Focus on Biotechnology

Question 1

The following statements about selective breeding and genetic modification are true except

A)both are intended to improve traits.
B)both may result in food that is more nutritious.
C)both are limited to whether two organisms are capable of cross-breeding.
D)both may result in plants that can resist disease.

Answer 1

C

Question 2

Which of the following statements about genetic modification of foods in the US is true?

A)About 80% of all foods in the US are genetically modified.
B)More than half of the soybeans grown here are genetically modified.
C)Genetic modification of foods is still experimental and has not been introduced into the food supply.
D)Only a very small fraction of crops grown here are genetically modified.

Answer 2

B

Question 3

A set of techniques used to manipulate DNA for the purpose of changing the characteristics of an organism is

A)cloning.
B)biotechnology.
C)nuclear transfer.
D)Gene doping.

Answer 3

B

Question 4

Which statement about mutations is incorrect?

A)Mutations are changes in the DNA.
B)Harmful mutations are often not passed down.
C)Some beneficial mutations increase the likelihood of survival.
D)All mutations are harmful.

Question 5

A DNA molecule composed of DNA from two different species is a

A)clone
B)gene
C)chimera
D)genome

Question 6

How many bases of DNA are needed to code for a single amino acid?

A)2
B)3
C)4
D)20

Question 7

How many different bases occur in the DNA molecule?

A)20
B)10
C)6
D)4

Question 8

A bacterial enzyme with the ability to cut DNA in a specific location is a

A)restriction enzyme.
B)plasmid.
C)recombinant enzyme.
D)gene fragment.

Question 9

Soybeans have been modified to contain ________ to help reduce the risk of heart disease.

A)less cholesterol
B)more folate
C)more monounsaturated fats
D)more polyunsaturated fats

Question 10

Which statement about the genetic modification of plants to provide insect resistance is incorrect?

A)inserting the Bt gene into plants allows them to make their own insecticide.
B)the Bt gene product is toxic to humans and must be handled carefully.
C)Bt plants benefit the environment.
D)the protein from Bt has been used as an insecticide for over 30 years.

Question 11

Golden rice has been engineered to combat ____ deficiency.

A)iron
B)iodine
C)protein.
D)vitamin A

Question 12

Genetic modification improves crop yields by doing all of the following except:

A)allowing more seeds to be planted.
B)creating plants that are resistant to herbicides.
C)creating plants that can withstand drought.
D)developing plants that use sunlight more efficiently.

Question 13

Bacteria have been genetically modified to make _____ necessary for food processing.

A)enzymes
B)additives
C)carbohydrates
D)conditioners

Question 14

Genetic modification to provide disease resistance was able to save Hawaii's ______ crop from the ring spot virus in 1990.

A)papaya
B)pineapple
C)coconut
D)macadamia nut

Question 15

A loop of bacterial DNA with the ability to carry genes from one place to another is a

A)restriction enzyme
B)plasmid
C)recombinant enzyme
D)Gene fragment

Question 16

Which statement is correct?

A)The genes of different species are completely different,which is why the species are different.
B)Humans share only a few genes with extremely similar organisms,but share none with dissimilar organisms.
C)Humans actually share some genes with plants.
D)Most human genes have equivalents in plants.

Question 17

The first FDA approved application of biotechnology in farm animals did which of the following?

A)It made beef cattle grow larger.
B)Chickens were modified to lay more eggs.
C)Bacteria were modified to carry a gene whose product was given to cows to increase milk production.
D)Cows were genetically modified to produce more milk.

Question 18

The segments of DNA that determine the characteristics of an organism are

A)bases
B)RNA
C)genes
D)proteins

Question 19

Altering the DNA of a species changes the ____ that a cell makes.

A)proteins
B)lipids
C)carbohydrates
D)vitamins

Question 20

Which statement about hybridization is incorrect?

A)Two related plants are cross-pollinated.
B)All the offspring have the desired traits.
C)The offspring have traits from both parents.
D)Tangelos are hybrids.

Question 21

Explain how genetic engineering introduces new traits into plants and compare and contrast traditional breeding methods with those of modern biotechnology.

