Biotechnology: PCR, gel electrophoresis and genetic engineering
Grade 9 Science Worksheet - Challenge Me
Circle the best answer.
Read this first
Model PCR card (model data)
item value start 5 pieces each cycle doubles the pieces goal more than 1000 pieces Ari starts a model PCR with 5 pieces. Each cycle doubles the pieces. After how many cycles does the count first pass 1,000?
- 498 cycles
- 7 cycles
- 200 cycles
- 8 cycles
Each cycle doubles the pieces. Esme runs two model PCR tubes. Which tube has more pieces at the end, and by how many?
- Tube Q, by 320 pieces
- Tube P, by 87 pieces
- Tube P, by 320 pieces
- Tube P, by 1,500 pieces
not to scale; model data. Lane 3, one band: 300 bp. Lane 4, one band: 1200 bp. Jun runs PCR on a long piece of model plant DNA and loads the main product in one lane. Which lane is it, and why?
- Lane 3, because each cycle halves the length of the product
- Lane 2, because PCR copies the region between the primers
- Lane 1, because PCR copies the whole 5000 bp piece
- Lane 4, because each cycle doubles the length of the product
Model gel (not to scale; model data). Lane 1 holds the 1000 bp piece before cutting. Kira cuts a 1000 bp piece of DNA once with a restriction enzyme. Which lane shows the two pieces, and what happened in the run?
- Lane 2, toward the negative end, with the 400 bp piece farther
- Lane 2, toward the positive end, with the 600 bp piece farther
- Lane 3, toward the positive end, with the 500 bp piece farther
- Lane 2, toward the positive end, with the 400 bp piece farther
Notebook on gene cloning (model data)
line what it says 1 A restriction enzyme cuts DNA at a specific sequence 2 Cutting the plasmid and the gene with the same enzyme leaves matching sticky ends 3 DNA ligase cuts the plasmid so the gene can fit 4 Bacteria copy the plasmid as they divide Milo checks a classmate's notebook on putting a gene into a plasmid. Exactly one line is wrong. Which line, and why?
- Line 1, because a restriction enzyme joins DNA pieces
- Line 2, because sticky ends form with different enzymes, not the same one
- Line 3, because DNA ligase joins DNA and does not cut it
- Line 4, because a plasmid cannot be copied inside bacteria
Use this
Notebook on genetic engineering (model data), 4 rows. Columns: line, what it says. 1, Bt corn carries a gene from Bacillus thuringiensis. 2, Golden rice carries added genes that let the endosperm make provitamin A. 3, Adding the gene replaces the corn plant's whole genome with the genome of the bacterium. 4, An organism that gets recombinant DNA is a genetically modified organism.
Noah checks a classmate's notebook on genetic engineering. Exactly one line is wrong. Which line, and why?
- Line 2, because added genes cannot work in the edible part of a grain
- Line 1, because the gene comes from a plant and not from a bacterium
- Line 4, because a GMO must have a completely new genome from another species
- Line 3, because the plant keeps its own genes and gains the added gene
Use this
Notebook on PCR and gels (model data), 4 rows. Columns: line, what it says. 1, PCR copies the region between the two primers. 2, Each cycle doubles the target pieces, so 3 cycles turn 1 piece into 8. 3, In a gel, smaller pieces travel farther from the wells. 4, DNA pieces move toward the negative end of the gel.
Pia checks a classmate's notebook on PCR and gels. Exactly one line is wrong. Which line, and why?
- Line 4, because negatively charged DNA moves toward the positive end
- Line 2, because each cycle adds two pieces, so 3 cycles give 7 pieces
- Line 1, because PCR makes copies of the whole genome in the cell
- Line 3, because larger pieces travel farther from the wells in a gel
PCR step card (model data)
step temperature what happens denature high the two strands of the DNA pull apart anneal low short primers join the single strands extend medium Taq polymerase builds new strands from the primers Ren reads a PCR step card. Taq polymerase comes from the bacterium Thermus aquaticus. Which claim and reason about Taq are correct?
- Taq copies the whole genome at once, because it needs no primers
- Taq keeps working when heated, because it comes from a heat-stable bacterium
- Taq cuts the DNA at the primers, because strands must be cut before copying
- Taq is added fresh each cycle, because heat breaks it down
Model PCR card (model data)
item value start 1 piece each cycle doubles the pieces cycles 10 Tala predicts the pieces in a model PCR tube after 10 cycles. Which claim and reason are correct?
- 1,024 pieces, because each cycle doubles the number
- 21 pieces, because each cycle adds two pieces
- 100 pieces, because each cycle multiplies the number by 10
- 10 pieces, because each cycle adds one piece
Two crops card (model data)
crop what was added what it makes Bt corn a gene from Bacillus thuringiensis a protein that protects it from some insect pests golden rice a combination of added genes provitamin A in the endosperm Zee compares Bt corn and golden rice. Which claim and reason are correct?
- Each crop carries added genes, because restriction enzymes join them to the plant's DNA
- Each crop has a replaced genome, because engineering swaps out the plant's genes
- Each crop carries added genes, because engineering puts recombinant DNA into the organism
- Bt corn carries added genes but golden rice does not, because rice cannot take up recombinant DNA
