BIOTECH FINAL EXAM WITH QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS 2026 #1
Agricultural biotechnology - correct answer Any tool used to alter living organisms, or
parts of organisms, to make or modify products that improve plants/animals for human
benefit
Selective breeding - correct answer the human practice of breeding animals or plants
that have certain desired traits
Hybridization - correct answer breeding technique that involves crossing dissimilar
individuals to bring together the best traits of both organisms
Plant biotechnology - correct answer This aims at creating plants with new, useful
genes; usually for nutritional or environmental benefit. Plants cells can be cloned to
produce whole new adult plants. Transfection can be carried out by use of vectors.
Benefits of plant biotech - correct answer Fight pests and disease
Improved nutritional quality (tastier too)
Tolerance to severe environments
Plant propagation - correct answer using a part of a plant to increase the number of that
plant
Example of plant propagation - correct answer Mildew-resistant pea may be crossed
with a
High-yielding but susceptible pea
In vitro - correct answer In a test tube, glass, or artificial environment
Protoplast fusion - correct answer A technique of genetic engineering in which genetic
material is combined by removing the cell walls (with cellulase) of two different types of
cells and allowing the resulting protoplasts to fuse (form hybrid)
Mutagenesis - correct answer The creation of a mutation
Plant Tissue Culture - correct answer (Asexual propagation - clone) the growth and
development of plant seeds, organs, explants, tissues, cells or protoplasts on a nutrient
media.
A small piece of leaf/stem/cell is isolated and placed on a tissue culture with agar
(desolved sugar, nutrients, and plant growth regulators).
Plant cloning - correct answer process of root cells cultured in nutrient medium, cell
division within culture, plantlet, then adult plant.
Callus cells - correct answer mass of undifferentiated plant tissue (roots or shoots)
, Agrobacterium tumefaciens - correct answer bacterium that transfers the Ti plasmid to
plants
Ti plasmid - correct answer A plasmid of a tumor-inducing bacterium that integrates a
segment of its DNA into the host chromosome of a plant; frequently used as a carrier for
genetic engineering in plants.
Leaf fragment technique - correct answer -small disks are cut from a leaf, and are
cultured in a medium containing GM agrobacter
- disks are treated with hormones to stimulate shoot and root development
Monocotyledonous plants - correct answer Plants that grow from a single seed embryo
(corn, wheat)
Dicotyledonous plants - correct answer Plants that grow from two seed halves
(tomatoes, apples)
Gene guns - correct answer foreign DNA "shot" through thick cellulose walls of plants
using microparticles of gold coated with DNA (usually used for resistant crops) (hit or
miss)
Marker gene - correct answer Enables transformed bacteria with recombinant DNA to
be identified; confers observable trait
Chloroplast engineering - correct answer DNA in Chloroplast can accept several foreign
genes at once. DNA in chloroplast separate from pollen(no chance of procreating) High
percent of DNA remains inactive
Antisense technology - correct answer A type of technology that stops proteins
production by binding to mrna (blocks translation); also promote mrna destruction by
rnase
Example of antisense technology - correct answer Flavr Savr Tomato - normal mrna
inactivated --> no pectin or PG produced --> slower rotting
Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) - correct answer microbe eats mosquito larvae; used in
municipal control programs and by home gardeners; environmental friendly (corn,
cotton have this Bt toxin)
Genetic pesticides - correct answer Bacillus thuringiensis genes can be inserted into
plant's DNA. Intrinsic genetic defense against insects.
Electroporation - correct answer A technique to introduce recombinant DNA into cells by
applying a brief electrical pulse to a solution containing cells. The electricity creates
temporary holes in the cells' plasma membranes, through which DNA can enter.
Agricultural biotechnology - correct answer Any tool used to alter living organisms, or
parts of organisms, to make or modify products that improve plants/animals for human
benefit
Selective breeding - correct answer the human practice of breeding animals or plants
that have certain desired traits
Hybridization - correct answer breeding technique that involves crossing dissimilar
individuals to bring together the best traits of both organisms
Plant biotechnology - correct answer This aims at creating plants with new, useful
genes; usually for nutritional or environmental benefit. Plants cells can be cloned to
produce whole new adult plants. Transfection can be carried out by use of vectors.
Benefits of plant biotech - correct answer Fight pests and disease
Improved nutritional quality (tastier too)
Tolerance to severe environments
Plant propagation - correct answer using a part of a plant to increase the number of that
plant
Example of plant propagation - correct answer Mildew-resistant pea may be crossed
with a
High-yielding but susceptible pea
In vitro - correct answer In a test tube, glass, or artificial environment
Protoplast fusion - correct answer A technique of genetic engineering in which genetic
material is combined by removing the cell walls (with cellulase) of two different types of
cells and allowing the resulting protoplasts to fuse (form hybrid)
Mutagenesis - correct answer The creation of a mutation
Plant Tissue Culture - correct answer (Asexual propagation - clone) the growth and
development of plant seeds, organs, explants, tissues, cells or protoplasts on a nutrient
media.
A small piece of leaf/stem/cell is isolated and placed on a tissue culture with agar
(desolved sugar, nutrients, and plant growth regulators).
Plant cloning - correct answer process of root cells cultured in nutrient medium, cell
division within culture, plantlet, then adult plant.
Callus cells - correct answer mass of undifferentiated plant tissue (roots or shoots)
, Agrobacterium tumefaciens - correct answer bacterium that transfers the Ti plasmid to
plants
Ti plasmid - correct answer A plasmid of a tumor-inducing bacterium that integrates a
segment of its DNA into the host chromosome of a plant; frequently used as a carrier for
genetic engineering in plants.
Leaf fragment technique - correct answer -small disks are cut from a leaf, and are
cultured in a medium containing GM agrobacter
- disks are treated with hormones to stimulate shoot and root development
Monocotyledonous plants - correct answer Plants that grow from a single seed embryo
(corn, wheat)
Dicotyledonous plants - correct answer Plants that grow from two seed halves
(tomatoes, apples)
Gene guns - correct answer foreign DNA "shot" through thick cellulose walls of plants
using microparticles of gold coated with DNA (usually used for resistant crops) (hit or
miss)
Marker gene - correct answer Enables transformed bacteria with recombinant DNA to
be identified; confers observable trait
Chloroplast engineering - correct answer DNA in Chloroplast can accept several foreign
genes at once. DNA in chloroplast separate from pollen(no chance of procreating) High
percent of DNA remains inactive
Antisense technology - correct answer A type of technology that stops proteins
production by binding to mrna (blocks translation); also promote mrna destruction by
rnase
Example of antisense technology - correct answer Flavr Savr Tomato - normal mrna
inactivated --> no pectin or PG produced --> slower rotting
Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) - correct answer microbe eats mosquito larvae; used in
municipal control programs and by home gardeners; environmental friendly (corn,
cotton have this Bt toxin)
Genetic pesticides - correct answer Bacillus thuringiensis genes can be inserted into
plant's DNA. Intrinsic genetic defense against insects.
Electroporation - correct answer A technique to introduce recombinant DNA into cells by
applying a brief electrical pulse to a solution containing cells. The electricity creates
temporary holes in the cells' plasma membranes, through which DNA can enter.
