Chapter 12 Biotechnology
1. Multiple choice questions
Question 1.
MU The bacterium which causes a plant disease called crown gall is ………………..
(a) Helicobacter pylori
(b) Agrobacterium tumifaciens
(c) Thermophilus aquaticus
(d) Bacillus thuringienesis
Answer:
(b) Agrobacterium tumtfaciens
Question 2.
The enzyme nuclease hydrolyses ……………….. of polynucleotide chain of DNA.
(a) hydrogen bonds
(b) phosphodiester bonds
(c) glycosidic bonds
(d) peptide bonds
Answer:
(b) phosphodiester bonds
Question 3.
In vitro amplification of DNA or RNA segment is known as ………………..
(a) chromatography
(b) southern blotting
(c) polymerase chain reaction
(d) gel electrophoresis
Answer:
(c) polymerase chain reaction
Question 4.
Which of the following is the correct recognition sequence of restriction
enzyme hind III.
(a) 5′ —A-A-G-C-T-T— 3′
3′ —T-T-C-G-A-A—5′
(b) 5′ — G-A-A-T-T-C—3′
3′ — C-T-T-A-A-G—5′
(c) 5′ — C-G-A-T-T-C—3′
3′ — G-C-T-A-A-G—5′
(d) 5′ — G-G-C-C—3′
3′ — C-C-G-G—5′
Answer:
(a) 5’ —A-A-G-C-T-T—3’
3’ —T-T-C-G-A-A—5’
Question 5.
Recombinant protein ……………….. is used to dissolve blood clots present in the
body.
(a) insulin
(b) tissue plasminogen activator
(c) relaxin
(d) erythropoietin
Answer:
(b) tissue plasminogen activator
Question 6.
Recognition sequence of restriction enzymes are generally ……………….. nucleotide
long.
(a) 2 to 4
(b) 4 to 8
(c) 8 to 10
(d) 14 to 18
Answer:
(b) 4 to 8
2. Very short answer questions
Question 1.
Name the vector which is used in production of human insulin through
recombinant DNA technology.
Answer:
PBR 322
Question 2.
Which cells from Langerhans of pancreas do produce a peptide hormone insulin?
Answer:
cells of islets of Langerhans of a peptide hormone insulin.
Question 3.
Give the role of Ca++ ions in the transfer of recombinant
vector into bacterial host cell.
Answer:
Ca++ ions promotes binding of plasmid DNA to lipo
polysaccharides on bacterial cell surface. Then plasmid can enter the cell on
heat shock.
Question 4.
Expand the following acronyms which are used in the held of biotechnology:
- YAC
- RE
- dNTP
- PCR
- GMO
- MAC
- CCMB.
Answer:
- YAC
: Yeast Artificial chromosome
- RE
: Restriction Endonuclease
- dNTP
: Deoxyribonucleoside triphosphates
- PCR
: Polymerase Chain Reaction
- GMO
: Genetically Modified Organisms
- MAC
: Mammalian Artificial Chromosome
- CCMB
: Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology
Question 5.
Fill in the blanks and complete the chart.
Answer:
3. Short answer type questions.
Question 1.
Explain the properties of a good or ideal cloning vector for r-DNA technology.
Answer:
Desired characteristics of ideal cloning vector are as follows:
- Vector
should be able to replicate independenly (through ori gene), so that as
vector replicates, multiple copies of the DNA insert are also produced.
- It
should be able to easily transferred into host cells.
- It
should have suitable control elements like promoter, operator, ribosomal
binding sites, etc.
- It
should have marker genes for antibiotic resistance and restriction enzyme
recognition sites within them.
Question 2.
A PCR machine can rise temperature up to 100 °C but after that it is not able
to lower the temperature below 70 °C automatically. Which step of PCR will be
hampered first in this faulty machine? Explain why?
Answer:
- If
the faulty machine is not able to lower the temperature below 70 °C, then
the primer annealing step will be hampered first.
- Each
primer has a specific annealing temperature, depending upon its A, T, G, C
content.
- For
most of the primers annealing temperature is about 40-60 °C.
- Hence,
if temperature is more than primers annealing temperature, it will be able
to pair with its complementary sequence in ssDNA.
Question 3.
In the process of r-DNA technology, if two separate restriction enzymes are
used to cut vector and donor DNA then which problem will arise in the formation
of r-DNA or chimeric DNA? Explain.
Answer:
In the process of r-DNA technology, if two separate restriction enzymes are
used to cut vector and donor DNA, then it will result in fragments with
different sticky ends which will not be complementary to each other.
