NEET UG - Applications of biotechnology in health and agriculture - transgenic plants and animals, gene therapy Online Test (MCQ Quiz)

1. What is the primary goal of developing transgenic plants?

A) To increase their susceptibility to pests B) To enhance their nutritional value or introduce herbicide resistance C) To reduce their growth rate D) To make them more difficult to cultivate

2. Which bacterium is commonly used to introduce foreign DNA into plant cells for creating transgenic plants?

A) Escherichia coli B) Agrobacterium tumefaciens C) Bacillus subtilis D) Staphylococcus aureus

3. Bt cotton is a transgenic plant that produces an insecticidal protein derived from which bacterium?

A) Salmonella enterica B) Clostridium perfringens C) Bacillus thuringiensis D) Lactobacillus acidophilus

4. Golden Rice is a transgenic variety of rice engineered to produce beta-carotene, a precursor to which vitamin?

A) Vitamin C B) Vitamin D C) Vitamin K D) Vitamin A

5. What is a common application of herbicide resistance in transgenic crops?

A) Allowing farmers to use broad-spectrum herbicides without damaging the crop B) Increasing the crop's tolerance to drought C) Improving the crop's ability to fix atmospheric nitrogen D) Enhancing the crop's resistance to viral diseases

6. Which of the following is NOT a typical trait introduced into transgenic plants?

A) Pest resistance B) Drought tolerance C) Increased photosynthetic efficiency D) Reduced flowering time

7. What is gene therapy?

A) A technique to clone genes B) A method to introduce genes into a patient's cells to treat a genetic disorder C) A process to synthesize DNA in vitro D) A way to detect genetic mutations

8. Which type of virus is often used as a vector in gene therapy to deliver therapeutic genes into human cells?

A) Bacteriophage B) Retrovirus C) Influenza virus D) Hepatitis virus

9. SCID (Severe Combined Immunodeficiency) is a genetic disorder that has been a target for gene therapy. What is the primary defect in SCID?

A) Deficiency in insulin production B) Deficiency in hemoglobin synthesis C) Deficiency in immune cell development D) Deficiency in neurotransmitter production

10. What is the difference between in vivo and ex vivo gene therapy?

A) In vivo involves modifying cells outside the body, ex vivo inside. B) In vivo involves modifying cells inside the body, ex vivo outside. C) In vivo targets somatic cells, ex vivo targets germ cells. D) In vivo uses RNA vectors, ex vivo uses DNA vectors.

11. Which of the following is a major challenge in gene therapy?

A) Overexpression of the therapeutic gene B) Immune response to the vector C) Difficulty in gene silencing D) Low efficiency of DNA replication

12. What is a transgenic animal?

A) An animal that has undergone selective breeding B) An animal whose genome has been altered to contain foreign DNA C) An animal that is naturally resistant to diseases D) An animal that is genetically identical to its parents

13. Rosy-red (rr) mutation in Drosophila is an example of a mutation that can be corrected using gene therapy principles. This mutation affects the production of what?

A) Eye pigment B) Wing structure C) Body color D) Antennae length

14. Which transgenic animal was the first to be approved for human therapeutic use (though not widely adopted)?

A) Transgenic mouse B) Transgenic cow C) Transgenic goat D) Transgenic sheep

15. What is the primary application of transgenic animals in agriculture?

A) To produce hypoallergenic milk B) To increase their size for meat production C) To produce pharmaceutical proteins (pharming) D) To make them resistant to extreme temperatures

16. The first transgenic animal, a mouse, was created in which year?

A) 1975 B) 1982 C) 1990 D) 1997

17. Alpha-1-antitrypsin is a protein that can be produced in the milk of transgenic animals. What condition does alpha-1-antitrypsin deficiency cause?

A) Cystic fibrosis B) Emphysema C) Huntington's disease D) Parkinson's disease

18. What is a potential ethical concern regarding the creation of transgenic animals?

A) Reduced biodiversity B) Animal welfare and rights C) Unpredictable ecological impacts D) All of the above

19. Which of the following is a method used to create transgenic animals?

A) CRISPR-Cas9 editing B) Microinjection of DNA into pronuclei C) Somatic cell nuclear transfer D) All of the above

20. What is the purpose of using a vector in gene therapy?

A) To increase the stability of the therapeutic gene B) To deliver the therapeutic gene into the target cells C) To amplify the therapeutic gene within the cell D) To remove unwanted genes from the cell

21. Flavr Savr tomato was one of the first genetically modified foods. Its modification was aimed at:

A) Increasing its vitamin content B) Improving its resistance to pests C) Slowing down its ripening process D) Enhancing its sweetness

22. Gene therapy for cystic fibrosis aims to introduce a functional copy of which gene?

A) CFTR gene B) HBB gene C) APOE gene D) BRCA1 gene

23. What is 'pharming' in the context of transgenic animals?

A) Breeding animals for faster growth B) Using transgenic animals to produce pharmaceutical products C) Developing animals resistant to farming conditions D) Genetically modifying animals for meat production

24. Which of the following is a limitation of using retroviral vectors in gene therapy?

A) They can only infect dividing cells. B) They integrate randomly into the genome, potentially causing mutations. C) They are difficult to produce in large quantities. D) They do not integrate into the host genome.

25. The use of 'terminator technology' in transgenic crops is controversial because it aims to:

A) Prevent the development of herbicide resistance in weeds B) Prevent the seeds of the transgenic plant from germinating C) Increase the yield of the crop D) Enhance the nutritional quality of the grain

26. What is the role of a selectable marker gene in plant transformation?

A) To provide resistance to herbicides B) To allow identification of transformed cells C) To enhance the expression of the foreign gene D) To increase the plant's growth rate

27. Human insulin produced by recombinant DNA technology is often referred to as 'Humulin'. This technology is a precursor to advanced gene therapy applications.

