Question

a) Development of Bt. Cotton has reduced the use of insecticides. Justify.
b) Write a note in gene therapy.

Answer 1

Genetically modified organisms have been produced using technologies other than natural methods to transfer one or more genes from one organism to another, usually using techniques such as recombinant DNA technology.

Complete answer:
- Biotechnology deals with methods used by living beings or animals to create goods and procedures that are useful to humans. In this way, the processing of bread, curd, or wine, which is both microbe-mediated processes, may also be considered to be a form of biotechnology.
- However, it is currently used in a narrow way to refer to all methods that use genetically modified organisms to produce the same on a broader scale. In addition, several other techniques are also covered by biotechnology.
- For example, in vitro fertilization, which leads to a 'test-tube' infant, synthesizes and uses a gene, produces a DNA vaccine or corrects a faulty gene, is all part of biotechnology.

a) The Bt. cotton plant is a transgenic plant that produces a bollworm insecticide. Bacillus thuringiensis is a bacterium containing a cry gene that is introduced into the Bt. cotton plant and thus produces a crystalline Bt. component. The chemical acts as a poison when consumed by the pests as it is triggered after hitting the alkaline intestine of the pests and produces holes in the intestine and destroys the pests. The gene provides protection for GMO against budworm, bollworm, beetle, borer, etc. The production of this plant has also limited the use of insecticides to protect against pests.

b) Gene therapy is a set of approaches to fix a gene disorder that has been identified in a child or embryo. Genes are introduced into a person's cells and tissues to cure a disorder. The repair of a genetic disorder requires the transfer of a new gene to the organism or embryo to take over the function and recompense for the non-functional gene. Gene therapy is a procedure that uses genes to cure or prevent disease. This procedure includes the transfer of regular genes to abnormal cells. This aims to substitute the role of the missing or faulty gene in order to fix genetic abnormalities. Whenever the parents have a concern if the infant may suffer from some sort of genetic disorder, the doctors can do testing to determine the type of condition. The disease can be treated with gene therapy.

Note: Biotechnology has produced a range of valuable goods to humanity by using bacteria, plants, livestock and their metabolic devices. The recombinant DNA technology has made it possible for plants, microbes, and animals to be engineered in such a way that they have innovative capabilities.