Question 22

Using biotechnology,give some examples of how the quantity and quality of some foods has been enhanced.

Question 23

What are the similarities and differences between traditional breeding and biotechnology used to develop improved agricultural products?

Question 24

One consumer safety concern related to bioengineered foods is

A)the possibility that an allergen could be introduced.
B)the possibility that altered genes could jump into humans.
C)the possibility that the Bt gene could cause illness.
D)the possibility that the plasmid used to transfer genes could cause infection in humans.

Question 25

The National Academy of Sciences has concluded that the risks posed by genetically modified plants

A)are less serious than the risks posed by traditional plant breeding.
B)are the same as the risks posed by traditional plant breeding.
C)are primarily the risks of environmental damage.
D)are primarily the risks to human health.

Question 26

Which statement about genetically modified foods and allergens is incorrect?

A)Biotechnology companies monitor the allergenic potential of proteins used for plant genetic engineering.
B)Potentially allergenic soybeans were kept from entering the market in 1996.
C)The products of new genes could cause people to have an allergic reaction to previously safe foods.
D)Because of the mandatory testing system,individuals with food allergies can assume that new foods are safe.

Question 27

Antibiotic resistance genes are often used as:

A)allergens
B)plasmids
C)marker genes
D)toxins

Question 28

How can vitamin A deficiency be reduced through genetic engineering of staple foods like rice?

Question 29

Which statement about the nutrient content of genetically modified foods is true?

A)Genetic modification changes proteins,but no other nutrients in GM foods.
B)Genetic modification often causes the loss of important nutrients.
C)Genetic modification only enhances the nutrients in a food.
D)If the nutrient content of the food has been changed,it must be labeled to disclose the change.

Question 30

The USDA regulation of GM foods is mostly concerned with

A)potential risks to agriculture or the environment.
B)potential human health risks.
C)the ability to sell agricultural products in the global marketplace.
D)the regulation of pesticides in plants.

Question 31

How is genetic engineering being used to make farming more productive?

Question 32

How is genetic engineering being used to make foods more nutritious?

Question 33

Biotechnology has been used to improve human health by doing all of the following except:

A)making interferon to stimulate the immune system
B)making a protein that dissolves blood clots in heart attack victims
C)making influenza vaccine
D)modifying bacteria to make insulin

Question 34

What are the potential health risks of genetically modified foods?

Question 35

You are a member of an environmental group and have participated in programs to clean up coastal areas,reduce greenhouse gases and increase recycling.You are now receiving emails from the group agitating against GM foods.Give a fair representation of the environmental risks and how they are managed through government regulation.Explain why this is either adequate protection for the environment or not.

Question 36

What proportion of consumers want to have genetically modified food products labeled as such?

A)18%.
B)28%
C)2/3
D)3/4

Question 37

Which statement about the tracking of genetically modified ingredients is correct?

A)Modern technology has made the tracking of all ingredients very easy.
B)Many health problems and even a few deaths have occurred when tracking systems went awry.
C)Labeling of foods containing GM ingredients is only required under very exceptional circumstances like when there are changes in the nutritional composition of the food
D)In the US genetically modified crops are segregated from other crops at all phases of food production.

Question 38

Your mother was horrified to learn that the vast majority of processed foods in the US contain GM ingredients.What can you tell her to allay her fears of a negative health impact from these foods? If she is still concerned,how can you advise her to avoid them?

Question 39

What are the steps used in biotechnology to create a genetically modified plant?

Question 40

Which statement about the FDA and the regulation of genetically modified crops is incorrect?

A)The safety of the food product is determined based on its characteristics,not the method used to produce it.
B)Emphasis is placed on whether the food creates a new or increased allergenic risk.
C)Premarket approval is required for all GM foods even if they contain only substances that are already in the food supply.
D)The FDA is concerned with whether the plant is nutritionally different from traditional plants.

Question 41

Given the large increment of GM-produced foods in such a brief period,how are governmental agencies and food companies preventing impact on consumer safety and the environment.

Question 42

How could the use of GM as illustrated result in foods that may cause harm for consumers?