A) True, as it involves gene modification for therapeutic protein production. B) False, as it involves bacteria, not human cells. C) False, as it is a form of genetic engineering, not gene therapy. D) True, as it is the first successful application of gene therapy.

28. Which of the following transgenic animals has been engineered to produce antithrombin, a protein important for blood clotting?

A) Mouse B) Cow C) Sheep D) Pig

29. The 'Biopiracy' concern related to genetically modified crops often refers to:

A) The unauthorized use of traditional knowledge or biological resources for commercial purposes. B) The spread of genetically modified genes into wild relatives. C) The potential health risks associated with consuming GM foods. D) The high cost of genetically modified seeds.

30. What is the main advantage of using adeno-associated virus (AAV) vectors in gene therapy?

A) They can infect non-dividing cells. B) They have a low immunogenicity. C) They integrate into the host genome. D) They can carry very large genes.

31. Which of these is NOT a direct application of gene therapy in humans?

A) Treating inherited blood disorders like hemophilia. B) Developing crops resistant to fungal infections. C) Correcting genetic defects causing certain types of blindness. D) Modifying immune cells to fight cancer.

32. Golden Bananas, engineered to produce beta-carotene, are intended to combat deficiency of which vitamin in developing countries?

A) Vitamin B12 B) Vitamin D C) Vitamin A D) Vitamin E

33. What is the primary challenge in creating transgenic animals that express therapeutic proteins in their milk?

A) Ensuring the protein is produced in sufficient quantities. B) Preventing the protein from being denatured during processing. C) Achieving high-level, tissue-specific expression of the foreign gene. D) Reducing the cost of animal maintenance.

34. The 'Green Revolution' was primarily based on conventional breeding, but biotechnology has further enhanced agricultural productivity. Which of the following is a key contribution of biotechnology to agriculture?

A) Development of disease-resistant varieties B) Increased yield potential C) Enhanced nutritional value D) All of the above

35. What does the term 'gene doping' refer to in the context of gene therapy and sports?

A) Using gene therapy to enhance athletic performance. B) Using gene therapy to treat injuries in athletes. C) Using gene therapy to detect genetic predispositions to certain sports. D) Using gene therapy to develop new sports equipment.

36. Which of the following is a method for introducing genes into plant cells without using Agrobacterium?

A) Particle bombardment (gene gun) B) Agrobacterium-mediated transformation C) Protoplast fusion D) Callus culture

37. A significant advancement in gene therapy for certain cancers involves modifying a patient's T-cells to express chimeric antigen receptors (CARs). This is known as:

A) In vivo gene therapy B) Ex vivo gene therapy C) Germline gene therapy D) Viral gene therapy

38. What is the potential benefit of creating transgenic animals that are more resistant to diseases?

A) Increased production of antibiotics B) Reduced need for veterinary medicines and improved animal welfare C) Faster growth rates D) Production of hypoallergenic meat

39. The first successful gene therapy trial in humans was conducted for which condition?

A) Cystic fibrosis B) Duchenne muscular dystrophy C) Severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID) D) Hemophilia B

40. Which of the following is a transgenic animal that has been developed to produce human lactoferrin, a protein with antibacterial properties?

A) Mouse B) Goat C) Pig D) Rabbit

41. What is the primary mechanism by which Bt toxins protect plants from insect pests?

A) They interfere with insect respiration. B) They disrupt the insect's nervous system. C) They form pores in the insect's gut lining, leading to cell lysis. D) They act as antifeedants, making the plant unpalatable.

42. Gene therapy that targets germ cells (sperm or egg cells) would result in:

A) Changes that are only present in the treated individual. B) Changes that are heritable and passed on to offspring. C) Temporary correction of the genetic defect. D) No change to the individual's genetic makeup.

43. Which of the following is a potential risk associated with transgenic plants?

A) Reduced crop yield B) Development of allergens or toxins C) Increased susceptibility to pests D) Decreased nutritional value

44. What is the primary objective of using gene therapy for genetic blindness disorders like Leber's congenital amaurosis?

A) To enhance night vision. B) To replace damaged retinal cells. C) To restore the function of a defective gene in photoreceptor cells. D) To increase the size of the eyeball.

45. The development of drought-tolerant transgenic crops is crucial for:

A) Increasing the water content of fruits B) Reducing irrigation needs and ensuring food security in arid regions C) Making crops grow faster in dry conditions D) Improving the taste of water absorbed by the plant

46. Which of the following is NOT a vector commonly used in gene therapy?

A) Retrovirus B) Adenovirus C) Plasmid DNA D) Adeno-associated virus (AAV)

47. The use of transgenic animals to produce vaccines is an example of:

A) Agricultural biotechnology B) Industrial biotechnology C) Medical biotechnology D) Environmental biotechnology

48. What is a significant challenge in developing effective gene therapy for complex genetic disorders involving multiple genes?

A) The difficulty in identifying the genes involved. B) The need to deliver multiple therapeutic genes simultaneously and regulate their expression. C) The low cost of gene sequencing. D) The availability of suitable vectors for single genes.

49. Which characteristic makes 'Bacillus thuringiensis' toxins effective against specific insect pests but generally harmless to humans?

A) They are only active at extremely high temperatures. B) They require specific alkaline pH found only in the insect gut for activation. C) They are rapidly degraded by human digestive enzymes. D) They bind only to specific insect receptors not present in humans.

Applications of biotechnology in health and agriculture - transgenic plants and animals, gene therapy - Online Test

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