IGCSE Biology 5.16 Transgenic organisms Topic Practice

Blood clotting is an important process in humans.
The process is controlled by enzymes.

Some people cannot make the proteins needed for blood clotting.

Cloning is used to produce large numbers of transgenic mammals.
These transgenic mammals can make the human blood-clotting proteins. The human blood-clotting proteins can then be removed from the mammals' milk and injected into people who cannot make the proteins.

Explain why these mammals are described as transgenic.

Mycoprotein is protein produced by fungi that can be made into meat substitutes. Large amounts of fungus are grown in fermenters to produce the mycoprotein. The diagram shows a typical mycoprotein fermenter.

A scientist investigates the production of mycoprotein by a genetically modified (GM) fungus and a non-genetically modified fungus (non-GM).

The scientist claims that the GM fungus will be better for large-scale production of mycoprotein.

The scientist measures the mass of mycoprotein produced by the fungi in fermenters for 30 days.

The table shows the scientist's results.

The scientist claims that the GM fungus will be better for large-scale production of mycoprotein than the non-GM fungus.

Comment on the scientist's claim.

Scientists have developed genetically modified (GM) crops in order to increase food production by increasing crop yields.

Some GM crops are described as transgenic.

Explain what is meant by the term transgenic.

Golden rice is an example of a genetically modified plant.

Golden rice has been given a gene to make a substance called carotene.
This gene was taken from daffodil plants.

State the term for a genetically modified organism that has been given a gene from a different species.