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1. Application of biotechnology include therapetics, diagnostics, genetically

modified crops agriculture, processed food, bioremediation, waste treatment
and energy production
2. Research area of Biotechnology are –
1. Providing the best catalyst
2. 2. Optimum condition
3. 3. Down stream processing.
3. Use of Biotechnology to improve the quality of human life, especially in the
field of food production and heat.
4. Three options that can be traight for increasing food production
1. Agro-chemical based agriculture
2. 2. Organic agriculture
3. 3. Genetically engineering crop-based agriculture.
5. Green Revolution succeeded in tripling the food supply but yet not enough
to feed the growing human population.
6. To minimise the use of fertiliser and chemicals and their harmful effects on the
environment, use of genetically modified crops is a possible solution.
7. Plants, Bacteria, fungi and animals whose genes have altered by
manupulation are called Genetically modified organism (GMO).
8. Genetic Modification plants has
1. Made crops more tolerant to abiotic stresses (Cold, Drought, Salt,
Heat)
2. Reduce reliance on chemical pesticides (Pest resistant plants)
3. Help to reduce post-harvest losses.
4. Increased efficiency of mineral usage by plants.
5. Enhanced nutritional value of food. (Golden rice – vitamin A enriched
rice) [NEET-2019, 2015, 2012][NCERT 208]
9. 9. Bt toxin is produced by a bacterium called Bacillus thuringiensis.
10. 10. Some strains of bacillus thuringiensis produce protein that kill cartain
insects such as –
Lepidopterans : Tobacco budworm, Armyworm
Coleopterans : Beetles Dipterans
Flies: Mosquitoes
11. Bt form protein crystals, (Toxic insecticidal protein) during particular phase of
their growth.
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12. Bt toxin protein exist as inactive protoxin but once an insect ingest the inactive
toxin it is converted into an active form of toxin due to alkaline pH of the gut.
[NEET 2019, 2015][NCERT 208]
13. The activated toxin binds to the surface of midgut epithelium cells and
create pores that causes cell swelling and lysis and eventually cause death of
the insect.
14. Specific Bt toxin genes were isolated from Bacillus thuringiensis into the
several crop plants such as cotton.
15. The choice of genes depends upon the crop and the targeted pest, most Bt
toxins are insect-group specific. [NEET 2020][NCERT 209]
16. The toxin is coded by a gene named cry. [NEET 2020][NCERT 209]
17. Proteins encoded by the genes cryIAc and cryIIAb control the cotton
bollworms and cryIAb controls corn borer.
Pest resistant Plants.
18. Several nematodes parasite affect plants and animals.
19. A nematode Meloidegyne incognitia infects the root of tobacco plants and
reduce greatly the yields. [NEET 2016] [NCERT 209]
20. To prevent infestation RNA interference (RNAi) strategy was adopted.
21. RNAi takes place in all eukaryotic organisms as a method of cellular
defence.
22. In this method nematode specific gene (DNA) that produce both sence and
anti-sence RNA was introduce into the host plant.
23. Silencing of a specific mRNA due to complementary dsRNA that binds to and
prevents translation of the mRNA (silencing). As a result parasite could not
survive in transgenic host plant. [NEET 2019, 2013][NCERT 209]
24. Recombinant therapeutics do not induce unwanted immunological responses
and in case of similar products isolated from non-human source.
25. At present, about 30 recombinant therapeutics have been approved for
human use world over and 12 of these in India.
Genetically Engineered Insulin
26. Insulin was earlier extracted from pancreas of slaughtered cattle and pigs and
caused some patients to develop allergy and other types of reaction to the
foreign protein. [NEET-2022] [NCERT 210]
27. Insulin consist of two short polypeptide chain linked by disulphide bridge.

