Questions of general biotechnology
1.What is biotechnology? What are the achievements of biotechnology?
2.Write a short note on the global impact of biotechnology.
3.Write a short note on History of biotechnology highlighting the contributions of various scientists.
4.What is the difference between the traditional biotechnology and modern biotechnology?
5.Write the full forms of the following terms: NBTB, DBT, OECD ICGEB.
Questions on basic concepts
1. What is PCR technology? What are its applications?
2. What is restriction and modification system?
3. Give a detailed account of Restriction endonucleases.
4. What are plasmids? How do they work as cloning vector?
5. What is a cloning vector? Why are they necessary?
6. Write short notes on: a) YAC vectors, b) pBR322, c) BAC vector, d) Cosmid vectors.
7. What is site directed mutagenesis?
8. What is genomics? Give a brief account of genome sequencing project.
9. What is the ‘microarray technique’ used to differentiate a normal cell from a diseased cell?
10. What do you mean by ‘complete genome sequencing’? Name any two organisms whose genome has been sequenced completely.
11. What is the advantage of using bacterial artificial chromosomes (BAC) in such sequencing programme?
12. Write the procedure of gene cloning.
13. What is gene prediction and gene counting?
14. Write a short note on ‘proteomics’.
15. Write short notes on: SNPs, Functional genomics, Comparative genomics, Expression tag sequence, DNA microarray technology.
16. Define the following: Plasmid, Restriction site, Transformation, Mutation, Transfection.
17. What are restriction enzymes? Why are they so important in rDNA technology?
18. Enlist the various steps involved in rDNA experiment.
19. What are the essential features of a vector?
20. What does PCR stand for? What are the different steps involved in a PCR reaction?
21. What is ‘Insertional Inactivation’?
22. What are the disadvantages of using E. coli for production of eukaryotic proteins?
23. Differentiate between: a) Blunt ends and sticky ends, b) YAC and BAC, c) Genomic library and cDNA library, d) Microinjection and electroporation.
24. Write a short note on RFLP and indicate one of its important applications.
25. What is site-directed mutagenesis? What are its applications?
26. What are the consequences of incorrect folding of a protein?
27. Name two human diseases caused by the absence of a protein.
28. What is ‘Proteomics’? What are its applications?
29. Differentiate between protein engineering and genetic engineering.
Questions on Biotechnology and medicine
1. What are monoclonal antibodies? How are they formed?
2. What is antenatal diagnosis? What ate it’s applications?
3. Write short notes on the following: Gene therapy, genetic counseling, Genetic diseases, Genetic databank, Super bug.
Questions on Animal biotechnology
1. What are the requirements for animal cell and tissue culture?
2. Write in detail a note on animal cell culture medium, its different ingredients, and methods of sterilization.
3. Discuss in detail different methods of disaggregation of animal tissue.
4. What are the advantages and disadvantages of adding serum in the animal culture medium?
5. What is the difference between cold trypsinization and warm trypsinization?
6. What is immobilized cell culture?
7. Write short notes on: Organ culture, Hybridoma technology, tPA, EPO, Somatic cell fusion, MoAB.
8. Name two important products from animal cell culture technology. What are their functions?
9. Write two important features of animal cell culture. Differentiate between primary and secondary cell cultures.
10. What are cell lines? How are the growth characteristics of cell lines determined?
11. What is the importance of pH while culturing animal cells? How is the pH maintained in culture media?
12. What are some of the characteristic features of normal and transformed cells?
13. Discuss the role of serum in culturing animal cells.
14. Differentiate between roller bottles and spinner bottles.
15. How many haemopoietic cells are supposedly present in mouse? Also indicate how many RBCs, platelets, and B-cells are produced per kilogram body weight?
16. How is erythropoietin produced by animal cell culture?
17. What is the mode of action of tPA? How is it produced by animal cell culture technology?
18. What are the applications of embryonic cell technology?
19. Differentiate between monoclonal antibodies and polyclonal antibodies. Write the applications of monoclonal antibodies.
