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Engineering Life: Miracles in Biotechnology - Applications of Biotechnology in Daily Life-advanced

Grade 9CBSE

Review the key concepts, formulae, and examples before starting your quiz.

🔑Concepts

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Biotechnology Definition: The use of living organisms or their components (like enzymes) to produce products and processes for human benefit. It involves rDNArDNA (recombinant DNA) technology and genetic engineering.

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Bt Cotton and Pest Resistance: Bt cotton is a genetically modified (GMGM) crop containing genes from the bacterium Bacillus thuringiensis. It produces a protoxin that becomes active in the alkaline pHpH (where pH>7.5pH > 7.5) of an insect's midgut, causing cell lysis.

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Golden Rice: A variety of rice (Oryza sativaOryza\ sativa) produced through genetic engineering to biosynthesize β\beta-carotene, a precursor of Vitamin A, to prevent blindness in developing nations.

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Recombinant Insulin (Humulin): Created by inserting the DNA sequences for human insulin chains A and B into Escherichia coliEscherichia\ coli. The two chains are produced separately and then joined by disulfide bonds (S−SS-S bonds).

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Gene Therapy: A technique to correct hereditary diseases by replacing a defective gene with a functional one. A classic example is the treatment for Adenosine Deaminase (ADAADA) deficiency.

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Bioremediation: The use of microorganisms to remove pollutants. For example, the 'Superbug' (Pseudomonas\ putida) is engineered to break down hydrocarbons in oil spills.

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Enzyme Technology: Use of enzymes like proteases in detergents to remove protein stains and pectinases to clear fruit juices.

📐Formulae

Glucose→Yeast/Fermentation2C2H5OH+2CO2+Energy\text{Glucose} \xrightarrow{\text{Yeast/Fermentation}} 2C_2H_5OH + 2CO_2 + \text{Energy}

Net Yield Gain=YGM−YNon−GM\text{Net Yield Gain} = Y_{GM} - Y_{Non-GM}

Efficiency (%)=(Output with BiotechInput Cost)×100\text{Efficiency (\%)} = \left( \frac{\text{Output with Biotech}}{\text{Input Cost}} \right) \times 100

pH Condition for Bt Toxin:pHgut>7.0\text{pH Condition for Bt Toxin}: pH_{gut} > 7.0

💡Examples

Problem 1:

A scientist is developing a new variety of GM maize. If the original yield was 40004000 kg/hectare and the GM variety increases the yield by 25%25\%, calculate the new yield. Also, explain why the BtBt protein in this maize does not harm humans.

Solution:

Increase=25100×4000=1000 kg/hectare\text{Increase} = \frac{25}{100} \times 4000 = 1000 \text{ kg/hectare} New Yield=4000+1000=5000 kg/hectare\text{New Yield} = 4000 + 1000 = 5000 \text{ kg/hectare}

Explanation:

The new yield is 50005000 kg/hectare. The BtBt protein is a protoxin that only becomes active in alkaline pHpH conditions. Since the human stomach has an acidic pHpH (approx. pH≈1.5pH \approx 1.5 to 3.53.5), the protoxin remains inactive and is simply digested as a protein.

Problem 2:

In the production of Humulin, two peptide chains, A and B, are produced. If chain A has 2121 amino acids and chain B has 3030 amino acids, what is the total number of amino acids in the functional insulin molecule?

Solution:

Total Amino Acids=nA+nB\text{Total Amino Acids} = n_A + n_B Total=21+30=51\text{Total} = 21 + 30 = 51

Explanation:

Functional human insulin (Humulin) consists of two polypeptide chains: Chain A (2121 amino acids) and Chain B (3030 amino acids), linked together by disulfide bridges (S−SS-S).