Biotechnology

• What is genetic engineering also known as?

  Genetic modification
• What does genetic engineering involve?

  Altering the DNA in an organism's genome
• How can genetic engineering enhance plants?

  By increasing nutritional value or herbicide tolerance
• What are organisms with genetic modifications called?

  Transgenic organisms
• What is biotechnology?

  Using living systems to develop beneficial products
• What is recombinant DNA technology?

  Joining DNA molecules from two different species
• What is gene therapy?

  Using genes to treat or prevent disease
• What medical products are created using biotechnology?

  Human insulin, growth hormone, and vaccines
• How is biotechnology used in criminal forensics?

  To create DNA fingerprints for identification
• What is the purpose of paternity/maternity testing in biotechnology?

  To accurately determine the parentage of children
• How has biotechnology impacted agriculture?

  By creating genetically modified foods and organisms
• What is DNA cloning?

  Making multiple identical copies of DNA
• What is a plasmid in DNA cloning?

  A circular piece of bacterial DNA

  
• How is recombinant DNA created in cloning?

  By inserting a gene into a plasmid

  
• What role do restriction enzymes play in DNA cloning?

  They cut DNA at specific nucleotide sequences
• What are "sticky ends" in DNA cloning?

  Unpaired base sequences left by restriction enzymes
• What is the purpose of ligase in DNA cloning?

  To permanently bond DNA strands together
• What is the process of transforming bacteria?

  Inserting plasmids into bacteria

  
• Why are bacteria cultured in antibiotic media during cloning?

  To select for transformed bacteria only
• What is the purpose of the Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR)?

  To quickly produce many copies of DNA

  
• What does amplification refer to in PCR?

  Copying a specific region of DNA

  
• What is Taq polymerase used for in PCR?

  To synthesize new strands of DNA

  
• What is the role of primers in PCR?

  To provide a starting point for DNA synthesis

  
• What are the three main steps of the PCR process?

  Denaturation, annealing, extension

  
• What happens during the denaturation step of PCR?

  DNA strands are separated by heat

  
• What occurs during the annealing step of PCR?

  Primers bind to complementary DNA sequences

  
• What is the purpose of the extension step in PCR?

  Taq polymerase synthesizes new DNA strands

  
• How does PCR achieve exponential growth of DNA copies?

  New DNA serves as a template in each cycle

  
• What is gel electrophoresis used for?

  To separate DNA fragments by size and charge

  
• How do DNA fragments move in gel electrophoresis?

  Based on their size and charge

  
• What is the gel used in gel electrophoresis made of?

  Agarose
• What is a DNA ladder in gel electrophoresis?

  A standard reference with known DNA sizes

  
• What happens to DNA fragments during gel electrophoresis?

  They migrate towards the positive electrode

  
• What is a band in gel electrophoresis?

  A line of DNA fragments of the same size

  
• How can the size of DNA fragments be determined in gel electrophoresis?

  By comparing them to the DNA ladder