1What is industrial microbiology?
The use of microorganisms to produce useful products.
2What is a fermenter?
A large tank used to grow microorganisms in large quantities and harvest their products.
3Which fungus is used commercially to produce citric acid?
<i>Aspergillus niger</i>.
4What can citric acid produced by microbes be used for?
Food preservation and flavoring.
5Where do many antibiotics originally come from?
Microorganisms, especially fungi and bacteria.
6How can microbes be used in vaccine production?
They can produce large quantities of vaccine components that can be harvested and purified.
7What is Bt toxin?
A protein-based insecticide produced by <i>Bacillus thuringiensis</i>.
8What insects does Bt toxin affect?
Certain insect larvae, including caterpillars.
9How can Bt be used in agriculture?
Its toxin gene can be engineered into crops to provide insect resistance.
10What is bioremediation?
The use of microorganisms to break down or remove environmental pollutants.
11How can microbes be used in cleaning products?
They can produce enzymes such as amylases and proteases that help break down stains.
12What does streptokinase do?
It helps break down blood clots.
13What are restriction enzymes used for in biotechnology?
They cut DNA at particular recognition sequences.
14What are DNA polymerases used for?
They synthesize new DNA strands.
15What is genetic engineering?
The deliberate modification of an organism’s genetic material.
16What is recombinant DNA?
DNA formed by joining genetic material from different sources.
17What is gene cloning?
Making many copies of a particular gene or DNA sequence.
18What is a common vector used in bacterial gene cloning?
A plasmid.
19What is the purpose of a cloning vector?
To carry a DNA sequence into a host cell so it can be copied.
20What does a restriction enzyme do during gene cloning?
It cuts the DNA insert and vector at specific sequences.
21What does DNA ligase do during gene cloning?
It joins DNA fragments by sealing the DNA backbone.
22What is the purpose of inserting a gene into a plasmid?
The plasmid can carry the gene into a host cell for replication or expression.
23What is transformation in genetic engineering?
The introduction of foreign DNA, such as a recombinant plasmid, into a host cell.
24Why are bacteria often used as host cells in gene cloning?
They can reproduce quickly and copy recombinant plasmids.
25Why is an antibiotic-resistance gene sometimes included in a plasmid?
It allows researchers to select cells that have taken up the plasmid.
26How does antibiotic selection identify transformed cells?
Cells carrying the resistance marker survive on antibiotic-containing medium while susceptible cells do not.
27What is PCR?
Polymerase chain reaction, a method for making many copies of a specific DNA sequence.
28What is the purpose of PCR?
To amplify a selected DNA region.
29What is the role of DNA polymerase in PCR?
It builds new DNA strands using existing strands as templates.
30Why are engineered microbes grown in large quantities?
To produce large amounts of a desired product.
31What human products can engineered microorganisms produce?
Examples discussed include human growth hormone and insulin.