20. What are the public concerns regarding the use of genetically engineered products?
21. Briefly describe the equipment required for animal cell culture.
22. Differentiate between finite cell lines and continuous cell lines.
23. Write a brief note on bioethics in animal genetic engineering.
Questions on Biotechnology and Agriculture
1. What is artificial insemination? Write in detail about semen storage and sperm sexing in animals.
2. What is ‘multiple ovulation’? In what ways it can be induced, and embryo transferred in animals?
3. What do you mean by embryo splitting and implantation in animals?
4. What is embryo cloning?
5. What is nuclear transplantation in animals?
6. Write a note on cloning of embryonic stem cells.
7. What are transgenic animals? Write in brief about transgenic mammals, sheep, and fish.
8. What is molecular farming?
9. What is the role of molecular markers in livestock improvement?
10. Write a short note on ‘Dolly’.
11. Write a note on ‘transgenic breeding strategies and molecular markers’.
12. What is a chimeric mouse?
13. Write a brief note on bioethics in plant genetic engineering.
14. What are the genetic engineering strategies to create the following traits in transgenic crops: a) Herbicide tolerance, b) Abiotic stress, c) Insect resistance, d) Virus resistance.
15. What is the common strategy to produce transgenic crops with delayed ripening and longer shelf life of fruits?
16. What is ‘Golden Rice’? In what way is it different from normal rice?
17. Write briefly about the benefits of biodegradable plastics that are produced from GM plants.
18. What are the advantages of using molecular markers in plant breeding selections over morphological and biochemical markers?
19. How can genetically engineered microbes be used for increasing crop productivity and crop protection?
20. What biotechnological strategies have helped us to obtain transgenic plants?
21. How can transgenic plants be used in the detection and study of DNA sequences regulating gene expression?
22. Describe the various techniques utilized for introducing foreign DNA into plant cells.
23. What is direct gene transfer?
24. Define the following: virus-mediated gene transfer, microinjection, liposomes, electroporation, particle gun method, agroinfection.
Questions on Plant biotechnology
1. Write brief history of development of in vitro techniques of plant cell culture.
2. What are the requirements for establishing a tissue culture laboratory?
3. Write a short note on the composition and preparation of culture medium for plant tissue culture medium.
4. What is an explant? How will you induce callus from it?
5. What is ‘organogenesis’? What are its applications?
6. What are the applications and uses of root culture?
7. Describe the process of preparing cell suspension. What are the benefits of using aqueous medium over solid medium?
8. What is micropropagation? How is it different from vegetative propagation?
9. Write the procedure of isolation of protoplasts from the plant cells. What are the applications of protoplast culture?
10. Write a short note on pollen and anther culture.
11. Why does a cultured anther permit pollens to develop embryos but not the cultured pollen grains?
12. What is in vitro androgenesis?
13. What is embryo culture and embryo rescue?
14. What are somaclonal variations? What is its significance in plant tissue culture?
15. Describe how the technique of micropropagation has been applied in the area of horticulture and forestry?
16. What are secondary metabolites? How plant tissue culture has helped to obtain secondary metabolites?
17. What are transgenic plants? Write in detail on selectable markers and their use in production of transgenic plants.
18. Write a short note on molecular farming.
19. What is ‘biotransformation’?
20. What are edible vaccines and edible antibodies?
21. Discuss the ‘bioethics in plant genetic engineering’.
22. What are molecular markers? Discuss in detail different types of molecular markers used in genome mapping.
23. What do you know about variable numbers of tandem repeats (VNTRs) and SSRs? Write differences between them. How SSRs are used in genome mapping?
