Part 1 – Biotechnological Applications in Health: Human Insulin & Vaccine Production

NCERT Class 12 – Chapter 10 – Biotechnology and its Applications

Subtopic Breakdown :

1. Biotechnological Applications in Health
   • Human insulin production (rDNA technology)
   • Vaccine production (recombinant vaccines, edible vaccines)
   • Stem cell technology
   • Gene therapy
2. Biotechnological Applications in Agriculture
   • Bt crops and their mechanism
   • Genetically Modified (GM) crops advantages and concerns
3. Transgenic Animals
   • Applications in medicine, physiology, nutrition
4. Biosafety Issues & Biopiracy
   • Ethical issues
   • Biopiracy examples (neem, turmeric, basmati rice)
   • Patents

Part 1 – Biotechnological Applications in Health: Human Insulin & Vaccine Production

Q1.

Which of the following techniques was used to produce the first recombinant human insulin?
a) Hybridoma technology
b) Recombinant DNA technology
c) Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR)
d) Cell culture technique

Answer: b) Recombinant DNA technology

Explanation:

• (a) Hybridoma technology → Used for monoclonal antibody production, not insulin.
• (b) Recombinant DNA technology → Correct, human insulin was first produced in E. coli using rDNA technology.
• (c) PCR → Used for amplifying DNA, not directly for insulin production.
• (d) Cell culture technique → Used for growing cells, but insulin was not produced by this method.

Q2.

The commercial name of the first recombinant human insulin produced was:
a) Monoclonal insulin
b) Humulin
c) Hybridulin
d) Insugen

Answer: b) Humulin

Explanation:

• (a) Monoclonal insulin → Incorrect, not a term.
• (b) Humulin → Correct, first recombinant human insulin.
• (c) Hybridulin → Incorrect, doesn’t exist.
• (d) Insugen → A modern insulin product, but not the first recombinant one.

Q3.

Which bacterium was used as the host organism for producing recombinant human insulin?
a) Agrobacterium tumefaciens
b) Saccharomyces cerevisiae
c) Escherichia coli
d) Rhizobium

Answer: c) Escherichia coli

Explanation:

• (a) Agrobacterium → Used for plant transformation, not insulin.
• (b) Saccharomyces → Yeast used for some recombinant proteins, but not insulin initially.
• (c) Escherichia coli → Correct, used to produce Humulin.
• (d) Rhizobium → Nitrogen-fixing bacteria, not relevant.

Q4.

In recombinant insulin production, which part of the insulin gene was inserted into E. coli?
a) Mature insulin protein gene
b) Proinsulin gene
c) A and B chain coding sequences separately
d) C-peptide coding sequence only

Answer: c) A and B chain coding sequences separately

Explanation:

• (a) Mature insulin gene → Cannot be directly expressed due to processing issues.
• (b) Proinsulin → Not used directly, difficult to process in bacteria.
• (c) A and B chains separately → Correct, expressed separately in E. coli and later chemically joined.
• (d) C-peptide → Removed during insulin maturation, not required.

Q5.

What is the role of C-peptide in insulin?
a) It activates insulin in the blood.
b) It is necessary for insulin folding in proinsulin.
c) It binds to insulin receptors.
d) It catalyzes glucose breakdown.

Answer: b) It is necessary for insulin folding in proinsulin.

Explanation:

• (a) Incorrect → C-peptide does not activate insulin.
• (b) Correct → C-peptide helps in folding and connecting A and B chains in proinsulin.
• (c) Incorrect → Only A and B chains bind receptors.
• (d) Incorrect → Enzymes, not C-peptide, catalyze glucose breakdown.

Q6.

Which of the following is NOT a recombinant vaccine?
a) Hepatitis B vaccine
b) Polio oral vaccine (OPV)
c) Human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine
d) Insulin vaccine

Answer: b) Polio oral vaccine (OPV)

Explanation:

• (a) Hepatitis B → Recombinant vaccine produced in yeast.
• (b) OPV → Live attenuated vaccine, not recombinant.
• (c) HPV vaccine → Recombinant subunit vaccine.
• (d) Insulin vaccine → Doesn’t exist, irrelevant.

Q7.

Which organism is used for the production of recombinant Hepatitis B vaccine?
a) Escherichia coli
b) Saccharomyces cerevisiae
c) Bacillus subtilis
d) Mycobacterium

Answer: b) Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Explanation:

• (a) E. coli → Used for insulin, not Hepatitis B.
• (b) Saccharomyces cerevisiae → Correct, yeast host for Hepatitis B vaccine.
• (c) Bacillus subtilis → Industrial bacterium, not used here.
• (d) Mycobacterium → Not relevant.

