Viva-Voce 3

Isolation Of DNA
1. What is biotechnology ?
Ans. Biotechnology deals with techniques of using live organisms or enzymes from organisms
to produce products and processes useful to humans.
2. What is recombinant DNA ?
Ans. Recombinant DNA is the DNA formed by combining DNAs from two different sources/
organisms.
3. What is genetic engineering ?
Ans. If refers to the techniques to alter the chemistry of genetic material (DNA or RNA) to
introduce these into host organisms and thus change the phenotype of the host organisms.
4. What are Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) ?
Ans. These are the organisms whose genes have been altered by manipulation.
5. Why is the enzyme cellulase used for isolating genetic material from plant cells ?
Ans. The enzyme cellulose is used to digest the cellulosic cell wall present in plant cells.
6. 'What is the role of detergent in isolation of DNA?
Ans. Detergent dissolves the membranes that enclose the DNA within the cell.
7. Why salt is added to see DNA?
Ans. Salt water allows the DNA to precipitate, when alcohol is added to the solution.
8. What is the role of meat tenderizer (enzyme) in isolation of DNA?
Ans. Meat tenderizer (enzyme) dissolves the proteins associated with the DNA.
9. Why should the mixture after adding chilled ethanol be allowed to stand for few minutes?
Ans. It allows more DNA to precipitate in the alcohol layer.
Q.10. Why is chilled condition required during the experiment?
Ans. The chilled condition protects the DNA from cellular enzymes and also increases the yield
of DNA.
Q.11. Where will you look for DNA?
Ans. Nucleus of a cell.
Q.12. What is the full form of DNA?
Ans. Deoxyribose nucleic acid
Q.13. Who discovered the structure of DNA?
Ans. Watson and Crick in 1953 discovered the model of DNA with the help of X-ray
crystallography.
Q.14. Why do we need to extract DNA?
Ans. Extraction of DNA help us to understand the genetic make up of an organism.
Q.15. Where will you look for DNA and RNA in a cell?
Ans. DNA is mainly localized in nucleus and some amount is also found in mitochondria and
chloroplast. RNA is found in nucleus and cytoplasm.
Q.16. Name the sugars found in DNA and RNA.
Ans. Pentose ribose sugar is found in RNA whereas pentose deoxyribose sugar is found in DNA.

Q.17. Name specific nitrogenous base found in DNA and RNA.

Ans. Thymine is specific to DNA whereas uracil is specific to RNA.
Q.18. How will you differentiate between nucleoside and nucleotide?
Ans. Nucleoside is made up of pentose sugar and nitrogenous base whereas nucleotide is made
up of nucleoside associated with phosphoric acid.
Q.19. What is DNA and how is it different from RNA?
Ans. DNA is a macro molecule of cell which consists of nucleotide and codes for various genes
of an organism. Differences between DNA and RNA are as follows:

DNA RNA

Found in chromosomes of nucleus of most

Found in cytoplasm of mainly viruses.
of the organisms.

Double-stranded structure. Single-stranded structure.

Pentose sugar is deoxyribose. Pentose sugar is ribose.

Q.20. Name different nitrogenous bases present in the nucleic acid.

Ans. There are two types of nitrogenous bases present in the nucleic acid. These are:
(i) Purines Adenine and guanine.
(ii) Pyrimidines Cytosine, uracil and thymine. Uracil is present only in RNA while thymine is
present in DNA in place of uracil.
Q.21. What are the building blocks of nucleic acid?
Ans. The nucleotides (polynucleotides) are the building blocks of nucleic acid which consists of
nitrogen containing aromatic base attached to a pentose sugar (five carbon) and is in turn attached
to a phosphate group.
Q.22. Who gave the double helical structure of DNA?
Ans. Watson and Crick gave the double helical structure of DNA based on X-ray crystallography
or diffraction data.
Q.23. In which part of the cell is DNA present/found? Where can the RNA be found in a cell?
Ans. DNA is found in the nucleus of a ceil. The nucleic acid, RNA is found in the cytoplasm and
nucleoplasm in the nucleus of a cell depending on whether the cell is prokaryotic or eukaryotic.
Q.24. What is the need of extracting DNA?
Ans. Extracted DNA can be analyzed further for better understanding of the genetic make up of
an organism.
Q.25. What is the difference between nucleoside and nucleotide?
Ans. Nucleoside is made up of pentose sugar and nitrogenous base, while nucleotide is made
up of pentose sugar, nitrogenous base and phosphoric acid.
Q.26. What is the role of cellulase enzyme in extracting DNA?
Ans. The enzyme cellulase helps in the digestion ofcellulosic cell wall of the plant cell.
Q.27. Name the three major steps involved in DNA extraction.
Ans. The three major steps involved in DNA extraction are:
(i) Homogenisation (ii) Deproteinisation (Hi) Spooling.
Q.28. Why glass rod is used for spooling of DNA?
Ans. DNA has negative charge and gets attracted to positive charge present in the silica of glass,
therefore glass rod should be used for spooling.
Q.29. What does the DNA look like on extraction?
Ans. DNA appears as white precipitate of very fine threads on the glass rod or spool.
Q.30. Why the ice-chilled condition should be preferred for isolating DNA?
Ans. DNA begins to denaturation at room temperature by the action of DNA as present in cell
extract, therefore whole procedure of DNA extraction should be carried out in ice-chilled condition.
Q.31. Give the components of homogenisation media.
Ans. Homogenisation media consists of
(i) Sodium Dodecyl Sulphate (SDS)
(ii) Ethylene Diamine Tetraacetic Acid (EDTA)
(iii) (Hi) Sodium Chloride (NaCl) (non-iodised).
Q.32. Why coldness is required during the conducting of experiment ?
Ans. Using ice-cold water and ice-cold alcohol will increase your yield of DNA. The cold water
protects the DNA by slowing down enzymes that can break it apart. Why would a cell contain
enzymes that destory DNA ? These enzymes are
Q.33. Why the mixture should be allowed to stand for few minutes.
Ans. If the cell and nuclear membranes are still intact, DNA will settle at bottom layer. Letting
the test tube of mixture and alcohol sit for 30-60 minutes. More DNA precipitate into the alcohol
layer over time.
Q.34. Why salt should be added ?
Ans. Salty water helps the DNA precipitate (solidify and appear) when alcohol is added.
Q.35. Why detergent should be added to see DNA ?
Ans. A cell’s DNA is usually protected from such enzymes (called DNases) by the nuclear
membrane, but adding detergent destroys that membrane.
Q.36. DNA precipitates in presence of alcohol. Is it still soluble in alcohol ?
Ans. Yes.
Q.37. What is the role of enzymes ?
Ans. The two most common enzymes used in meat tenderizer are Bromelain and Papain. These
two enzymes are extracted from pineapple and papaya, respectively. They are both proteases,
meaning they break apart proteins. Enzymatic cleaning solutions for contact lenses also contain
proteases to remove protein build-up. If you use pineapple juice or contact lens cleaning solution -
just use a few drops.