24. What are quantitative trait loci (QTL)? Write their mapping by using molecular markers.
25. How can you construct genetic maps of plants and animals using RFLP?
26. What are the applications of RFLP and RAPD markers?
27. Define the following: RFLP, RAPD, VNTR, YAC, QTL, Chromosome walking, PCR.
28. What is meant by plant regeneration? Give different pathways of plant regeneration.
29. Name a few useful secondary metabolites that can be produced through plant cell culture technology.
30. The ‘Agrobacterium’ is considered as Natural Genetic Engineer of plants. Do you agree?
Questions on Industrial and microbial biotechnology
1. What is fermentation? Discuss the role of microorganisms in fermentation process with suitable examples.
2. What is the significance of microbial cultures?
3. Give a detailed account of batch culture and microbial kinetics in batch culture.
4. What is down stream processing? What are the various steps involved?
5. What is the ‘scale up of microbial process’?
6. What is a fermenter? How does it function?
7. Discuss in brief the culture selection method of Penicillium.
8. Write a short note on ‘Isolation and improvement of microbial strains’.
9. What is Single Cell Protein (SCP)? How many types of microorganisms are used for the production of single cell protein product?
10. Write a brief note on advantages of using single cell protein, and organic waste utilized for production of single cell protein.
11. Discuss the nutritional value of single cell protein.
12. What are edible mushrooms? What role could they play in facing the challenge of world food shortage? Discuss their nutritional status.
13. What is a biocatalyst? What role does it play in biotechnology?
14. What is immobilization of enzymes? What are the advantages of using them?
15. Describe the role of ‘biosensors’.
16. What is bioconversion?
17. Differentiate between Stirred tank and airlift bioreactor.
18. How is continuous culture better than batch or fed batch cultures?
19. Suggest two methods of preserving microbial strains.
20. What are the functions of the microbial culture collections?
21. What is lyophilization? Why are lyophilized cultures of microbes viable for several years?
22. What is meant by ‘steady state’ in relation to the growth of microbial cultures?
23. How is the large quantity of air required in industrial fermenters sterilized?
24. What is biohydrometallurgy and biomineralization? How can microbes be used for extraction of metals and for inducing mineral deposits?
Questions on Biotechnology and Environment
1. What is bioremediation? In what ways it is good for environmental clean up?
2. What is ‘in situ bioremediation’?
3. Write a short note on ‘ex situ bioremediation‘ with special reference to composting.
4. How can the bioremediation of xenobiotics be done?
5. Define the following: Biosorption, bioaugmentation, biofiltration, bioleaching.
6. What do you understand by the terms ‘in situ’ and ‘ex situ’ conservation? Discuss the different approaches used for in situ and ex situ conservation of plant and animal species in different parts of the world.
7. Discuss the utility of micropropagation for reforestation of degraded lands. Describe the different steps involved in this technology.
8. What is environmental biotechnology? Describe the areas covered under this subject and discuss their significance in the present-day concern about the degradation of environment.
9. How can biotechnology be used in controlling pollution through the use of cleaner technology?
10. What is the role of biotechnology in the treatment of industrial effluents?
11. How has the field of biotechnology been used for reclamation of toxic sites and for the removal of spilled oil deposits/disasters?
12. How are biosensors used for ‘environmental monitoring’ and ‘biomonitoring’?
Questions on Biotechnology and society
1. What do you mean by biosafety? Discuss in detail the biosafety guidelines and regulations for release of genetically engineered microorganisms.
2. What is Intellectual Property Right? Discuss in detail the different forms of its protection.
3. What do you mean by ‘patenting the biological materials’?
4. Write short notes on the following: Patents, Copyrights, Trade Secrets and Trademarks, Plant Variety Protection, International Status of Patents.
5. Write the full forms of the following: GATT, TRIPS, WIPO, GMMS, GMP, GRAS.
6. Describe the conditions which need to be met before a patent can be issued. How and to what extent can these conditions be met for patentable living organisms?
7. There have been concerns raised on the issue of patenting ‘live forms’. Do you think the developments in biotechnology will make the patenting of live forms unavoidable?
8. What are Plant Breeder’s Rights? How do they differ from patents?
9. Discuss the international conventions and co-operations in the area of patency and patenting of biological material.
10. What is Intellectual Property Right and what rights are available to protect it? How do patents differ from other Intellectual Property Rights (IPRs)?
11. What do you mean by process patent and product patent?