Biotechnology

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Questions and Answers

What is the purpose of genetically modifying genes in microorganisms?

To eliminate all natural compounds produced by the microorganism

To create entirely new microorganism species

To reduce the costs of microbial culture conditions

To enhance gene expression or increase efficiency in biochemical pathways (correct)

Which method involves changing mutation sites based on research studies?

Site-directed mutagenesis (correct)

Random mutagenesis

Chemical mutagenesis

Transposon mutagenesis

What are 'cheap microbial factories' used for?

Creating energy sources for large-scale industrial processes

Producing only compounds that originate from the original microorganism

Collecting waste materials from biochemical processes

Producing compounds from other strains, plants, or animals (correct)

What is the result of introducing heterologous genes into a host microorganism?

A transgenic organism that carries genes not originally present Signup and view all the answers

What is the goal of combinatorial biosynthesis?

To engineer novel metabolic processes and products Signup and view all the answers

Pseudomonas cepacia's limitation in degrading specific pollutants can be addressed by which method?

Introducing foreign genes using recombinant DNA techniques Signup and view all the answers

What type of microorganism results from the incorporation of heterologous genes?

Transgenic microorganism Signup and view all the answers

What does the term 'pathway engineering' refer to in biotechnology?

Changing biochemical pathways for synthesis or biodegradation Signup and view all the answers

What is the role of probiotic strains in the context of immune system training?

They help train the immune system to tolerate beneficial microbes. Signup and view all the answers

Why are microbial transformations considered a renewable energy source?

They utilize microbes which can continuously regenerate. Signup and view all the answers

What is one disadvantage of producing ethanol from corn?

It utilizes a food source, potentially leading to food shortages. Signup and view all the answers

What is the main advantage of using Caldicellulosiruptor bescii for biofuel production?

It can convert cellulose and hemicellulose into glucose for ethanol production. Signup and view all the answers

How do microbial fuel cells generate electricity?

By using microbes to transform chemical energy in organic materials. Signup and view all the answers

What is the role of naphthalene oxygenase in the pathway engineering example?

It is involved in the biodegradation of naphthalene. Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is a product derived from microbial fuel transformation?

Electricity for powering devices Signup and view all the answers

Why is environmental gene mining important in pathway engineering?

It helps identify functional genes without culturing microbes. Signup and view all the answers

What does the engineering of probiotic cells aim to achieve?

To release therapeutic molecules for disease treatment. Signup and view all the answers

What enzyme activity does E. coli possess in the indigo synthesis process?

Tryptophanase Signup and view all the answers

What type of environment does Caldicellulosiruptor bescii thrive in?

Anaerobic and thermophilic conditions. Signup and view all the answers

What is a characteristic of the microbes that cannot be cultured?

They may possess unknown functional genes. Signup and view all the answers

In the context of pathway engineering, what is the significance of transforming E. coli with cloned vectors?

It allows E. coli to acquire foreign metabolic pathways. Signup and view all the answers

What method can be utilized to extract DNA from environmental samples?

Automated DNA extraction techniques. Signup and view all the answers

What type of gene can be heterologously expressed in transgenic bacteria?

Animal genes. Signup and view all the answers

What is a potential outcome of using pathway engineering to synthesize indigo?

Indigo can be produced more efficiently due to genetic modifications. Signup and view all the answers

What is one of the main benefits of using microbes in wastewater treatment?

They consume organic content, reducing pollution. Signup and view all the answers

What type of compounds can be produced by microorganisms in traditional biotechnology?

Antibiotics and amino acids Signup and view all the answers

How does the addition of critical nutrients in microbial fermentation processes benefit growth?

It prevents the accumulation of toxic metabolic waste. Signup and view all the answers

What is an advantage of growing microbes at an industrial scale compared to chemical methods?

It is generally more cost-effective. Signup and view all the answers

What role do fermentation tanks serve in microbial biotechnology?

They provide an environment for controlled microbial growth. Signup and view all the answers

How can genetic manipulation enhance microbial functions?

By introducing foreign genes to expand their metabolic capabilities. Signup and view all the answers

What is a primary site of microbial activities in industrial production?

Continuous-flow fermenters Signup and view all the answers

What does the term 'serious metabolic waste' refer to in microbial fermentation?

Undesirable substances that accumulate during excessive growth. Signup and view all the answers

What defines the metabolic capabilities of microorganisms?

Their role in fermenting food and generating useful compounds. Signup and view all the answers

Which bioactive compound is NOT typically associated with microbial production?

Heavy metals Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary fermentation product shifted by replacing lactate dehydrogenase in C.bescii?

Ethanol Signup and view all the answers

What type of organisms are genetically engineered to enhance triacylglyceride (TAG) production?

Cyanobacteria and microalgae Signup and view all the answers

What is the purpose of an anaerobic digester fed with manure?

Produce methane gas Signup and view all the answers

In a microbial fuel cell, what occurs at the anode?

Oxidation of organic matter Signup and view all the answers

Which is a main component of a microbial biosensor?

