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Biology · Class 12 Science

Ch 10Biotechnology and Its Applications — Class 12 Biology, concept-first.

Biotechnology today deals with far more than a single crop or a single drug — it covers the industrial-scale production of biopharmaceuticals and biological products using genetically modified microbes, fungi, plants, and animals.

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Concepts

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Key concepts

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Meristem Culture

Let’s start with something you already know. When you prune a rose bush or cut the tip off a mint plant, it doesn’t die — it grows back, often bushier.

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Chapter contents

The NCERT structure, section by section. Open a section to see its questions, then read the concept-first solution.

Introduction

Biotechnology today deals with far more than a single crop or a single drug — it covers the industrial-scale production of biopharmaceuticals and biological products using genetically modified microbe…

10.1

Biotechnological Applications in Agriculture

Biotechnological applications in agriculture aim to solve a fundamental problem: how to increase food production to feed a growing population.

10.2

Biotechnological Applications in Medicine

The most far-reaching impact of biotechnology has been in medicine. Recombinant DNA technology has made it possible to mass-produce safe, effective therapeutic drugs — and because these recombinant th…

10.2.1

Genetically Engineered Insulin

Insulin is a protein hormone essential for managing blood sugar levels. Patients with adult-onset diabetes must take insulin at regular intervals.

10.2.2

Gene Therapy

If a person is born with a hereditary disease, can anything be done to correct it? Gene therapy is the attempt to do exactly that.

10.2.3

Molecular Diagnosis

For any disease to be treated effectively, two things are critical: catching it early and understanding its pathophysiology — how the disease alters normal body function.

10.3

Transgenic Animals

A transgenic animal is one whose genome has been deliberately altered by introducing a foreign gene, called a transgene.

10.4

Ethical Issues

The manipulation of living organisms cannot go on without regulation. Some ethical standards are needed to evaluate the morality of human activities that might help or harm living organisms.

Summary

- Biotechnological applications in agriculture focus on producing genetically modified (GM) crops with traits like tolerance to abiotic stresses, reduced reliance on chemical pesticides (pest resistan…

Exercises

+Show 13 questions13 questions
  1. 10.1Which part of the plant is best suited for making virus-free plants and why?Free
  2. 10.2What is the major advantage of producing plants by micropropagation?Free
  3. 10.3Find out what the various components of the medium used for propagation of an explant in vitro are?Free
  4. 10.4Crystals of Bt toxin produced by some bacteria do not kill the bacteria themselves because – (a) bacteria are resistant to the toxin (b) tox…Preview
  5. 10.5What are transgenic bacteria? Illustrate using any one example.Preview
  6. 10.6Compare and contrast the advantages and disadvantages of production of genetically modified crops.Preview
  7. 10.7What are Cry proteins? Name an organism that produce it. How has man exploited this protein to his benefit?Preview
  8. 10.8What is gene therapy? Illustrate using the example of adenosine deaminase (ADA) deficiency.Preview
  9. 10.9Diagrammatically represent the experimental steps in cloning and expressing an human gene (say the gene for growth hormone) into a bacterium…Preview
  10. 10.10Can you suggest a method to remove oil (hydrocarbon) from seeds based on your understanding of rDNA technology and chemistry of oil?Preview
  11. 10.11Find out from internet what is golden rice.Preview
  12. 10.12Does our blood have proteases and nucleases?Preview
  13. 10.13Consult internet and find out how to make orally active protein pharmaceutical. What is the major problem to be encountered?Preview

Exemplar Problems

Higher-order thinking / exemplar-style practice problems.