Q8.

Which type of vaccine uses genetically engineered microbes or DNA segments?
a) Inactivated vaccines
b) Recombinant vaccines
c) Live attenuated vaccines
d) Toxoid vaccines

Answer: b) Recombinant vaccines

Explanation:

• (a) Inactivated → Killed microbes.
• (b) Recombinant → Correct, uses rDNA technology.
• (c) Live attenuated → Weakened pathogens.
• (d) Toxoid → Inactivated toxins.

Q9.

Edible vaccines are produced using:
a) Bacteria
b) Animals
c) Transgenic plants
d) Fungi

Answer: c) Transgenic plants

Explanation:

• (a) Bacteria → Not used for edible vaccines.
• (b) Animals → Used for antibodies, not edible vaccines.
• (c) Transgenic plants → Correct, edible vaccines are engineered in plants (e.g., potato, tomato).
• (d) Fungi → Not used for edible vaccines.

Q10.

Which of the following diseases is targeted by edible vaccines under research?
a) Tuberculosis
b) Cholera
c) HIV
d) Cancer

Answer: b) Cholera

Explanation:

• (a) Tuberculosis → Edible vaccine trials limited.
• (b) Cholera → Correct, edible vaccines being researched.
• (c) HIV → Extremely complex, edible vaccines not feasible yet.
• (d) Cancer → Not target for edible vaccines.

Q11.

The two polypeptide chains of insulin are joined by:
a) Hydrogen bonds
b) Disulfide bonds
c) Peptide bonds
d) Ionic bonds

Answer: b) Disulfide bonds

Explanation:

• (a) Hydrogen bonds → Important for protein folding, not permanent chain linkage.
• (b) Disulfide bonds → Correct, connect A and B chains in insulin.
• (c) Peptide bonds → Link amino acids in a chain, not between separate chains.
• (d) Ionic bonds → Weak interactions, not stable enough.

Q12.

Which of the following was a major limitation of animal-derived insulin?
a) High cost
b) Immunological reactions in patients
c) Low production yield
d) All of the above

Answer: d) All of the above

Explanation:

• (a) High cost → True, purification was expensive.
• (b) Immunological reactions → True, animal insulin caused allergic responses.
• (c) Low production yield → True, pancreas supply limited.
• (d) All of the above → Correct, all were limitations leading to rDNA insulin.

Q13.

What is the major advantage of recombinant human insulin over animal insulin?
a) Longer shelf life
b) Identical to natural human insulin
c) Easier to store
d) Requires no refrigeration

Answer: b) Identical to natural human insulin

Explanation:

• (a) Shelf life → Not the key advantage.
• (b) Correct → Recombinant insulin matches human insulin exactly, avoiding allergic reactions.
• (c) Storage → Not the main advantage.
• (d) Refrigeration → Still required, so incorrect.

Q14.

Which vaccine type involves insertion of a specific gene into a harmless virus vector?
a) Inactivated vaccine
b) Recombinant vector vaccine
c) Subunit vaccine
d) Toxoid vaccine

Answer: b) Recombinant vector vaccine

Explanation:

• (a) Inactivated → Killed microbes.
• (b) Recombinant vector vaccine → Correct, e.g., adenovirus-based vaccines (COVID-19).
• (c) Subunit vaccine → Uses only parts of pathogen.
• (d) Toxoid → Modified toxin, not gene-based.

Q15.

Which of the following is an example of a subunit recombinant vaccine?
a) BCG vaccine
b) Hepatitis B vaccine
c) OPV (Oral polio vaccine)
d) Rabies vaccine

Answer: b) Hepatitis B vaccine

Explanation:

• (a) BCG → Live attenuated.
• (b) Hepatitis B → Correct, surface antigen produced in yeast.
• (c) OPV → Live attenuated.
• (d) Rabies vaccine → Inactivated virus (older versions), not recombinant.

Q16.

DNA vaccines work by:
a) Directly injecting viral proteins
b) Introducing DNA encoding antigenic proteins
c) Using weakened microbes
d) Injecting antibodies

Answer: b) Introducing DNA encoding antigenic proteins

Explanation:

• (a) Incorrect → That’s protein subunit vaccine.
• (b) Correct → DNA encodes antigen, host cells produce protein.
• (c) Incorrect → That’s live attenuated vaccine.
• (d) Incorrect → That’s passive immunization.

