MCQ Bank

Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) is the major source of insecticidal genes used in plant biotechnology. Bt genes encode proteins that are toxic to specific insect pests and can provide plants with insect resistance.

BIO5101 Final Term AI Solved

What is the primary purpose of introducing DNA into animal cells in culture?

A) To eliminate all genetic diseases in animals
B) To study gene function and regulation or produce recombinant proteins
C) To increase the physical size of the animal
D) To create new pets

AI Explanation

Introducing DNA into cultured animal cells allows researchers to investigate how genes function and are regulated. It is also widely used to make cells produce recombinant proteins for research and biotechnology.

BIO5101 Final Term AI Solved

Which of the following is listed as a risk factor of GM foods?

A) Improvement in soil fertility
B) Creation of superbugs and superweeds
C) Reduction in crop yield
D) Increased nutritional value

AI Explanation

The development of resistant pests and weeds is considered a potential environmental risk associated with GM crops. Continuous exposure to introduced traits can select for organisms that are resistant to those traits.

BIO5101 Final Term AI Solved

What is one of the most important goals of plant biotechnology as mentioned in the slides?

A) To increase food yields
B) To make plants grow without water
C) To reduce the nutritional value of crops
D) To eliminate all plant diseases permanently

AI Explanation

A major goal of plant biotechnology is to improve agricultural productivity and help meet food demands. Biotechnology can contribute to higher yields as well as improved resistance to pests, diseases, and environmental stresses.

BIO5101 Final Term AI Solved

Drought resistance in plants is an example of protection against which type of stress?

A) Viral stress
B) Nutritional stress
C) Biotic stress
D) Abiotic stress

AI Explanation

Drought is a non-living environmental condition, so it is classified as an abiotic stress. Other abiotic stresses include salinity, extreme temperatures, and waterlogging.

BIO5101 Final Term AI Solved

What happens to the cell membrane during electroporation?

A) It forms a thick wall around the cell
B) It is completely destroyed
C) Transient, nanometer-sized pores are generated
D) It becomes permanently permeable

AI Explanation

Electroporation applies an electric field that temporarily disrupts the lipid bilayer of the cell membrane. This creates transient nanometer-sized pores through which DNA or other molecules can enter the cell.

BIO5101 Final Term AI Solved

Which was the first human therapeutic protein to be expressed in genetically modified plants?

A) Interferon
B) Human serum albumin
C) Insulin
D) Growth hormone

AI Explanation

Interferon was among the earliest human therapeutic proteins successfully expressed in genetically modified plants. Plant-based expression systems can produce recombinant human proteins for pharmaceutical applications.

BIO5101 Final Term AI Solved

Why is transfection with polyplexes considered more efficient than some other chemical methods?

A) Because they do not require any cells
B) Because they work only in plant cells
C) Because they have a uniform particle size
D) Because they are cheaper to produce

AI Explanation

Polyplexes are complexes formed between nucleic acids and positively charged polymers. Their relatively uniform particle characteristics can improve cellular uptake and make transfection more efficient than some other chemical approaches.

BIO5101 Final Term AI Solved

Which trait is the most widespread in commercial transgenic plants?

A) Drought tolerance
B) Herbicide resistance
C) Insect resistance
D) Salt tolerance

AI Explanation

Herbicide resistance is one of the most widely adopted traits in commercial transgenic crops. It allows crops to tolerate specific herbicides while weeds are controlled.

BIO5101 Final Term AI Solved

Protoplast transformation is highly efficient for DNA uptake but can be limiting for generating whole transgenic plants. What is a major downstream challenge after successfully transforming a protoplast?

A) It is difficult to regenerate an entire fertile plant from a single protoplast.
B) The protoplasts are immediately resistant to antibiotics.
C) Protoplasts cannot express foreign genes.
D) The transformation is only transient.

AI Explanation

Although protoplasts can efficiently take up foreign DNA, successful transformation is only an early step. A major challenge is regenerating the transformed protoplast into a complete, fertile plant through cell division and tissue regeneration.

BIO5101 Final Term Unsolved

Q10

A biotechnology company needs a homogeneous population of single plant cells for high-throughput screening of a new herbicide. They start with a solid callus culture. What should be their next critical step to achieve this?

A) Induce somatic embryogenesis in the callus.
B) Subject the callus to cryopreservation.
C) Treat the callus with a cell wall-digesting enzyme.
D) Transfer the callus to a liquid medium and agitate it on a shaker.