Chain – A [NEET 2021, 2020, 2016][NCERT 211]

Chain – B
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28. In mammals, insulin is synthesised as a pro-hormone (contains A, B and C

peptide) during maturation “C” peptide is removed. So “C” peptide is absent
in mature insulin. [NEET 2022, 2021] [NCERT 211]
29. The main challenge for production of insulin using r-DNA technology was
getting insulin into a mature form. [NEET 2022, 2021, 2020] [NCERT 211]
30. In 1983, Eli Lilly, an American company prepared two DNA sequences A and
B, chains of human insulin and introduced them in plasmids of E. coli
produced insulin chains.
31. Chains A and B were produced separately and combined by creating
disulphide bonds to form human insulin. [NEET-2022] [NCERT 211]
32. Gene Therapy : Allows correction of a gene defect.
[NEET 2021,2020][NCERT 211]
33. Involves delivery of a normal gene into the individual or embryo to take over
the function and compensate for the non functional gene.
34. The first clinical gene therapy was given in 1990 to a 4 year old girl was
adenosins deaminase (ADA) deficiency. [NEET 2016, 2012][NCERT 211]
35. The disorder caused due to the deletion of the gene for ADA.
36. ADA deficiency can be cured by
 Bone marrow transplantation
 Enzyme replacement therapy
in which functional ADA given to patient by injection, main problem is that
. they are not completely curable.

37. Lymphocytes from the blood of the patient are grown in a culture outside of
the body, functional ADA cDNA (using retroviral vector) introduced into the
lymphocytes, subsequently returned to the patient. [NEET-2022][NCERT 211]
38. These cells are not immortal, the patient requires periodic infusion of such
genetically engineered lymphocytes. [NEET-2022][NCERT 211]
39. Permanent cure : Gens isolate from marrow cells producing ADA is
introduced into cells at early embryonic stages.
Molecular Diagnosis
40. Recombinant DNA technology, PCR, Enzyme linked immuno sorbent Assay
(ELISA), serve the purpose of early diagonosis. [NEET 2021][NCERT 212]
41. Using conventional methods (serum and urine analysis) early detection is not
possible.
42. Very low concentration of a bacteria or virus (at a time when the symptom of
the disease are not yet visible) can be detected by amplification of their
nuclic acid by PCR.
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43. PCR is used to detect HIV in suspected AIDS patients. PCR is also used to
detect mutation in genes of suspected cancer patients too.
[NEET 2021, 2020][NCERT 212]
44. Probe : A single stranded DNA or RNA, tagged with a radioactive molecule is
allowed to hybridised to its complementary DNA in a clone of cells followed by
detection using autoradiography. [NEET 2012][NCERT 212]
45. Clone having mutated gene will not appear on the photographic film because
the probe will not have complementarity with the mutated gene.
[NEET 2021] [NCERT 212]
46. ELISA based on antigen antibody interaction.
Transgenic Animals –
47. Animals that have their DNA manipulated to passes and express on extra
(foreign) gene are known as transgenic animals.
48. Transgenic rats, Rabbits, Pigs, Sheep, Cows, and fish and over 95% of all
existing transgenic animals are mice. [NEET 2012] [NCERT 212]
49. Transgenic Animals are developed for –
1. Study normal physiology and development
2. Study of disease
3. Biological products
4. Vaccine safety
5. Chemical safety testing
50. Today transgenic models exist for many human disease such as – Cancer,
Cystic Fibrosis, Rheumatoid arthritis, Alzheimer’s.
51. Human protein (-1-antitrypsin) used to treat emphysema. Similar attempts
are being made for treatment of phenylketonuria (PKU) and cystic fibrosis
52. . In 1997, first transgenic cow, Rosie produce human protein - enriched milk
(2.4 grams per lit) contains human alpha-lactalbumin.
53. Transgenic mice are used to developed testing the saftey of vaccines.\
Ethical Issues
54. Genetic modification of organism can have unpredictable results when such
organisms are into the ecosystem.
55. Indian government has set up organisation such as GEAC (Genetic
Engineering Approval Committee) which will make decision regarding the
valadity of GM research and safety of introducing GM organisms for public
services. [NEET 2018, 2015] [NCERT 213]
56. There are an estimated 200,000 varieties of rice in India alone.
57. 27 documented varieties of Basmati are grown in India for its unique Aroma
and Flavour. [NEET 2018] [NCERT 214]
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58. Biopiracy: use of bio resources by multinational companies and other organisation
without proper authorisation from the countries and people concerned without
compensatory payment. [NEET 2018, 2015][NCERT 214]
59. The Indian parliament has recently cleared the second amendment of the
Indian patents bill, including patent term emergency provisions and research
and development initiative.