OCR A A-Level Biology: cloning and
biotechnology 69 Mid Sem Quiz
Questions
are microorganisms the only organisms used in biotechnology? - ✔ ✔ other organisms such as goats
and cows are also used in biotechnology
for example genetically modified goats produce spider silk in their milk and cows have been genetically
modified to produce human antibodies
describe the nature of the offspring produced by embryo splitting - ✔ ✔ although the offspring will
all be clones of one another the offspring which develop will depend on the egg and sperm that fuse
during fertilisation, therefore we cannot predict the phenotype until the animals are born
describe the nature of the product of SCNT - ✔ ✔ the offspring will be clones of the organism that
donated the nucleus is this is the source of the genetic information for the cloning
describe the process of embryo splitting - ✔ ✔ 1. A zygote (fertilised egg) is created using in vitro
fertilisation (IVF)
2. The zygote is allowed to divide by mitosis to form a small ball of cells (an embryo)
3. The cells are separated and allowed to continue dividing
4. Each small mass of cells is then placed in a uterus of a surrogate mother
describe the process of micropropagation. - ✔ ✔ 1) suitable plant material is selected and cut into
small pieces (these are the explants) this can be sections of leaf, stem, root or bud. meristem tissue is
often used as it is always free from virus infection
2) the explants are then sterilised to prevent the growth of microbial contamination using dilute bleach
or alcohol (bacteria grow very well in the nutrient filled agar gel)
3) the explants are then placed onto a sterile growth medium (usually agar gel) containing nutrients
such as amino acids, glucose and phosphates as well as high concentrations of auxin and cytokinin, this
stimulates the cells of each explant to divide by mitosis to form a callus
4) once the callus has formed it is divided to produce a larger number of small clumps of
undifferentiated cells
5) the cells are then stimulated to grow divide and differentiate into different plant tissues. This is
achieved through moving the cells to different concentrations of the growth medium,
, -the first medium contains 100:1 auxin to cytokinin which stimulates the roots to form
-the second medium contains 4:1 aucin to cytok whcih stimulates shoots to form
6) once the tiny plantlets have been formed they are transferred to greenhouses to be grown using
ocnpost or soil, here they will acclimatuse to the normal conditions of the environment
describe the process of Somatic Cell Nuclear Transfer (SCNT) - ✔ ✔ 1. an egg cell is obtained and is
enucleated (the nucleus of the cell is removed)
2. a somatic cell ( a normal body cell ) from the adult to be cloned is isolated and this cell may be
enucleated
3. the adult somatic cell or its nucleus is fused with the enucleated egg cell by applying an electric shock,
this is electrofusion (the organism is said to be transgenic genes from another organism)
4. The shock also stimulates the egg to start developing as though it had just been fertilised, the cell is
stimulated to divide by mitosis to produce a small bundle of cells ( an embryo)
5. the embryo is then placed into the uterus of a surrogate mother to be grown.
describe the structure of a fermenter - ✔ ✔ fermenters contain a motor which is attached to blades
which rotate to evenly distribute nutrients and microorganisms
the water jacket surrounds the fermenter, as water has a high SHC alot of energy is drawn from the
fermenter preventing it from getting too hot
there are inlets for the addition of pure O2 and nutrients (both of which must be sterilised/ free of
additional microorganisms which could contaminate teh fermenter and therefore the whole process will
need to be started again
theres also an outlet to remove contents to be processed through down stream processing
and an electronic probe to monitor factors such as pH, temperature and O2 availability
give 4 examples of naturally occurring plant clones? - ✔ ✔ bulbs, rhizomes, runners/stolens, tubers
give an example of a plant that reproduces using corms - ✔ ✔ gladioli
give an example of a plant that uses its leaves to reproduce asexually - ✔ ✔ the kalanchoe plant,
clones grow on the leaf margins, the immature plants then drop off and take root.
