Question

Assertion:The milk of transgenic cow, Rosie, was nutritionally more balanced than normal cow milk
Reason: α-1 antitrypsin is a biological product produced by transgenic animals.

A. Both Assertion and Reason are correct and Reason is the correct explanation for Assertion
B. Both Assertion and Reason are correct but Reason is not the correct explanation for Assertion
C. Assertion is correct but Reason is incorrect
D. Both Assertion and Reason are incorrect

Answer 1

The human alpha lactalbumin gene was introduced in the first transgenic cow gene, which made milk more nutritious than the milk of normal cows.

Complete answer:
Animals that possess manipulated DNA to contain and express an additional gene are called transgenic animals. Transgenic organisms are also produced for commercial purposes. Many transgenic animals such as rats, fish, sheep, cows, rabbits, and pigs have been developed, but more than 95% of all current transgenic animals are mice.

In 1997, Rosie, the first transgenic cow, produced human protein-rich milk (2.4 grams per litre). The milk contained human alpha-lactalbumin and was a nutritionally more healthy food than natural cow-milk.

Transgenic animals that generate valuable biological products could be created by the insertion of a component of DNA (or genes) that codes for a specific product such as human protein (-1-antitrypsin) used to treat emphysema. Alpha-1 antitrypsin is a protease inhibitor developed predominantly in the liver. It inhibits neutrophil elastase activity in the lung and can therefore protect it from proteolytic damage. Transgenic (or GM) sheep have been genetically engineered to produce milk containing the human protein AAT.

Thus, the correct answer is option B i.e., Both Assertion and Reason are correct but Reason is not the correct explanation for Assertion

Note: Transgenic animals are produced for a variety of reasons. Some of the common reasons include the study of the physiology and development of the body, study of disease, testing of vaccine and chemical safety, and for obtaining biological products.