Biotechnology and Its Applications Important Questions for CBSE Class 12 Biology Transgenic Animals and Ethical Issues
1.Transgenic animals are animals that have had their DNA manipulated to possess and express an extra (foreign) gene. For example, transgenic mice, rats, rabbits, pigs, sheeps, cows and fish have been produced.
2. Common reasons for developing transgenic animals are:
(i) Study of normal physiology and development is carried out to understand gene  regulation, their effect on the normal functions of the body and its development.
For example, study of complex growth factors like insulin, growth factor.
(ii) Study of diseases can be done by studying genes, which are responsible for causing diseases in human and their treatments.
For example, transgenic models have been developed for many diseases like cancer,
cystic fibrosis, Alzheimer’s disease.
(iii) Biological products can be produced by introducing the portion of DNA, which codes for a particular product into transgenic animals.
For example,
(a) Human protein (a-1 antitrypsin) is used to treat emphysema.
(ii) The first transgenic cow in 1997, Rosie produced human protein enriched milk :
(2.4 g/L). This milk contained the human a-lactalbumin and was more ‘nutritionally balanced for human babies than natural cow milk.
(iv) Vaccine safety can be ensured by testing vaccines on transgenic mice before being  used in humans, e.g. polio vaccine.
(v) Chemical safety testing known as toxicity/safety testing can be done in transgenic animals.
(a) These animals are made to carry genes, which make them more sensitive to the toxic substances than non-transgenic animals.
(b) When exposed to toxic substances, their effects are studied in a short time.
3. Ethical issues in biotechnology applications are
(i) Genetic modification of organisms can have unpredictable results when such organisms are introduced into an ecosystem.
(ii) The modification/usage of living organisms for public services (food/medicine for example) has also created problems with patents granted for the same.
(iii) In order to control these issues, the Indian Government has set-up organisations such as Genetic Engineering Approval Committee (GEAC), which make decisions regarding the validity of GM research and the safety of introducing GM organisms for public services.
4. Biopatent It is the right granted by the government to an inventor for production of biological entities, i.e. GM microbes, plants and animals and products derived from them or applications of such organisms and products.
(i) Public is concerned that certain companies are being granted patents for products and technologies that make use of the genetic materials, plants and other biological resources that have long been developed by farmers and indigenous people of a specific region/country.
(ii) For example,
(a) Rice is being used since thousands of years in Asian countries, of which 20,0000 varieties are in India alone.
(b) Basmati rice is famous for its aroma and flavour, whose 27 varieties are cultivated in India.
(c) An American company in 1997, got patent rights for Basmati rice through the US Patent and Trademark Office and was allowed to sell a ‘new’ variety of Basmati in the US and abroad.
(d) This new variety of Basmati was derived from Indian farmer’s varieties.
(e) Indian Basmati was crossed with semi-dwarf varieties and claimed as an invention or novelty.
(f) Besides Basmati rice, now attempts are in progress for turmeric and neem (Indian traditional herbal medicines).
(iii) If attention is not paid immediately to counter these patent applications, other countries/individuals may encash on our rich legacy.
5. Biopiracy refers to the use of bio-resources by multinational companies and other
organisations without proper authorisation from the countries and people concerned without any payment.           .
(i) The industrialised nations are financially rich but poor in biodiversity and traditional knowledge, in comparison to developing and under developed countries.
(ii) Traditional knowledge related to bio-resources can be exploited to develop modern applications and to save time, efforts and expenditure.
(iii) Some nations are developing laws to prevent such unauthorised exploitation of their bio-resources and traditional knowledge.
(iv) The Indian Parliament has recently cleared the second Amendment of the Indian Patents Bill. It takes consideration of such issues including patent terms, emergency provisions, research and development initiative.
Previous Years Examination Questions
1 Mark Questions
1. Name the Indian variety of rice patented by an American company. [Delhi 2008]
Ans. Basmati rice is the Indian variety of rice patented by the US company.
2. What was the speciality of the milk produced by the transgenic cow Rosie? [All India 2008]
Ans. The transgenic cow, Rosie, produced human protein-enriched milk (2.4 gm/L). It contained the human a-l actalbumin and was nutritionally more balanced product for human babies than natural cow’s milk.
3. A multinational company outside India tried to sell new varieties of turmeric without proper patent rights. What is such an act referred to? [All India 2008]
Ans. This is called biopiracy. It refers to the use of bio-resources by multinational companies and other organisation without proper authorisation from the countries and people concerned without any payment.
4. What does the organisation GEAC do? Check with reference to genetic
engineering.[Foreign 2008; Delhi 2008C]
Ans. GEAC (Genetic Engineering Approval Committee) is an organisation set-up by the Indian Government to make decisions regarding the validity of GM research and the safety of introducing GM organisms for public services.
2 Marks Questions
5. What is biopiracy? State the initiative taken by the Indian Parliament against it. [Delhi 2014]
Ans. Biopiracy refers to the use of bio-resources by multinational companies and other organisations without proper authorisation from the concerned countries and people.
The Indian Parliament has cleared a second Amendment of Indian Patents Bill as a initiative step against biopiracy. This bill consider issues including patent terms, emergency provisions as well as research and development initiative.
6. How have transgenic animals proved to be beneficial in
(i) production of biological products?
(ii) chemical safety testing? Â [Delhi 2014]
Ans. (i) The transgenic animals are proved to be beneficial in production of biological products like human protein a-1 antitrypsin (by coding genes for that protein only) in treatment of emphysema, and human protein (a-lactalbumin) enriched milk by transgenic cow, i.e. Rosie. This milk was more nutritionally balanced for human babies than natural cow milk.
Transgenic animals are studied for testing toxicity of drugs and other chemicals, as they carry genes that makes them more sensitive to toxic substances.
7. How is ‘Rosie’ considered different from a normal cow? Explain.
[All India 2011; Foreign 2010]
Ans. The transgenic cow, Rosie, produced human protein-enriched milk (2.4 gm/L). It contained the human a-l actalbumin and was nutritionally more balanced product for human babies than natural cow’s milk.
8. Biopiracy should be prevented. State why and how? [All India 2011]
Ans. Biopiracy should be prevented because
(i) The countries and people concerned are not given adequate compensatory payment.
(ii) The countries/people also lose their right to grow and use    breeding experiments to improve the other varieties of the same species.
9. Describe the responsibility of GEAC, set-up by the Indian Government. [Delhi 2009]
Ans. GEAC (Genetic Engineering Approval Committee) is an organisation set-up by the Indian Government to make decisions regarding the validity of GM research and the safety of introducing GM organisms for public services.
5 Marks Question
10. What are transgenic animals? Explain any four ways in which such animals can be beneficial for humans. [Foreign 2008]
Ans. Animals that have had their DNA manipulated to possess and express an extra (foreign) gene are called transgenic animals. Transgenic rats, rabbits, pigs and cows have been produced.
Uses of transgenic animals for humans are:
(i) To study gene regulation, their effect on the normal functions of the body and its development,
(ii) Study of genes, which are responsible for diseases in human and their treatment, e.g. cancer,
(iii) Useful biological products can be produced by introducing the portion of DNA, which codes for a particular product into transgenic animals.
(iv) Transgenic mice are developed to test the safety of vaccines before being used in humans.
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