Revision Questions: Biotechnology Applications

The questions that follow are strictly based on NCERT class 12 Lesson 12: Biotechnology & Its applications

The aim of these questions to make the student familiar with the concepts presented in the book, to enable the students to grasp the concepts and to help them solve higher level questions at a later stage.

However, it is very important that the questions are solved by the students only with the help of NCERT book and not with the help of Internet. 

Primary goal is to help in reading and understanding the lesson through reading text.

So here goes:

QUESTIONS:

1. 3 Critical areas & 4 fields of applications of Biotechnology
2. 5 advantages of GMO
3. Draw flow charts to elucidate:

• Mode of production & activation of toxins produced by Bacillus thuringiensis
• Mechanism of control of Meloidogyne by RNAi  
• Production of Human Insulin by Eli Lily
• Method of treatment of ADA Deficiency

Biotechnology In Agriculture

1. Which groups of insects are vulnerable to crystals of Proteins of Bacillus thuringiensis?
2. Does Bacillus thuringiensis produces toxic proteins at all stages of its life cycle? Why is the bacteria itself not vulnerable to the toxic present in its protein crystals?
3. How is activity of protoxin different from that of toxin present in Bacillus thuringiensis protein crystals.
   
4. How will your choice of cry gene for producing insect resistant crop vary if you are growing:

• Cotton
• Corn

Why does your choice vary?

1. What is Meloidogyne incognita? what is its significance?
2. What are transposons? How are they involved in RNA interference?
3. When does RNAi occur naturally in an organism?
4. which other agents, besides Transposons, are involved in RNAi?

Biotechnology & Its Applications: Key points

	Name: ________________________________________ Class:  ______________________     Topic:  BIOTECHNOLOGY & ITS APPLICATIONS Date:   _______/ _____/ ________                                          Period ______
QUESTIONS	NOTES
	AGRICULTURE
	Bt: Bacillus thuringiensis
	Bacillus thuringiensis produces a protein that kills certain insects: lepidopterans (tobacco budworm, army worm), coleopterans (beetles), dipterans (flies, mosquito)
	Bacillus thuringiensis form protein crystals that are insecticidal
	In Bacillus – present as inactive protein – protoxin
	Inside insect gut, at alkaline pH, gets converted to active toxin
	Active toxin binds to surface of epithelial lining of insect gut, forms pores, causes swelling, cells lysis, death of insect.
	Genes for Bt toxin cry – 3 types: Cry IAc & cry II Ab for cotton bollworms Cry I Ab for corn borer
	The gene introduced in cotton using Ti plasmid
	RNA interference: production of pest resistant plants – against nematodes
	Meloidegyne incognita (Nematode) infects roots of tobacco & damages plants
	RNA interference – not allowing expression of mRNA by creating a dsRNA
	dsRNA can be made by making a complementary strand of RNA, which binds to mRNA – RNA silencing
What are transposons? Genes that are able to chang their position, replicate through RNA intermediate	In our body it occurs as a method of cellular defense – introduced by infecting viruses or transposons (jumping genes)
	To control nematodes infection – nematode genes introduced in tobacco (host)
	Host makes both sense antisense RNA for these genes
	The 2 RNAs being complementary bind to nematode RNA & do not allow it to express – silencing
	Nematode not able to survive in host
	MEDICINE
	Genetically engineered Insulin – humulin
	Structure of Insulin: Proinsulin – 3 peptides (A, B, C) In mature Insulin: C removed. A & B remain Company: Eli Lily Technque: E. coli populations 1 with gene for A peptide 2 with gene for B peptide separately formed A& B isolated and joined together by disulfide bridges in vitro
	GENE THERAPY
	Adenosine Deaminase deficiency (ADA deficiency)
	ADA enzyme – for immune system
	Disease due to defective Gene for Adenosine deaminase (ADA)
	Problem: Lmphocyte not able to fight diseases (defective)
	Cure: Bone marrow transplantation – not very successful. Possible in small children Enzyme replacement therapy – lymphocyte from blood isolated                   cDNA containing unction ADA gene inserted (using retrovirus vector)                 functional lymphocyte returned to blood Problem: Lymphocyte die. So need to be replaced periodically
	Permanent cure: Genetic engineering of bone marrow cells (that form lymphocyte)
	Molecular Diagnosis
	ELISA : enzyme linked immunosorbent assay Based on antigen antibody interaction
	PCR: can detect very low amount of DNA
a-1-antitrypsin: used to cure emphysema Also cure for phenyl ketonuria & Cystic fibrosis Transgnic Cow (Rosie) protein rich milk (2.4gm/l); human alpha lactalbumin enriched	Transgenic Animals: Advantages Study of normal physiology & development Study of disease Production of Biological products Vaccine safety testing Chemical safety testing
What is Biopiracy?	GEAC: Genetic Engineering Approval Committee: Indian committee for check on Genetic research Indian patents Bill Attempts at Biopiracy: Basmati Rice, Neem, Turmeric
SUMMARY:  Write 4 or more sentences describing specific learning from these notes. __________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________

KEY POINTS ORGANISMS AND POPULATION PART 1

XII	Topic:  ORGANISM AND POPULATION
QUESTIONS	NOTES
	Ecology: study of interactions among org., n b/w its phy/abiotic env
	4 levels: organisms <  population <  communities < biomes
	At org level – physiological (adaptations for survival n reproduction) along course of evolution thru nat selection… adaptations developed
	Biome formation: rotation of sun leading to temp variations, seasons, precipitation
	Major Biomes: Desert, Grassland, Tropical, Temperate n Coniferous forests, Arctic n Alpine Tundra
	Habitat: Regional & local variation
	*Intestine (habitat for 100s of microbes)
	Habitat determined by:
	Temp: variations due to season, altitude, altitude.             Range sub 0 - >50 deg C Excep: thermal springs, deep sea hydrothermal vents (temp upto 100 deg C)
	Impact of temp on: enzyme Kinetics  Basal Metabolism Physiological functions