Question 4.
Answer:
4. Long answer type questions.
Question 1.
(i) Define and explain the terms Bioethics.
Answer:
- Bioethics
is the study of moral vision, decision and policies of human behaviour in
relation to biological phenomena or events.
- Bioethics
deals with wide range of reactions on new developments like cloning,
transgenic, gene therapy, eugenics, r-DNA technology, in vitro
fertilization, sperm bank, gene therapy, euthanasia, death, maintaining
those who are in comatose state, prenatal genetic selection, etc.
- Bioethics
also includes the discussion on subjects like what should and should not
be done in using recombinant DNA techniques.
Ethical aspects pertaining to the use of biotechnology
are:
- Use
of animals cause great sufferings to them.
- Violation
of integration of species caused due to transgenosis.
- Transfer
of human genes into animals and vice versa.
- Indiscriminate
use of biotechnology pose risk to the environment, health and
biodiversity.
- The
effects of GMO on non-target organisms, insect resistance crops, gene
flow, the loss of diversity.
- Modification
process disrupting the natural process of biological entities.
(ii) Define and explain the term Biopiracy.
Answer:
- Biopiracy
is defined as ‘theft of various natural products and then selling them by
getting patent without giving any benefits or compensation back to the
host country’.
- It
is unauthorized misappropriation of any biological resource and
traditional knowledge.
- It
is bio-patenting of bio-resource or traditional knowledge of another
nation without proper permission of the concerned nation or unlawful
exploitation and use of bioresources without giving compensation.
Following are the examples of biopiracy:
(a) Patenting of Neem (Azadirachta indica):
- Pirating
India’s traditional knowledge about the properties and uses of neem, the
USDA and an American MNC W.R. Grace sought a patent from the European
Patent Office (EPO) on the “method for controlling on plants by the aid of
hydrophobic extracted neem oil,” in the early 90s.
- The
patenting of the fungicidal properties of Neem, was an example of
biopiracy.
(b) Patenting of Basmati:
- Texmati
is a trade name of “Basmati rice line and grains” for which Texas based
American company Rice Tec Inc was awarded a patent by the US Patent and
Trademark Office (USPTO) in 1997.
- This
is a case of biopiracy as Basmati is a long-grained, aromatic variety of
rice indigenous to the Indian subcontinent.
- Very
broad claims about “Inventing” the said rice was the basis of patent
application.
- The
UPSTO has rejected all the claims due to people movement against Rice Tec
in March 2001.
(c) Haldi (Turmeric) Biopiracy:
- A
patent claim about the healing properties of Haldi was made by two
American researchers of Indian origin of the University of Mississippi
Medical Center, to the US Patent and Trademark Office.
- They
were granted a patent in March 1995.
- This
is an example of biopiracy because healing properties of Haldi is not a
new discovery, but it is a traditional knowledge in ayurvedas for
centuries.
- The
Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) applied to the US
Patent Office for a reexamination and they realized the mistake and
cancelled the patent.
(iii) Define and explain the term Biopatent.
Answer:
- Biopatent
is a biological patent awarded for strains of microorganisms, cell lines,
genetically modified strains, DNA sequences, biotechnological processes,
product processes, product and product applications.
- It
allows the patent holder to exclude others from making, using, selling or
importing protected invention for a limited period of time.
- Duration
of biopatentis five years from the date of the grant or seven years from
the date of filing the patent application, whichever is less.
- Awarding
biopatents provides encouragement to innovations and promote development
of scientific culture in society. It also emphasizes the role of biology
in shaping human society.
- First
biopatent was awarded for genetically engineered bacterium ‘Pseudomonas’
used for clearing oils spills.
- Patent
jointly issued by Delta and Pineland company and US department of
agriculture having title ‘control of plant gene expression’, is based on a
gene that produces a protein toxic to plant and thus prevents seed
germination.
This patent was not granted by Indian government. Such a
patent is considered morally unacceptable and fundamentally unequitable. Such
patents would pose a threat to global food security as financially powerful
corporations would acquire monopoly over biotechnological process.
Question 2.
Explain the steps in process of r-DNA technology with suitable diagrams.
Answer:
The steps involved in gene cloning are as follows:
(1) Isolation of DNA (gene) from the donor organism:
- To
obtain the desired gene to be cloned, the cells of the donor organism are
sheared with the blender and treated with suitable detergent. Genetic
material is then isolated and purified.