+Show 57 questions57 questions
  1. Q1Bt cotton is not: (a) A GM plant (b) Insect resistant (c) A bacterial gene expressing system (d) Resistant to all pesticidesFree
  2. Q2C-peptide of human insulin is: (a) A part of mature insulin molecule (b) Responsible for formation of disulphide bridges (c) Removed during…Free
  3. Q3GEAC stands for: (a) Genome Engineering Action Committee (b) Ground Environment Action Committee (c) Genetic Engineering Approval Committee…Free
  4. Q4α-1 antitrypsin is: (a) An antacid (b) An enzyme (c) Used to treat arthritis (d) Used to treat emphysemaPreview
  5. Q5A probe which is a molecule used to locate homologous sequences in a mixture of DNA or RNA molecules could be: (a) A ssRNA (b) A ssDNA (c) E…Preview
  6. Q6Choose the correct option regarding Retrovirus: (a) An RNA virus that synthesises DNA during infection (b) A DNA virus that synthesises RNA…Preview
  7. Q7The site of production of ADA in the body is: (a) Erythrocytes (b) Lymphocytes (c) Blood plasma (d) OsteocytesPreview
  8. Q8A protoxin is: (a) A primitive toxin (b) A denatured toxin (c) Toxin produced by protozoa (d) Inactive toxinPreview
  9. Q9Pathophysiology is the: (a) Study of physiology of pathogen (b) Study of normal physiology of host (c) Study of altered physiology of host (…Preview
  10. Q10The trigger for activation of toxin of Bacillus thuringiensis is: (a) Acidic pH of stomach (b) High temperature (c) Alkaline pH of gut (d) M…Preview
  11. Q11Golden rice is: (a) A variety of rice grown along the yellow river in China (b) Long stored rice having yellow colour tint (c) A transgenic…Preview
  12. Q12In RNAi, genes are silenced using: (a) ss DNA (b) ds DNA (c) ds RNA (d) ss RNAPreview
  13. Q13The first clinical gene therapy was done for the treatment of: (a) AIDS (b) Cancer (c) Cystic fibrosis (d) SCID (Severe Combined Immuno Defi…Preview
  14. Q14ADA is an enzyme which is deficient in a genetic disorder SCID. What is the full form of ADA? (a) Adenosine deoxyaminase (b) Adenosine deami…Preview
  15. Q15Silencing of a gene could be achieved through the use of: (a) RNAi only (b) antisense RNA only (c) both RNAi and antisense RNA (d) none of t…Preview
  16. Q16In view of the current food crisis, it is said, that we need another green revolution. Highlight the major limitations of the earlier green…Preview
  17. Q17Expand GMO. How is it different from a hybrid?Preview
  18. Q18Differentiate between diagnostics and therapeutics. Give one example and for each category.Preview
  19. Q19Give the full form of ELISA. Which disease can be detected using it? Discuss the principle underlying the test.Preview
  20. Q20Can a disease be detected before its symptoms appear? Explain the principle involved.Preview
  21. Q21Write a short note on Biopiracy highlighting the exploitation of developing countries by the developed countries.Preview
  22. Q22Many proteins are secreted in their inactive form. This is also true of many toxic proteins produced by micro organisms. Explain how the mec…Preview
  23. Q23While creating genetically modified organisms, genetic barriers are not respected. How can this be dangerous in the long run?Preview
  24. Q24Why has the Indian Parliament cleared the second amendment of the country's patents bill?Preview
  25. Q25Give any two reasons why the patent on Basmati should not have gone to an American Company.Preview
  26. Q26How was Insulin obtained before the advent of rDNA technology? What were the problems encountered?Preview
  27. Q27With respect to understanding diseases, discuss the importance of transgenic animal models.Preview
  28. Q28Name the first transgenic cow. Which gene was introduced in this cow?Preview
  29. Q29PCR is a useful tool for early diagnosis of an infectious disease. Elaborate.Preview
  30. Q30What is GEAC and what are its objectives?Preview
  31. Q31For which variety of Indian rice, the patent was filed by a USA Company?Preview
  32. Q32Discuss the advantages of GMO.Preview
  33. Q33Gene expression can be controlled with the help of RNA. Explain the method with an example.Preview
  34. Q34Ignoring our traditional knowledge can we prove costly in the area of biological patenting. Justify.Preview
  35. Q35Highlight any four areas where genetic modification of plants has been useful.Preview
  36. Q36What is a recombinant DNA vaccine? Give two examples.Preview
  37. Q37Why is it that the line of treatment for a genetic disease is different from infectious diseases?Preview
  38. Q38Discuss briefly how a probe is used in molecular diagnostics.Preview
  39. Q39Who was the first patient who was given gene therapy? Why was the given treatment recurrent in nature?Preview
  40. Q40Taking examples under each category, discuss upstream and downstream processing.Preview
  41. Q41Define Antigen and Antibody. Name any two diagnostic kits based upon them.Preview
  42. Q42ELISA technique is based on the principles of antigen-antibody interaction. Can this techique be used in the molecular diagnosis of a geneti…Preview
  43. Q43How is a mature, functional insulin hormone different from its prohormone form?Preview
  44. Q44Gene therapy is an attempt to correct a genetic defect by providing a normal gene into the individual. By this the normal function can be re…Preview
  45. Q45Transgenic animals are the animals in which a foreign gene is expressed. Such animals can be used to study the fundamental biological proces…Preview
  46. Q46When a foreign DNA is introduced into an organism, how is it maintained in the host and how is it transferred to the progeny of the organism…Preview
  47. Q47Bt cotton is resistant to pest, such as lepidopteron, dipterans and coleopterans. Is Bt cotton also resistant to other pests as well?Preview
  48. Q48A patient is suffering from ADA deficiency. Can he be cured? How?Preview
  49. Q49Define transgenic animals. Explain in detail any four areas where they can be utilised.Preview
  50. Q50You have identified a useful gene in bacteria. Make a flow chart of the steps that you would follow to transfer this gene to a plant.Preview
  51. Q51Highlight five areas where biotechnology has influenced our lives.Preview
  52. Q52What are the various advantages of using genetically modified plants to increase the overall yield of the crop?Preview
  53. Q53Explain with the help of one example how genetically modified plants can: (a) Reduce usage of chemical pesticides (b) Enhance nutritional va…Preview
  54. Q54List the disadvantages of insulin obtained from the pancreas of slaughtered cows and pigs:Preview
  55. Q55List the advantages of recombinant insulin.Preview
  56. Q56What is meant by the term bio-pesticide? Name and explain the mode of action of a popular bio-pesticide.Preview
  57. Q57Name the five key tools for accomplishing the tasks of recombinant DNA technology. Also mention the functions of each tool.Preview

Sample & Board Papers

Sample papers and previous-year board questions for this subject.

+Show 5 questions5 questions
  1. Q1A child is born with ADA-deficiency. (a) Suggest and explain a procedure for possible life-long (permanent) cure. (b) Name any other possibl…Preview
  2. Q2(a) How does a gene therapy involving direct modification of the cells, in order to achieve a therapeutic goal is used in the treatment of A…Preview
  3. Q3Assertion (A) : A patient of ADA deficiency undergoing treatment for gene therapy requires periodic infusion of genetically engineered lymph…Preview
  4. Q4Mention the chemical change that proinsulin undergoes, to be able to act as mature insulin.Preview
  5. Q5How has the use of Agrobacterium as vectors helped in controlling Meloidegyne incognitia infestation in tobacco plants? Explain in correct s…Preview