give examples of additional products of microorganisms that are used - ✔ ✔ biogas ( a combination
of CO2 and methane ) produced by decomposers ( bacteria and fungi)
citric acid E330 used as a food preservative ( A.Niger fungus)
bioremediation ( cleaning waste water ) uses bacteria and fungi
biotechnology 69 Mid Sem Quiz
Questions
are microorganisms the only organisms used in biotechnology? - ✔ ✔ other organisms such as goats
and cows are also used in biotechnology
for example genetically modified goats produce spider silk in their milk and cows have been genetically
modified to produce human antibodies
describe the nature of the offspring produced by embryo splitting - ✔ ✔ although the offspring will
all be clones of one another the offspring which develop will depend on the egg and sperm that fuse
during fertilisation, therefore we cannot predict the phenotype until the animals are born
describe the nature of the product of SCNT - ✔ ✔ the offspring will be clones of the organism that
donated the nucleus is this is the source of the genetic information for the cloning
describe the process of embryo splitting - ✔ ✔ 1. A zygote (fertilised egg) is created using in vitro
fertilisation (IVF)
2. The zygote is allowed to divide by mitosis to form a small ball of cells (an embryo)
3. The cells are separated and allowed to continue dividing
4. Each small mass of cells is then placed in a uterus of a surrogate mother
describe the process of micropropagation. - ✔ ✔ 1) suitable plant material is selected and cut into
small pieces (these are the explants) this can be sections of leaf, stem, root or bud. meristem tissue is
often used as it is always free from virus infection
2) the explants are then sterilised to prevent the growth of microbial contamination using dilute bleach
or alcohol (bacteria grow very well in the nutrient filled agar gel)
3) the explants are then placed onto a sterile growth medium (usually agar gel) containing nutrients
such as amino acids, glucose and phosphates as well as high concentrations of auxin and cytokinin, this
stimulates the cells of each explant to divide by mitosis to form a callus
4) once the callus has formed it is divided to produce a larger number of small clumps of
undifferentiated cells
5) the cells are then stimulated to grow divide and differentiate into different plant tissues. This is
achieved through moving the cells to different concentrations of the growth medium,
, -the first medium contains 100:1 auxin to cytokinin which stimulates the roots to form
-the second medium contains 4:1 aucin to cytok whcih stimulates shoots to form
6) once the tiny plantlets have been formed they are transferred to greenhouses to be grown using
ocnpost or soil, here they will acclimatuse to the normal conditions of the environment
describe the process of Somatic Cell Nuclear Transfer (SCNT) - ✔ ✔ 1. an egg cell is obtained and is
enucleated (the nucleus of the cell is removed)
2. a somatic cell ( a normal body cell ) from the adult to be cloned is isolated and this cell may be
enucleated
3. the adult somatic cell or its nucleus is fused with the enucleated egg cell by applying an electric shock,
this is electrofusion (the organism is said to be transgenic genes from another organism)
4. The shock also stimulates the egg to start developing as though it had just been fertilised, the cell is
stimulated to divide by mitosis to produce a small bundle of cells ( an embryo)
5. the embryo is then placed into the uterus of a surrogate mother to be grown.
describe the structure of a fermenter - ✔ ✔ fermenters contain a motor which is attached to blades
which rotate to evenly distribute nutrients and microorganisms
the water jacket surrounds the fermenter, as water has a high SHC alot of energy is drawn from the
fermenter preventing it from getting too hot
there are inlets for the addition of pure O2 and nutrients (both of which must be sterilised/ free of
additional microorganisms which could contaminate teh fermenter and therefore the whole process will
need to be started again
theres also an outlet to remove contents to be processed through down stream processing
and an electronic probe to monitor factors such as pH, temperature and O2 availability
give 4 examples of naturally occurring plant clones? - ✔ ✔ bulbs, rhizomes, runners/stolens, tubers
give an example of a plant that reproduces using corms - ✔ ✔ gladioli
give an example of a plant that uses its leaves to reproduce asexually - ✔ ✔ the kalanchoe plant,
clones grow on the leaf margins, the immature plants then drop off and take root.
give examples of additional products of microorganisms that are used - ✔ ✔ biogas ( a combination
of CO2 and methane ) produced by decomposers ( bacteria and fungi)
citric acid E330 used as a food preservative ( A.Niger fungus)
bioremediation ( cleaning waste water ) uses bacteria and fungi