Microbial cells, enzymes or organelles Signup and view all the answers

What is the main output when microbes in methanogenic consortia produce methane?

Methane Signup and view all the answers

What is the end result of detecting specific substances in a microbial biosensor?

Generation of electrical currents Signup and view all the answers

What technology allows for editing genetic constructs to change organism properties?

Synthetic biology and genome editing Signup and view all the answers

Which statement describes the efficiency of anaerobic digestion?

Efficiency ranges between 50–100% Signup and view all the answers

In a microbial fuel cell, what drives the movement of ions?

Flow of electrons to the cathode Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary function of the Ti plasmid in genetic engineering?

To carry heterologous genes into plant cells Signup and view all the answers

Why might not every animal be expressed in E. coli for cloning?

Post-translational modifications may not be replicable in bacteria Signup and view all the answers

What characteristic of Agrobacterium tumefaciens makes it useful in plant genetic engineering?

It contains a tumor-inducing plasmid Signup and view all the answers

How are engineered bacteria used in cancer treatment?

They are modified to release drugs directly inside tumors Signup and view all the answers

What type of genes are removed from the Ti plasmid before its use in plants?

Tumor-inducing genes Signup and view all the answers

Which pathogen property can be exploited for therapeutic purposes?

Invasion capabilities in low-oxygen environments Signup and view all the answers

What is a potential benefit of attenuated pathogens in cancer therapy?

They can stimulate an immune response by releasing antigens Signup and view all the answers

What role does recombinant bovine somatotropin play in animal growth?

It stimulates growth and milk production Signup and view all the answers

What is a common method for introducing a herbicide resistance gene into plants?

Transferring through Agrobacterium tumefaciens Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following statements about bacterial genetics is false?

Bacteria have complex post-translational modifications. Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Introductory Microbiology - Week 12: Biotechnology

Biotechnology is technology based on biology, harnessing cellular and biomolecular processes to develop technologies and products for industrial use.
Research may develop a product but requires scaling up for commercial application.
Biology/biological entities include plants, animals, fungi, bacteria, and archaea, which can also be defined as microorganisms.
Biotechnology can directly harness microorganisms or indirectly use them with recombinant DNA technologies.
An example of traditional biotechnology utilization in food production is fermentation, which uses microbes. This includes fermented milks, fermented meat/fish, and cheese production.
Microbes in wastewater treatment are used for composting and processing waste management for reduced organic content.
Microbes are involved in producing bioactive compounds such as antibiotics, amino acids, organic acids, vitamins, biosurfactants, and biopolymers. Industrial manufacturing of these compounds uses controlled conditions and specific culture media.
Traditional biotechnology is based on utilizing the existing metabolic capabilities of microorganisms to convert organic waste/food sources into other useful compounds.
Techniques like genetic modifications (e.g., mutation) and pathway engineering, using genes from different organisms, create new capabilities to increase efficiency and improve yields.
Pathway engineering involves transferring and expressing genes between organisms to create novel metabolic processes, e.g., changing biochemical pathways in microorganisms to synthesize or degrade important compounds (e.g., pollutants).
Growing microbes in stirred fermenters or continuous feed systems can also optimize production using a rich diet of substrates. This prevents undesirable by-products from accumulating.
Growing microbes at an industrial scale is more energy efficient, cheaper, yields more product, and produces less toxic waste compared to chemical synthesis.
Traditional biotechnology utilizes natural metabolic capabilities. Genetic manipulation through molecular techniques can enhance and expand these capabilities. This allows the use of microorganisms in production of compounds not naturally produced by the original microorganism. This also happens by introducing heterologous genes into microorganisms.
Genetically modifying or engineering organisms modifies genes to better yield product such as a higher yield of penicillin, more efficient catalysis of biochemical pathways, or enhanced gene expression in cheaper conditions.
This is done using techniques like random mutagenesis (e.g., UV, transposons, chemicals) followed by screening for desired mutation outcomes and site-directed mutagenesis (using preselected mutation sites in genes).
Environmental gene mining is a method used when specific genes needed for an engineered pathway are unknown. This involves collecting DNA from diverse environments to identify functional genes for useful applications.
Transgenic microorganisms (e.g., cloning the bovine somatotropin gene into bacteria or using plants and animals) enables production of useful compounds like human hormones, blood coagulants, immune modulators, or replacement enzymes.
Microbial fuel cells use microorganisms to oxidize organic matter anaerobically and produce electricity by harnessing electron transfer across the cell membrane as ions move.
Microbial biosensors use living microbial cells, enzymes, or organelles as receptors for detection of specific substances, which triggers biological reaction products and generates electric currents.
Synthetic biology stitches together bits of DNA to create new genetic entities, allowing the alteration of existing organisms or the development of entirely new ones. This creates new organisms with modified properties, including the production of targeted industrial products for diverse uses. (See page 24)

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Explore the crucial role of biotechnology in microbiology during this week's quiz. Learn how cellular and biomolecular processes are harnessed to develop industrial technologies, particularly through the use of microorganisms. Examine examples such as fermentation in food production and the application of microbes in waste management and bioactive compound production.