Practice free Biotechnology Principles and Processes (Zoology) NEET multiple-choice questions online with instant answers and detailed explanations. No login required.
The ultimate goal of downstream processing is to make the product ready for:
The NCERT states, 'After completion of the biosynthetic stage, the product has to be subjected through a series of processes before it is ready for marketing as a finished active product.' This highlights the end goal of downstream processing.
Consider the following steps: (i) Separation; (ii) Purification; (iii) Biosynthesis; (iv) Quality control. Which steps are collectively referred to as Downstream Processing?
The NCERT explicitly states that separation and purification are part of downstream processing. While not explicitly mentioned as 'downstream processing' within the provided snippet, the summary states 'purification of the gene product, i.e., the functional protein and finally making a suitable formulation for marketing.' Formulation and marketing readiness imply quality control. Biosynthesis (iii) is the preceding stage.
Why is downstream processing a crucial step in biotechnological production?
Downstream processing involves separation and purification, which are essential to isolate the desired product from the cell culture, remove impurities, and prepare it for its intended use or marketing. This makes the product 'ready for marketing as a finished active product' as per the NCERT text.
Which of the following activities is NOT a primary concern during the biosynthetic stage that precedes downstream processing?
Removing contaminants from the final product is a key function of downstream processing. The biosynthetic stage focuses on producing the product effectively, for example, by providing 'optimum growth conditions (temperature, pH, substrate, salts, vitamins, oxygen)' and using bioreactors for 'large yield of desired protein'.
If a protein therapeutic is produced using recombinant DNA technology, what stage follows the production of the protein in the host cells?
The NCERT summary outlines the sequence: 'expression of the foreign gene... purification of the gene product, i.e., the functional protein and finally making a suitable formulation for marketing.' The purification and formulation steps constitute downstream processing, which follows the expression (production) of the protein.
Which of the following describes the fundamental principle of Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR)?
The NCERT text states: 'PCR stands for Polymerase Chain Reaction. In this reaction, multiple copies of the gene (or DNA) of interest is synthesised in vitro'. This directly describes the fundamental principle of PCR.
The three main steps in a single cycle of Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) are, in order:
The NCERT Figure 9.6 clearly labels the three steps in each PCR cycle as: (i) Denaturation; (ii) Primer annealing; and (iii) Extension of primers. Therefore, the correct order is Denaturation, Annealing, Extension.
PCR is routinely used for the early detection of HIV in suspected AIDS patients. This application is based on PCR's ability to:
From 'BIOTECHNOLOGY AND ITS APPLICATIONS': 'very low concentration of a bacteria or virus (at a time when the symptoms of the disease are not yet visible) can be detected by amplification of their nucleic acid by PCR. Can you explain how PCR can detect very low amounts of DNA? PCR is now routinely used to detect HIV in suspected AIDS patients.' This highlights PCR's sensitivity in amplifying small amounts of nucleic acid.
In the context of DNA fingerprinting, how has the sensitivity of the technique been increased by the use of PCR?
From 'MOLECULAR BASIS OF INHERITANCE': 'The sensitivity of the technique has been increased by use of polymerase chain reaction (PCR– you will study about it in Chapter 9). Consequently, DNA from a single cell is enough to perform DNA fingerprinting analysis.' This emphasizes that PCR amplifies the DNA, reducing the sample requirement.
Which of the following is NOT a direct application of PCR mentioned in the provided text?
The text mentions PCR's use in 'early diagnosis' for HIV and its ability to 'detect mutations in genes in suspected cancer patients'. It also introduces PCR as a method to 'synthesise multiple copies of the gene (or DNA) of interest' for recombinant DNA technology. Large-scale production of recombinant proteins involves bioreactors and downstream processing, but PCR itself is for amplifying DNA, not for producing the proteins directly.
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