Unit 7: Biotechnology

Which restriction enzyme(s) from above create sticky ends? 

• Alul

• BamHI

• EcoRI

• HaeIII

• HindIII

Answer explanation

Alul and HaeIII are seen as blunt end while the rest are in fact sticky

The Brahman cattle have good resistance to high temperature, but its meat is poor and tough to eat. The English shorthorn cattle, on the other hand, have good meat, but poor resistance to high temperatures. Scientists formed the Santa Gertrudis cattle by breeding Brahmans with English shorthorns. This new type of cattle has good meat and resistance to high temperatures. This is an example of

• inbreeding

• genetic engineering

• selective breeding

• natural selection

Answer explanation

Scientists used selective breeding to create the Santa Gerturdis cattle. They crossbred two types of cattle to create a new type with the desired characteristics: resistance of heat and good meat.

Scientists typically transgenically alter ________ to produce more desirable species.

• bacteria

• humans

• livestock

• plants

Answer explanation

Scientists typically transgenically alter plants to produce more desireable species. An example would be producing sweet, white corn from yellow, starchy cow corn.

Farmer Brown grows corn for a living. One day, Farmer Green suggests to Farmer Brown that he should clone his best corn plant in order to produce more ears of corn per plant. Farmer Brown is not sure about Farmer Green's idea.

Why might Farmer Brown be hesitant to clone his corn?

• Cloning the corn plants is difficult and expensive to accomplish.

• Cloning eliminates the ability to sexually reproduce and provide genetic variability.

• Cloned plants would have increased genetic variability as well as a shortened life expectancy.

• The cloned corn would not have the same taste as the original plants.

Answer explanation

Cloning eliminates the ability to sexually reproduce and provide genetic variability. . Genetic variability is essential for the long-term survival of the species as the strongest plants would best survive and reproduce. If a disease came in that affected one of the cloned plants, all of the others would be affected as well, while the genetic variability of the naturally-reproducing plants might provide some survival abilities.

As scientists have developed more productive crop varieties, farmers have switched from growing many traditional varieties to new high-yield varieties. For example, in Peru, the Chachapoyas of the Inca Empire once grew 500 native varieties of potatoes. That number has been reduced to about twenty major potato varieties, worldwide.

Why is it potentially dangerous to reduce the number of crop species in potatoes?

• It reduces the variety of crops available for human diets.

• It requires a larger investment than small farmers can make.

• It makes the overall crop more susceptible to pests or disease.

• It could reduce or cause the extinction of some predatory insects.

Answer explanation

It makes the overall crop more susceptible to pests or disease. One variety of potato may be less susceptible to potato blight than another, so it may survive and keep producing potatoes, whereas the other one died.

Gel electrophoresis is used to __________ DNA fragments.

• cut

• copy

• join

• separate

Answer explanation

Separate. Gel electrophoresis separates fragments of DNA. A current is run through the gel, and the negatively charged DNA fragments migrate towards the positive electrode, according to size.

Many farmers now grow insect-resistant varieties of cotton. The gene for the favorable trait, in this case, insect resistance, is transferred to the cotton's DNA using

• DNA fingerprinting.

• in vitro fertilization.

• bacterial plasmids.

• tissue culture.

Answer explanation

Genes are transferred to plant chromosomes using bacterial plasmids. The recombinant plasmid, once introduced into the plant nucleus, is integrated into the plant DNA.

What determines the function of a specialized cell?

• the number of chromosomes in the cell

• the type of RNA in the cell

• the active genes in the cell

• the number of ribosomes in the cell

Answer explanation

Cell specialization refers to the process of differential gene expression by which cells differentiate to perform specific tasks

An evil thief has been stealing moped scooters from Cowtown. The 'Scooter Bandit' has successfully stolen seventeen scooters from local citizens in a period of two months, leaving residents cowering in fear. One fateful night the thief takes Detective Willoughby's 'Kaihatsu Raging Pink Zebra 77CX', and while committing the crime, accidentally cuts himself. Despite his escape, Detective Willoughby is able to recover blood evidence. However, it doesn't seem like it will be enough to use for identification.

What should the detective do to get enough DNA?

• Use Genetic Splicing

• Use recombinant DNA

• Use Gel Electrophoresis

• Use PCR 

Answer explanation

PCR is perfect for making copies of what needs to be and out of the options, this would help the detective out to figure out what has been happening

Bacterial DNA is used frequently in genetic engineering because

• it is found in the cytoplasm as a simple circle.

• it carries millions of genes.

• it is compact and linear.

• it is found within a nucleus in a circular form.

Answer explanation

Bacterial DNA is very accessible and used frequently in genetic engineering because it is found in the cytoplasm in a simple circle.The simplicity of bacterial DNA allows it to be cut and spliced easily by genetic engineers.