- Isolated
purified DNA is then cleaved using restriction Endonucleases.
- Restriction
fragment containing desired gene is isolated and selected for cloning.
This is now called foreign DNA or passanger DNA.
- A
desired gene can also be obtained directly from genomic library or c-DNA
library.
(2) Insertion of desired foreign gene into a cloning
vector (vehicle DNA):
- The
foreign DNA or passanger DNA is inserted into a cloning vector (vehicle
DNA) like bacterial plasmids and the bacteriophages like lamda phage and
M13. The most commonly used plasmid is pBR 322.
- Plasmids
are isolated from the bacteria and are cleaved by using same RE which is
used in the isolation of the desired gene from the donor.
- Enzyme
DNA ligase is used to join foreign DNA and the plasmid DNA.
- Plasmid
DNA containing foreign DNA is called recombinant DNA (r-DNA) or chimeric
DNA.
(3) Transfer of r-DNA into suitable competent host or
cloning organism:
- The
r-DNA is introduced into a competent host cell, which is mostly a
bacterium.
- Host
cell takes up naked r-DNA by process of ‘transformation’ and incorporates
it into its own chromosomal DNA which finally expresses the trait
controlled by passenger DNA.
- The
transfer of r-DNA into a bacterial cell is assisted by divalent Ca++.
- The
cloning organisms are E.coli and Agrobacterium tumifaciens.
- The
competent host cells which have taken up r-DNA are called transformed
cells.
- By
using techniques like electroporation, microinjection, lipofection, shot
gun, ultrasonification, biolistic method, etc. Foreign DNA can also be
transferred directly into the naked cell or protoplast of the competent
host cell, without using vector.
- In
plant biotechnology the transformation is through Ti plasmids of A.
tumifaciens.
(4) Selection of the transformed host cell:
- For
isolation of recombinant cell from non-recombinant cell, marker gene of
plasmid vector is employed.
- For
example, pBR322 plasmid vector contains different marker genes like
ampicillin resistant gene and tetracycline resistant gene. When pstl RE is
used, it knocks out ampicillin resistant gene from the plasmid, so that
the recombinant cells become sensitive to ampicillin.
(5) Multiplication of transformed host cell:
- The
transformed host cells are introduced into fresh culture media where they
divide.
- The
recombinant DNA carried by them also multiplies.
(6) Expression of gene to obtain desired product. Then
desired products like enzymes, antibiotiocs etc. separated and purified through
down stream processing using bioreactors.
Question 3.
Explain the gene therapy. Give two types of it.
Answer:
Gene therapy is the treatment of genetic disorders by replacing, altering or
supplementing a gene that is absent or abnormal and whose absence or
abnormality is responsible for the disease.
Types of gene therapy:
(a) Germ line gene therapy:
- In
this germ cells are modified genetically to correct a genetic defect.
- Normal
gene is introduced into germ cells like sperms, eggs, early embryos.
- It
allows transmission of the modified genetic information to the next
generation.
- Although
it is highly effective in treatment of the genetic disorders, its use is
not preferred in human beings because of various technical and ethical
reasons.
(b) Somatic cell gene therapy:
- In
this somatic cells are modified genetically to correct a genetic defect.
- Healthy
genes are introduced in somatic cells like bone marrow cells, hepatic
cells, fibroblasts endothelium and pulmonary epithelial cells, central
nervous system, endocrine cells and smooth muscle cells of blood vessel
walls.
- Modification
of somatic cells only affects the person being treated and the modified
chromosomes cannot be passed on the future generations.
- Somatic
cell gene therapy is the only feasible option and the clinical trials have
already employed for the treatment of disorders like cancer, rheumatoid
arthritis, SCID, Gaucher’s disease, familial hypercholesterolemia,
haemophilia, phenylketonuria, cystic fibrosis, sickle-cell anaemia,
Duchenne muscular dystrophy, emphysema, thalassemia, etc.
Question 4.
How are the transgenic mice used in cancer research?
Answer:
- Transgenic
mice are used in various research areas of cancer research.
- Transgenic
mice containing a particular oncogene (cancer causing gene) develop
specific cancer.
- They
are used to study the relationship between oncogenes and cancer
development, cancer treatment and prevention of malignancy.
- The
transgenic mouse model for the investigation of the breast cancer was
developed in the laboratory of Philip Leder in Harvard (USA).
- Transgenic
mice containing oncogenes myc and ras were analyzed to find out role of
these genes in the development of breast cancer.
Question 5.
