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BIOTECHNOLOGY AND ITS APPLICATIONS

ONE MARK QUESTIONS

1. Mention a gene that codes for insecticidal protein in Bt cotton (M-19)

CryIAc OR cryIIAb OR cryIAb

TWO MARKS QUESTIONS

1. What is gene therapy? Name the disorder to which clinical gene therapy was given first.
(J-15)
Gene therapy can be defined as a collection of methods that allows the correction of a gene defect that
has been diagnosed in a child or embryo.
OR
Gene therapy is the replacement of a faulty gene by a healthy and functional gene.

ADA (Adenosine deaminase Deficiency)

2. Mention any two critical research areas of biotechnology (S-20)

1. Providing best and improved organism i.e. microbe or enzyme as catalyst
2. Providing optimum conditions to the catalyst to act through genetic engineering
3. Purification of protein/organic compound through downstream processing
(ANY TWO)

THREE MARKS QUESTIONS

1. In which ways genetically modified plants are useful. (J-15)

1. Made crops more tolerant to abiotic stresses like cold, drought, salt, heat etc.
2. Increased the tolerance of plants to diseases.
3. Reduced reliance (dependent) on chemical pesticides.
4. Helped to reduce post harvest losses.
5. Increased efficiency of mineral usage by plants.
(ANY THREE POINTS)

2. How is ADA deficiency cured by gene therapy? (S-20)

 Lymphocytes from patient’s blood were grown in a culture outside the body.
 Functional ADA cDNA was introduced into these lymphocytes using a retroviral vector.
 These lymphocytes were transferred into the patient’s body.
 This method is a temporary cure as lymphocytes are not immortal; the patient requires periodic
infusion of such genetically engineered lymphocytes.

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  The genes of Bone marrow cells producing ADA can be replaced by gene therapy at the early
embryonic stage will be a permanent cure of this disease.
 Gene therapy involves gene targeting involving gene amplification is attempted in an individual’s
tissue to treat disease

FIVE MARKS QUESTIONS

1. “One of the applications of biotechnology is the production of insect resistant crop plants.” Justify the
statement with reference to Bt-cotton (M-14) (J-16) (M-18)

 The ‘cry’ gene – ‘cryIAc’ and cryIIAb’ from Bacillus thuringiensis coding for the toxins are transferred to
cotton plants. The proteins encoded by these genes control the bollworms.
 These Bt cotton plants express the Bt toxin gene by producing the toxin that provides insect resistance.
 Bt toxin is a toxic insecticidal protein formed in the form of protein crystals that kills certain insects.
 It exists as inactive protoxin and once an insect ingests the inactive toxin, it is converted into an active
form of toxin due to the alkaline pH of the gut which solubilise the crystals.
 The activated toxin binds to the surface of epithelial cells of the midgut and creates pores which cause
cell swelling and lysis and eventually the death of the insect.

2. a) What is Biopiracy? Explain it with reference to Basmati Rice. (3 M)

b) What are genetically modified organisms? Name two Bt toxin producing plant. (2 M)
(J-14)
a) Biopiracy is defined as the use of bioresources by multinational companies and other organizations
without proper autherisation from the countries and the concerned people without compensatory
payment.
Example: Basmati Rice patenting by America
 The diversity of rice in India is one of the richest in the world. Basmati rice is distinct for its unique
aroma and flavour and 27 documented varieties of Basmati are grown in India.
 In 1997, an American company got patent rights on Basmati rice through the US Patent and
Trademark Office. This allowed the company to sell a ‘new’ variety of Basmati, in the US and
abroad.
 This ‘new’ variety of Basmati had actually been derived from Indian farmer’s varieties. Indian
Basmati was crossed with semi-dwarf varieties and claimed as an invention or a novelty by the
American company.

b) Genetically modified organisms (GMO): Plants, bacteria, fungi and animals whose genes have been
altered by manipulation.
Bt toxin producing plants: Bt Cotton, Bt Corn, Bt Potato, Bt Tomato (Any Two)

3. a) Development of Bt-cotton has reduced the use of insecticides. Justify (3 M)

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 b) Write a note on gene therapy. (2 M) (M-15)

a)

 Some strains of Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) produce crystalline insecticidal proteins called Bt toxin coded
by a gene cry that can kill lepidopterians (tobacco budworm, armyworm), coleopterans (beetles) and
dipterans (files, mosquitoes).
 Bacilllus thuringiensis are used in several crop plants.
 Cry genes are incorporated into cotton plants
 Bt toxins are initially inactive protoxins but it becomes active due to alkaline pH of the gut of the insect.
 The activated toxins binds to the epithelial cells of the midgut thus creating pores which causes cell
swelling and lysis, further causing the death of the organisms.

b) Gene therapy can be defined as a collection of methods that allows the correction of a gene defect that has
been diagnosed in a child or embryo.
Adenosine deaminase deficiency is due to deletion of the gene for adenosine deaminase. This can be cured
by gene therapy. Hence immunity is restored.

