Introduction to Biotechnology
Q1. What is biotechnology?
A. The use of living organisms or their systems to develop useful products for human benefit.
Q2. Who is known as the father of biotechnology?
A. Karl Ereky.
Q3. Name the main branches of biotechnology.
A. Medical biotechnology, Agricultural biotechnology, Industrial biotechnology, and Environmental biotechnology.
Q4. What is genetic engineering?
A. The direct manipulation of an organism's DNA to change its characteristics.
Q5. What is tissue culture?
A. The technique of growing cells, tissues, or organs in an artificial medium under controlled conditions.
Q6. What is recombinant DNA technology?
A. A technology that combines DNA from different sources to create new genetic combinations.
Q7. Give one example of genetically modified crop.
A. Bt cotton.
Q8. What is biofertilizer?
A. A substance containing living microorganisms that promote plant growth by increasing nutrient supply.
Q9. What are biopesticides?
A. Pesticides derived from natural materials like animals, plants, bacteria, and certain minerals.
Q10. What is cloning?
A. The process of producing genetically identical organisms from a single parent.
Q11. Name the first cloned animal.
A. Dolly the sheep.
Q12. What is bioinformatics?
A. The use of computer technology to store, analyze, and interpret biological data.
Q13. What is fermentation?
A. The process by which microorganisms convert sugars into alcohol or acids.
Q14. Give one example of biotechnology in food production.
A. Production of cheese using lactic acid bacteria.
Q15. What is PCR in biotechnology?
A. Polymerase Chain Reaction – a technique to make multiple copies of DNA.
Q16. What is bio-remediation?
A. The use of living organisms to clean up environmental pollutants.
Q17. Name one medical product developed using biotechnology.
A. Insulin produced by genetically engineered bacteria.
Q18. What is gene therapy?
A. A technique that uses genes to treat or prevent diseases.
Q19. What is CRISPR technology?
A. A genome editing tool used to modify specific DNA sequences.
Q20. What is bioplastics?
A. Plastics made from renewable biological sources like corn starch.
Q21. What is aquaculture in biotechnology?
A. The farming of fish, shellfish, and aquatic plants using biotechnological methods.
Q22. What is hybridization in plants?
A. The crossing of two genetically different plants to produce a new variety.
Q23. What is bioethanol?
A. An alcohol fuel produced by fermentation of sugar-rich crops.
Q24. What is monoclonal antibody?
A. An antibody produced by identical immune cells that is specific to a single antigen.
Q25. Give one example of biotechnology in environmental protection.
A. Using oil-eating bacteria to clean oil spills.
Q26. What is stem cell therapy?
A. The use of stem cells to treat or repair damaged tissues.
Q27. What is GM food?
A. Food produced from genetically modified organisms.
Q28. What is micropropagation?
A. A method of rapidly multiplying plant material using tissue culture techniques.
Q29. What is biopharming?
A. The use of genetically modified plants and animals to produce pharmaceuticals.
Q30. What is the Human Genome Project?
A. An international research project to map and understand all the genes of the human species.