Q17.

The first DNA vaccine approved for humans was against:
a) Hepatitis B
b) COVID-19
c) Malaria
d) HIV

Answer: b) COVID-19

Explanation:

• (a) Hepatitis B → Recombinant protein vaccine, not DNA.
• (b) Correct → India’s ZyCoV-D was first human DNA vaccine approved (2021).
• (c) Malaria → Still under research.
• (d) HIV → No approved vaccine yet.

Q18.

Which of the following is NOT an application of recombinant vaccines?
a) Reduce side effects of vaccines
b) Allow mass production
c) Production of monoclonal antibodies
d) Avoid live pathogens

Answer: c) Production of monoclonal antibodies

Explanation:

• (a) True → Recombinant vaccines have fewer side effects.
• (b) True → Large-scale production possible.
• (c) Incorrect → Monoclonal antibodies are made using hybridoma, not vaccines.
• (d) True → They do not use live microbes.

Q19.

The main principle behind edible vaccines is:
a) Oral intake of antibiotics
b) Expression of antigenic proteins in plants
c) Injection of transgenic bacteria
d) Plant DNA vaccination

Answer: b) Expression of antigenic proteins in plants

Explanation:

• (a) Antibiotics → Not vaccines.
• (b) Correct → Plants engineered to produce antigens.
• (c) Not done, unsafe.
• (d) DNA vaccination → Different concept.

Q20.

Which plant has been most widely used for edible vaccine research?
a) Maize
b) Potato
c) Soybean
d) Wheat

Answer: b) Potato

Explanation:

• (a) Maize → Used, but not primary.
• (b) Potato → Correct, extensively studied as edible vaccine plant.
• (c) Soybean → Limited trials.
• (d) Wheat → Not commonly used.

Q21.

What is the major limitation of edible vaccines?
a) They cannot be stored
b) Dosage control and stability issues
c) They cause strong allergic reactions
d) They cannot stimulate immunity

Answer: b) Dosage control and stability issues

Explanation:

• (a) Incorrect → Storage is possible.
• (b) Correct → Main challenge is dose variation and protein degradation.
• (c) Incorrect → Not a major problem.
• (d) Incorrect → They do stimulate immunity.

Q22.

In recombinant insulin production, after expression in E. coli, the A and B chains are:
a) Secreted directly as active insulin
b) Chemically joined after purification
c) Stored as proinsulin inside bacteria
d) Modified by bacterial enzymes

Answer: b) Chemically joined after purification

Explanation:

• (a) Incorrect → Not secreted as active insulin.
• (b) Correct → Purified and chemically linked with disulfide bonds.
• (c) Incorrect → Proinsulin is not produced in bacteria.
• (d) Incorrect → Bacteria cannot process human insulin.

Q23.

Why is yeast often preferred over bacteria for recombinant vaccine production?
a) Yeast is easier to culture than bacteria
b) Yeast performs post-translational modifications
c) Yeast has a higher growth rate
d) Yeast vaccines do not require refrigeration

Answer: b) Yeast performs post-translational modifications

Explanation:

• (a) Incorrect → Bacteria are easier to culture.
• (b) Correct → Yeast can glycosylate proteins like human cells.
• (c) Incorrect → Bacteria grow faster.
• (d) Incorrect → Still require refrigeration.

Q24.

Which of the following is a recombinant live attenuated vaccine?
a) Varicella (chickenpox) vaccine
b) BCG vaccine
c) COVID-19 mRNA vaccine
d) Hepatitis B vaccine

Answer: a) Varicella (chickenpox) vaccine

Explanation:

• (a) Correct → Varicella vaccine uses attenuated virus, sometimes modified genetically.
• (b) BCG → Classical live vaccine, not recombinant.
• (c) mRNA vaccine → Not live attenuated.
• (d) Hepatitis B → Recombinant subunit vaccine.

Q25.

Which of the following statements about recombinant vaccines is FALSE?
a) They can be produced without handling live pathogens
b) They reduce the chances of allergic reactions
c) They are costlier than traditional vaccines in early stages
d) They always provide lifelong immunity with a single dose

Answer: d) They always provide lifelong immunity with a single dose

Explanation:

• (a) True → No need for live pathogens.
• (b) True → Fewer side effects than conventional vaccines.
• (c) True → Initially costlier due to setup.
• (d) False → Some require boosters (e.g., Hepatitis B).

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