Give the steps in PCR or polymerase chain reaction with suitable diagrams.
Answer:
(1) The DNA segment and excess of two primer molecules,
four types of dNTPs, the thermostable DNA polymerase are mixed together in
‘eppendorf tube’.
(2) One PCR cycle is of 3-4 minutes duration and it
involves following steps:
- Denaturation
: The reaction mixture is heated at 90-98°C. Due to this hydrogen bonds in
the DNA break and two strands of DNA separate. This is called
denaturation.
- Annealing
of primer : When the reaction mixture is cooled to 40-60°C, the primer
pairs with its complementary sequences in ssDNA. This is called annealing.
- Extension
of primer : In this step, the temperature is increased to 70-75°C. At this
temperature thermostable Taq DNA polymerase adds nucleotides to 3’end of
primer using single-stranded DNA as template. This is called primer
extension. Duration of this step is about two minutes.
(3) In an automatic thermal cycler, the above three steps
are automatically repeated 20-30 times.
(4) Thus, at the end of ‘n’ cycles 2n copies of DNA segments, get synthesized.
Question 6.
What is a vaccine? Give advantages of oral vaccines or edible vaccines.
Answer:
- A
vaccine is a biological preparation that provides active acquired immunity
against a certain disease.
- Vaccine
is often made from a weakened or killed form of the microorganism, its
toxins or one of its surface protein antigens.
- Edible
vaccine is an edible plant part engineered to produce an immunogenic
protein, which when consumed gets recognized by immune system.
- Immunogenic
protein of certain pathogens are active when’administered orally.
- When
animals or mainly humans consume these plant parts, they get vaccinated
against certain pathogen.
- Oral
or edible vaccines have low cost, they are easy to administer and store.
Question 7.
Enlist different types of restriction enzymes commonly used in r-DNA
technology? Write on their role.
Answer:
- Different
restriction enzymes commonly used in r-DNA technology are Alu I, Bam HI,
Eco RI, Hind II, Hind III, Pst I, Sal I, Taq I, Mbo II, Hpa I, Bgl I, Not
I, Kpn I, etc.
- They
are the molecular scissors which recognize and cut the phosphodiester back
bone of DNA on both strands, at highly specific sequences.
- The
sites recognized by them are called recognition sequences or recognition
sites.
- Different
restriction enzymes found in different organisms recognize different
nucleotide sequences and therefore cut DNA at different sites.
- Restriction
cutting may result in DNA fragments with blunt ends or cohesive or sticky
ends or staggered ends (having short, single stranded projections).
- Restriction
endonucleases like Bam HI and EcoRI produce fragments with sticky ends.
- Restriction
endonucleases like Alu I, Hind III produce fragments with blunt ends.
- Type
I restriction endonucleases fuction simultaneously as endonuclease and
methylase e.g. EcoK.
- Type
II restriction endonucleases have separate cleaving and methylation
activities. They are more stable and are used in r-DNA technology e.g.
EcoRI, Bgll. They cut DNA at specific sites within the palindrome.
- Type
III restriction endonucleases cut DNA at specific non-palindromic
sequences e.g. Hpal, MboII.
- In
bacterial cells, REs destroy various viral DNAs that might enter the cell,
thus restricting the potential growth of the virus.
Question 8.
Enlist and write in brief about the different biological tools required in
r-DNA technology.
Answer:
The biological tools used in r-DNA technology are various enzymes, cloning
vectors and competent hosts.
(1) Enzymes:
- Enzymes
like lysozymes, nucleases (exonucleases and endonucleases), DNA ligase,
reverse transcriptase, DNA polymerase, alkaline phosphatases, etc. are
used in r-DNA technology.
- The
restriction endonucleases are used as biological or molecular scissors.
They are able to cut a DNA molecule at a specific recognition site.
(2) Vectors:
- Vectors
are DNA molecules which carry foreign DNA segment and replicate inside the
host cell.
- Vectors
may be plasmids, bacteriophages (M13, lambda virus), cosmid, phagemids,
BAC (bacterial artificial chromosome), YAC (yeast artificial chromosome),
transposons, baculoviruses and mammalian artificial chromosomes (MACs).
- Most
commonly used vectors are plasmid vectors (pBR 322, pUC, Ti plasmid) and
bacteriophages (lamda phage, M13 phage).
(3) Competent host cells:
- They
are bacteria like Bacillus haemophilus, Helicobacter pyroliand E. coli.
- Mostly
E. coli is used for the transformation with recombinant DNA.