20. Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering

• State that bacteria are useful in biotechnology and genetic engineering due to their rapid reproduction rate and their ability to make complex molecules

• Discuss why bacteria are useful in biotechnology and genetic engineering, limited to:

– lack of ethical concerns over their manipulation and growth

– genetic code shared with all other organisms

– presence of plasmids

• Describe the role of anaerobic respiration in yeast during production of ethanol for biofuels

• Describe the role of anaerobic respiration in yeast during bread-making

• Investigate and describe the use of pectinase in fruit juice production

• Investigate and describe the use of biological washing powders that contain enzymes

• Investigate and explain the use of lactase to produce lactose-free milk

• Describe the role of the fungus Penicillium in the production of the antibiotic penicillin

• Explain how fermenters are used in the production of penicillin

• Define genetic engineering as changing the genetic material of an organism by removing, changing or inserting individual genes

• State examples of genetic engineering:

– the insertion of human genes into bacteria to produce human insulin

– the insertion of genes into crop plants to confer resistance to herbicides

– the insertion of genes into crop plants to confer resistance to insect pests

– the insertion of genes into crop plants to provide additional vitamins

• Outline genetic engineering using bacterial production of a human protein as an example, limited to:

– isolation of the DNA making up a human gene using restriction enzymes, forming sticky ends

– cutting of bacterial plasmid DNA with the same restriction enzymes, forming complementary sticky ends

– insertion of human DNA into bacterial plasmid DNA using DNA ligase to form a recombinant plasmid

– insertion of plasmid into bacteria (specific detail is not required)

– replication of bacteria containing

recombinant plasmids which make human protein as they express the gene

• Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of genetically modifying crops, such as soya, maize and rice