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Biotechnology MCQs for MDCAT Practice

Biology section, Biotechnology chapter. Up to eight free sample questions, each with the correct answer and a worked explanation. The full chapter opens in the app.

The bank has 951 active questions on this chapter. Your first 500 practice attempts are free, and every attempt includes a worked explanation.

  1. Question 1
    Restriction endonucleases found in:
    • Viruses
    • Bacteria (correct answer)
    • Eukaryotes
    • All of these
    Correct answer: B
    Restriction endonucleases, crucial for genetic engineering, are naturally found in bacteria as a defense mechanism against invading viruses.
  2. Question 2
    The method of producing thousands of seedlings is:
    • PCR
    • Tissue Culture
    • Micropropagation (correct answer)
    • Macropropagation
    Correct answer: C
    Master plant propagation techniques: Micropropagation is the key to rapidly multiplying plants from small tissue samples, unlike PCR or broader terms like tissue culture.
  3. Question 3
    What is the cell suspension culture technique?
    • method to culture cells on a solid agar surface. (correct answer)
    • a technique to grow isolated plant cells in liquid nutrient medium.
    • a technique to grow bacterial cells in a liquid broth medium.
    • a technique to culture animal cells in a solid gelatin matrix.
    Correct answer: A
    Cell suspension culture involves growing plant cells as individual cells or small aggregates in a liquid medium, enabling large-scale propagation and genetic manipulation.
  4. Question 4
    The DNA formed by the reverse transcription is called:
    • rDNA
    • dDNA
    • cDNA (correct answer)
    • DNA
    Correct answer: C
    Reverse transcription synthesizes DNA from an RNA template, yielding complementary DNA (cDNA).
  5. Question 5
    In recombinant DNA technology, the copies of recombinant DNA are increased by:
    • Restriction enzyme
    • Ligase
    • Selection of host with rDNA
    • Multiplication of host with rDNA (correct answer)
    Correct answer: D
    Recombinant DNA amplification relies on host cell multiplication, not the enzymes used in its creation or the selection process itself.
  6. Question 6
    Wine turns sour because of:
    • anaerobic bacteria
    • exposure to light
    • heat
    • aerobic bacteria (correct answer)
    Correct answer: D
    Wine spoilage into a sour liquid is a common consequence of acetic acid bacteria converting ethanol into acetic acid under aerobic conditions.
  7. Question 7
    Golden rice is a promising transgenic crop. When released for cultivation, it will help in:
    • Producing a petrol­like fuel from rice
    • Alleviation of vitamin A deficiency (correct answer)
    • Pest resistance
    • Herbicide tolerance
    Correct answer: B
    Golden Rice is a genetically modified rice variety engineered to produce beta-carotene, addressing Vitamin A deficiency. It's not for fuel, pest control, or herbicide tolerance.
  8. Question 8
    Which of the following is not necessary for PCR to occur?
    • dATP
    • Primers
    • DNA fragments
    • Ribonucleotides (correct answer)
    Correct answer: D
    PCR amplifies DNA by extending primers using DNA nucleotides. Ribonucleotides are found in RNA, not DNA synthesis, making them unnecessary for this process.

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Read the full Biotechnology chapter notes: Biotechnology notes. Or browse every chapter.