4. a) What is gene therapy? Give an example. (2M)

b) Write a note on biopiracy with reference to Basmati rice. (3M) (M-16)

a) Gene therapy can be defined as a collection of methods that allows the correction of a gene defect that
has been diagnosed in a child or embryo

Example: The first clinical gene therapy was given in 1990 to a 4-year old girl (Ashanti Desilva) with
adenosine deaminase (ADA) deficiency. This enzyme (Adenosine deaminase) is crucial for the immune
system to function

b) Biopiracy is defined as the use of bioresources by multinational companies and other organizations
without proper autherisation from the countries and the concerned people without compensatory
payment.

Example: Basmati Rice patenting by America

 The diversity of rice in India is one of the richest in the world. Basmati rice is distinct for its unique
aroma and flavour and 27 documented varieties of Basmati are grown in India.
 In 1997, an American company got patent rights on Basmati rice through the US Patent and
Trademark Office. This allowed the company to sell a ‘new’ variety of Basmati, in the US and
abroad.
 This ‘new’ variety of Basmati had actually been derived from Indian farmer’s varieties. Indian
Basmati was crossed with semi-dwarf varieties and claimed as an invention or a novelty by the
American company.

5. a) What is biopiracy? (2 M)

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 b) How ADA deficiency is cured by gene therapy? (3M) (M-17)

a) Biopiracy is defined as the use of bioresources by multinational companies and other organizations
without proper autherisation from the countries and the concerned people without compensatory
payment.

b)
 Lymphocytes from patient’s blood were grown in a culture outside the body.
 Functional ADA cDNA was introduced into these lymphocytes using a retroviral vector.
 These lymphocytes were transferred into the patient’s body.
 This method is a temporary cure as lymphocytes are not immortal; the patient requires periodic
infusion of such genetically engineered lymphocytes.
 The genes of Bone marrow cells producing ADA can be replaced by gene therapy at the early
embryonic stage will be a permanent cure of this disease.
 Gene therapy involves gene targeting involving gene amplification is attempted in an individual’s
tissue to treat disease

6. What is RNA interference ? How does RNA interference helps to develop resistance in tobacco plant against
Nematode infection? (J-17)
 RNA interference is a process involves silencing of a specific mRNA due to a complementary dsRNA
molecule that binds to and prevents translation of the mRNA
 A nematode Meloidegyne incognita infects the roots of the tobacco plants and causes a great reduction
in yield.
 It can be prevented by RNA interference (RNAi) process.
 By using Agrobacterium vectors, nematode specific genes were introduced into the host plants which
produce both sense and antisense RNA in the host cells.
 These two RNAs are complementary to each other and form a double stranded RNA (ds RNA) that
initiates RNAi and hence silences the specific mRNA by preventing the translation of mRNA of the
nematode.
 The nematode cannot survive in the transgenic host, so prevents the plants from pest.
 The source of this complementary RNA could be from an infection by viruses having RNA genomes or
mobile genetic elements (transposons) that replicate via an RNA intermediate.

7. List the benefits of transgenic animals. (J-18) (M-19)(J-19)(M-20)

1. Study of normal physiology and development:

 Transgenic animals can be specially designed to allow the study of how genes are regulated and
how they affect the normal functions of the body and its development.
 For example, study of complex factors involved in growth such as insulin like growth factor.

2. Study of disease:
 Many transgenic animals are designed to understand genes which are responsible for diseases
in human and their treatment.

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  Human diseases like cancer, cystic fibrosis, rheumatoid arthritis and Alzheimer’s diseases can be
studied by developing transgenic animals

3. Biological products:
 Transgenic animals that produce useful biological products can be created by the introduction of
the portion of DNA (or genes) which codes for a particular product such as human protein α-1-
antitrypsin used to treat emphysema.
 Production of proteins by transferring a gene coding for a particular protein into transgenic
animal.
 In 1997 first transgenic cow, Rosie, which produced alpha lactalbumin protein in milk (Protein
enriched milk i.e. 2.4 grams per litre)and it contained more nutrition for human babies than
natural cow milk.
 Similar attempts are being made for treatment of phenylketonuria and cystic fibrosis.

4. Vaccine safety:
 Transgenic mice are being developed to test the safety of Vaccines before being used on humans.
 Ex: Polio vaccine used on transgenic mice before its services

5. Chemical safety testing:

 Transgenic animals are developed to test the toxicity of drugs.
 Transgenic animals are made that carry genes which make them more sensitive to toxic
substances than normal animals.
 Exposure of transgenic animals to toxic substances, their effects is studied in less time.

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