Question

Which one of the following is a correct statement?
A. Bt in Bt-cotton indicates that it is a genetically modified organism produced through biotechnology.
B. Somatic hybridization involves the fusion of two complete plant cells carrying desired genes.
C. The anticoagulant hirudin is being produced from transgenic, Brassica napus seeds.
D. Flavr Savr variety of tomatoes has enhanced the production of ethylene which improves its taste.

Answer 1

Bt crops are a variety of insect-resistant crops. Somatic hybridization is also known as parasexual hybridization. Anticoagulants are substances that are used to prevent the clotting or the coagulation of the blood. Flavr Savr is a variety of tomatoes that are developed with biotechnology.

Complete answer:
a) The anticoagulant hirudin is being produced from transgenic, Brassica napus seeds:
Anticoagulants are blood-thinning substances. Brassica napus is a transgenic variety of mustard. Its seeds are used to produce oil. This oil is rich in anticoagulant hirudin.
b) Bt in Bt-cotton indicates that it is a genetically modified organism produced through biotechnology:
Bt crops are genetically modified crops that are produced with the help of biotechnological methods. These organisms produce their own insecticides. Bt stands for Bacillus thuringiensis strain of bacteria. This bacterium produces crystals of insecticidal proteins.
c) Somatic hybridization involves the fusion of two complete plant cells carrying desired genes:
Somatic hybridization or parasexual hybridization is a classical breeding technique for plants. It involves the hybridization or crossing of the pure lines, which is followed by the artificial selection to produce progeny with the desirable traits. This is achieved by the fusion of the protoplast of the cells.
d) Flavr Savr variety of tomato has enhanced the production of ethylene which improves its taste:
The Flavr Savr tomato variety was developed in which the natural gene of the native species was blocked. This caused the over-ripening of the fruit. This made the fruits remain fresh for longer periods of time.
Hence, the correct answer is option C.

Note: Hirudin occurs naturally in leeches. Leeches belong to the Hirudinaria class of phylum Annelida. Leech is also known as the bloodworm because it sucks blood. Moreover, it has a high concentration of haemoglobin in its body.