Class 12 Biology MCQ – Biotechnology Principles and Processes

1. Which enzyme is used to join two pieces of DNA?

a) DNA ligase
b) Helicase
c) DNA polymerase
d) Restriction enzyme

Answer:

a) DNA ligase

Explanation:

DNA ligase facilitates the joining of DNA strands by forming phosphodiester bonds.

2. Which organism is most commonly used as a host for cloning DNA fragments?

a) Human
b) Frog
c) E. coli
d) Potato

Answer:

c) E. coli

Explanation:

E. coli is frequently used in genetic engineering as a host for cloned DNA.

3. Restriction enzymes are obtained from:

a) Viruses
b) Plants
c) Bacteria
d) Animals

Answer:

c) Bacteria

Explanation:

Restriction enzymes are produced by bacteria to defend against viral infections by cutting up the viral DNA.

4. The technique used to make multiple copies of a DNA molecule is:

a) Cloning
b) Translation
c) Transcription
d) Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR)

Answer:

d) Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR)

Explanation:

PCR is a method used to amplify specific DNA sequences.

5. Plasmids are:

a) Viruses
b) Small circular DNA molecules
c) Proteins
d) Mitochondria

Answer:

b) Small circular DNA molecules

Explanation:

Plasmids are small, circular DNA molecules typically found in bacteria.

6. Which of the following is NOT a tool of genetic engineering?

a) Plasmids
b) Restriction enzymes
c) Ribosomes
d) DNA ligase

Answer:

c) Ribosomes

Explanation:

Ribosomes are involved in protein synthesis and are not tools used in genetic engineering.

7. Bioreactors are used for:

a) Extracting juice from fruits
b) Cultivating microorganisms on a large scale
c) Filtering air
d) Destroying waste materials

Answer:

b) Cultivating microorganisms on a large scale

Explanation:

Bioreactors are vessels in which living organisms are cultivated for producing bio-products.

8. Gel electrophoresis is used to:

a) Cut DNA
b) Sequence DNA
c) Amplify DNA
d) Separate DNA fragments

Answer:

d) Separate DNA fragments

Explanation:

Gel electrophoresis separates DNA fragments based on their size and charge.

9. The first recombinant DNA was constructed by:

a) Watson and Crick
b) Cohen and Boyer
c) Mendel
d) Darwin

Answer:

b) Cohen and Boyer

Explanation:

Stanley Cohen and Herbert Boyer are credited with constructing the first recombinant DNA in 1973.

10. Agrobacterium tumefaciens is exploited in genetic engineering because:

a) It's a human pathogen
b) It has a large genome
c) It can transfer DNA to plant cells
d) It can produce antibiotics

Answer:

c) It can transfer DNA to plant cells

Explanation:

Agrobacterium tumefaciens is used in plant genetic engineering due to its ability to transfer DNA to plant cells.

11. "Sticky ends" in DNA are produced by:

a) Ribozymes
b) Restriction enzymes
c) Topoisomerases
d) DNA gyrase

Answer:

b) Restriction enzymes

Explanation:

Some restriction enzymes cut DNA in a staggered manner, producing sticky ends.

12. cDNA is synthesized from:

a) DNA using RNA polymerase
b) mRNA using reverse transcriptase
c) tRNA using ribosomes
d) rRNA using DNA ligase

Answer:

b) mRNA using reverse transcriptase

Explanation:

cDNA (complementary DNA) is synthesized from mRNA using the enzyme reverse transcriptase.

13. Which of the following is a selectable marker in genetic engineering?

a) Insulin gene
b) Growth hormone gene
c) Gene for green fluorescent protein
d) Gene providing resistance to antibiotics

Answer:

d) Gene providing resistance to antibiotics

Explanation:

Selectable markers, like antibiotic resistance genes, help in identifying and selecting genetically modified organisms.

14. Biotechnology has been crucial in the production of:

a) Synthetic diamonds
b) Organic fertilizers
c) Recombinant insulin
d) Helium gas

Answer:

c) Recombinant insulin

Explanation:

Recombinant DNA technology has been employed to produce human insulin in bacteria.

15. Which of the following is NOT a method for introducing foreign DNA into a cell?

a) Electroporation
b) Agrobacterium mediated transformation
c) Microinjection
d) Photosynthesis

Answer:

d) Photosynthesis

Explanation:

Photosynthesis is a process plants use to convert light energy into chemical energy, and it's not related to genetic engineering.

16. "Blue-white selection" is a screening technique used in:

a) Animal breeding
b) Plant grafting
c) Recombinant DNA technology
d) Crop rotation

Answer:

c) Recombinant DNA technology

Explanation:

The blue-white selection is a method to distinguish recombinant bacteria from non-recombinant ones using specific markers.

17. The process of forming multiple identical copies of a gene is termed:

a) Replication
b) Cloning
c) Mutation
d) Translation

Answer:

b) Cloning

Explanation:

Cloning refers to producing multiple identical copies of a DNA segment or gene.

18. A 'genomic library' represents:

a) A collection of books on genomics
b) A set of dominant genes in an organism
c) A collection of DNA fragments representing the entire genome of an organism
d) An online database of genes

Answer:

c) A collection of DNA fragments representing the entire genome of an organism

Explanation:

A genomic library consists of a collection of DNA fragments that represent the complete genome of an organism.

19. Which enzyme helps in unwinding the DNA helix during PCR?

a) Taq polymerase
b) DNA gyrase
c) Helicase
d) Topoisomerase

Answer:

a) Taq polymerase

Explanation:

In PCR, Taq polymerase not only synthesizes the new DNA strand but its heat-stability also allows for the denaturation step, which unwinds the DNA.

20. The term "biotechnology" was first used by:

a) Kary Mullis
b) Karl Ereky
c) James Watson
d) Rosalind Franklin

Answer:

b) Karl Ereky

Explanation:

The term "biotechnology" was first coined by Karl Ereky, a Hungarian engineer, in 1919.

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