Question 1

Which property of plant cells allows a single root cell from a carrot to develop into a whole new carrot plant, as shown in the first image?

Accepted Answer

Totipotency

Question 2

In the process of reproductive cloning in mammals, as illustrated in the fourth image, what is the correct sequence of steps?

Accepted Answer

Remove nucleus from egg cell, insert donor nucleus, allow cell to divide, implant embryo into surrogate

Question 3

Which of the following best explains why identical twins are genetically identical, as shown in the second image?

Accepted Answer

They develop from a single zygote that splits into two embryos

Question 4

What is the main difference between reproductive cloning and therapeutic cloning?

Accepted Answer

Reproductive cloning results in the birth of a new organism, while therapeutic cloning produces stem cells for medical treatment

Question 5

Which enzyme is responsible for joining together DNA fragments during the creation of recombinant DNA?

Accepted Answer

DNA ligase

Question 6

A scientist wants to insert a human gene into a bacterial plasmid. Why must both the plasmid and the human DNA be cut with the same restriction enzyme?

Accepted Answer

To create complementary sticky ends that allow the DNA fragments to be joined together

Question 7

Which of the following best describes a 'sticky end' produced by a restriction enzyme?

Accepted Answer

A single-stranded overhang that can base-pair with complementary sequences

Question 8

Why is complementary DNA (cDNA) used when expressing eukaryotic genes in prokaryotic cells?

Accepted Answer

cDNA is synthesized from mRNA and lacks introns, making it suitable for expression in prokaryotes

Question 9

Which of the following is a real-world application of transgenic organisms?

Accepted Answer

Producing insulin in genetically modified bacteria

Question 10

A restriction enzyme recognizes the sequence $$5'	ext{GAATTC}3'$$ and cuts between G and A. If a DNA molecule has three such sites, how many fragments will be produced after digestion?

Accepted Answer

$$4$$

Question 11

During gel electrophoresis, what causes DNA fragments to move through the agarose gel?

Accepted Answer

An electric field that pulls negatively charged DNA toward the positive electrode

Question 12

Which of the following best explains why short tandem repeats (STRs) are used in DNA profiling?

Accepted Answer

STRs show high variability between individuals, making them useful for identification

Question 13

What is the role of Taq polymerase in the polymerase chain reaction (PCR)?

Accepted Answer

It synthesizes new DNA strands by adding nucleotides to primers

Question 14

If a DNA sample is subjected to 30 cycles of PCR, and each cycle doubles the amount of DNA, how many times more DNA will there be compared to the starting amount? (Use the formula $$N = N_0$ 	imes 2$$^{n}$$, where n$ is the number of cycles.)

Accepted Answer

$$2^{30}$$

Question 15

Which of the following is a potential ethical concern associated with genetically modified organisms (GMOs)?

Accepted Answer

Unintended gene transfer to wild plants

Question 16

A scientist uses a nucleic acid probe in a DNA experiment. What is the main function of this probe?

Accepted Answer

To bind to a specific DNA sequence and mark it for identification

Question 17

Why is it important to insert a gene of interest into an animal at the zygote stage to create a transgenic organism?

Accepted Answer

So the gene is present in all cells of the organism as it develops

Question 18

Which of the following best describes the Human Genome Project?

Accepted Answer

A project to map and sequence all human DNA and identify all genes

Question 19

What is the main reason scientists study non-coding regions of DNA in forensic DNA profiling?

Accepted Answer

Non-coding regions are more variable between individuals

Question 20

Which of the following best defines the term 'genome'?

Accepted Answer

The entire set of genetic material in an organism

Biotechnology, Gene Cloning, and Genomics: Study Notes

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