cuts?

Answer 11

Nonhomologous end joining (NHEJ) and Homologous recombination repair (HRR)

Question 12

What are the types of vaccines?

Answer 12

Live-attenuated, inactivated, subunit, toxoid, viral vector, mRNA

Question 13

What is herd immunity?

Answer 13

When most of a population is immune, preventing disease spread