AP Bio - Biotechnology Flashcard

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What is a negative control in an experiment?

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A negative control is a part of an experiment that is not expected to produce a positive result. It serves as a safeguard against false positives.

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What is a positive control in an experiment?

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A positive control is a part of an experiment that is expected to produce a positive result. It helps to ensure that the experimental setup is capable of producing results.

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What is gel electrophoresis?

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Gel electrophoresis is a laboratory technique used to separate DNA, RNA, or proteins based on their size and charge.

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Why might there be no growth on a bacterial plate?

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No growth on a bacterial plate may occur if the initial culture was not resistant to the antibiotic present, such as ampicillin.

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What direction does DNA move in gel electrophoresis?

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DNA moves towards the positive electrode when an electric current is applied during gel electrophoresis.

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What is the purpose of a control in an experiment?

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The purpose of a control is to provide a standard for comparison and to validate the results of the experiment.

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What does it mean if a result is statistically significant?

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A statistically significant result indicates that the observed effect is unlikely to have occurred by chance, suggesting a real effect.

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What is the role of agarose gel in gel electrophoresis?

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Agarose gel acts as a medium through which DNA fragments can migrate, allowing for their separation based on size.

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What is transformation in biotechnology?

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Transformation is the process of introducing foreign DNA into a cell, allowing the cell to express new genetic traits.

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What is the significance of using ampicillin in bacterial cultures?

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Ampicillin is used to select for bacteria that have been transformed with a plasmid containing an ampicillin resistance gene.