Biorefineries Flashcards Preview

Plant Biotechnology > Biorefineries > Flashcards

Flashcards in Biorefineries Deck (27)
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1
Q

Biggest biotech crops?

A

Soy and Maize

2
Q

Biggest biotech countries

A

US 75 mil hectares
Brazil 53 mil
Argentina 23 mil

3
Q

Role of agrobacterium?

A

Natures genetic engineer integrating TDNA into own plants host DNA. Induced by plant root phenolics

4
Q

What was the main aim of the calgene-florigene company?

A

To produce blue rose from gene isolated from petunia.

5
Q

Where does blue colour come from in plants and what specific gene is necessary to make this compound?

A

From an anthocyanin called delphinidin - not normally produced in carnations and roses. flavonoid 3’ 5’hydroxylase gene

6
Q

What two qualities of a rose line is important for attempting this blue colour?

A

High flavenoid content and anthocyanin 5- aromatic acyltransferase and high pH - to shift away from red colour

7
Q

What did the purple carnations show?

A

Insertion of one gene is not enough for blue colour - need as much aas 3 genes.

8
Q

How can a transgenic plant have four species in it?

A

1) maize - actual corn plant
2) Agrobaccterium - responsible for insertion of t plasmid
3) Bacillus insect resistance (bt)
4) streptomyces -source of pat gene for glufosinate resistance

9
Q

What is codon optimization?

A

uses synonymous codon changes to increase protein production without actually changing bases

10
Q

How does Round-Up Ready work?

A

Artificial chemical glyphosate that targets are phosphate synthase in plants and kills them.
Transgenic plants are then made resistant to this by introducing gene from agrobacterium that makes a tolerant form of that phosphate synthase.
They also get a gene from an ochrobactrum strain that results in the breakdown of glyphosate

11
Q

What is CRISPR-Cas9?

A

Cas-9 refers to enzyme that recognises CRISPR clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats. It can then cut that specific section and also enzyme BE3 can rewrite nucleotide sequence!!

12
Q

Example of CRISPR-Cas9 work?

A

modify proline of ALS gene to make watermelons herbicide resistant.

13
Q

Effects of a lack of Vitamin A and ways to increase this in rice?

A

600000 deaths a year 500000 blindness increase beta carotene levels (vitamin A precursor)

14
Q

Compare the 2 golden rice constructs

A

Both have left and right border
Both have a glutelin promotor (ensures the enzymes are expressed in endosperm)
Both have SSUcrtl -small subunit transferred to subunit effectively and crtl phyotene desaturase
1 has phytoene synthase from daffodil 2 from wheat
htp->pmi 1 has selection by hpt (antibiotic) 2 has selection by whether it can grow on mannose (consumer choice)

15
Q

What was the tech behind the FLAVR SAVER tomato

A

RNAi gene silencing

16
Q

Why is seafood healthy to eat?

A

Rich in Omega 3

17
Q

What is Omega 3 and what health benefits does it carry?

A

long chain polyunsaturated fatty acid (3 refers to where double bond occurs) - decreases risk of cardiovascular and inflammatory diseases

18
Q

How many enzymatic steps are involved in the production of omega 3?

A

7

19
Q

What elements make up the gene construct for this modification?

A

7 genes for enzymes, left and right border, number of different promotors (designed for seed only), selectable markers, regulatory elements

20
Q

Most common form of pharming?

A

In vitro - grow with plant cell cultures in bioreactors then purify product (protein or drug) instead of in the field in proper plants with seeds.

21
Q

Benefits of pharming over donors or animal

A

lower cost than animals, worldwide capacity, low contamination, inexpensive storage however slight extra glycosylation is required unlike animals.

22
Q

Example of pharming 1?

A

gauchers disease - rare genetic disease accumulates glucocerebroside instead of lipids. made with carrot cell suspension cost of treatment $150000 p/y

23
Q

Example of pharming 2?

A

Ebola uses zmapp three monoclonal antibodies and grown in plant culture. Not enough testing right now

24
Q

Benefits of edible vaccines?

A

More stable than those kept in the fridge. Plants can produce antigen that provokes immune response.

25
Q

What are biodegradable plastics normally derived from?

A

cyanobacteria, algae, plants

26
Q

Two egs of plant derived green plastics?

A

Starch and polyhydroxyalkanoates

27
Q

Three products of biorefinery?

A

fuel, materials (paint), chemicals