Q171. The term ‘smart drugs’ in nanotechnology refers to drugs that:
Genetics, Biotechnology and Nanotechnology: RAS Prelims MCQs
179 RAS Prelims MCQs on genetics, biotechnology and nanotechnology cover DNA structure, chromosomes, recombinant DNA tools, plant tissue culture, biotech products and bioethics. Purines, base pairing, Chargaff’s rule, vectors, totipotency, Humulin, Feynman’s lecture, the Nagoya Protocol and biopiracy are asked as facts and sequences, with explanations that name the process behind each fact.
Practice questions based on the RPSC RAS Prelims syllabus. They follow the exam pattern but are not past-paper questions.
Showing 171–179 of 179 questions
Q172. Consider the following statements regarding the Genetic Engineering Appraisal Committee (GEAC):
Statement I: GEAC is the apex body in India responsible for approving the commercial release of genetically modified crops.
Statement II: GEAC functions under the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change.
Which of the following represents the correct option?
Statement I: GEAC is the apex body in India responsible for approving the commercial release of genetically modified crops.
Statement II: GEAC functions under the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change.
Which of the following represents the correct option?
Explanation
The Genetic Engineering Appraisal Committee is the primary regulatory body in India established under the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change. Its main responsibility is to assess and approve the safety and environmental impact of genetically modified organisms before they are released for large-scale field trials or commercial cultivation. This ensures that biotechnology products are safe for human consumption.
Q173. Biopiracy refers to:
Explanation
Biopiracy is the unethical or illegal practice of commercially exploiting biological resources and the traditional knowledge of indigenous communities without providing fair compensation or obtaining proper authorization. This often involves companies from developed nations obtaining patents on traditional medicines found in developing countries, effectively stealing the resource and restricting its use by the original communities who first discovered its beneficial properties.
Q174. The controversial patenting of which famous Indian agricultural product by an American company in the late 1990s is a classic example of biopiracy?
Explanation
In the late 1990s, an American company was granted a US patent for Basmati rice lines and grains. This caused a major international controversy because Basmati is a traditional aromatic rice variety grown for centuries in the Indian subcontinent. India challenged the patent, arguing that it was a case of biopiracy and that the company had not created a new variety.
Q175. Which of the following traditional Indian plants was the subject of a major biopiracy battle regarding its wound-healing properties, leading to the revocation of a US patent?
Explanation
The attempt to patent the wound-healing use of turmeric (haldi) in the United States led to a major biopiracy battle, and the patent was revoked after India showed prior traditional knowledge.
Q176. The deliberate release of viruses, bacteria, or other germs to cause illness or death in people, animals, or plants is termed:
Explanation
The deliberate release of viruses, bacteria or other germs to cause illness or death in people, animals or plants is called bioterrorism.
Q177. Which of the following ethical issues is directly associated with the mandatory collection of DNA for national databases?
Explanation
The mandatory collection of DNA for national databases raises the risk of genetic discrimination, for example by insurance providers.
Q178. Eugenics, a scientifically and ethically discredited practice, involves:
Explanation
Eugenics is the discredited practice of breeding programmes aimed at increasing desirable human traits.
Q179. The convention established to ensure the fair and equitable sharing of benefits arising out of the utilization of genetic resources is the:
Explanation
The Nagoya Protocol to the Convention on Biological Diversity ensures the fair and equitable sharing of benefits from the use of genetic resources.Answer key for these questions
| Q | Correct answer |
|---|---|
| 171 | (a) Targeted delivery systems that release under conditions |
| 172 | (a) Both Statement I and Statement II are correct. |
| 173 | (a) Unauthorized exploitation of resources and knowledge |
| 174 | (d) Basmati Rice |
| 175 | (b) Turmeric (Haldi) |
| 176 | (d) Bioterrorism |
| 177 | (a) Risks of genetic discrimination by insurance providers |
| 178 | (c) Breeding programs aimed at increasing desirable traits |
| 179 | (d) Nagoya Protocol |
Key facts from Genetics, Biotechnology and Nanotechnology
- Adenine is a purine and pairs with thymine through two hydrogen bonds; the distance between consecutive base pairs in B-DNA is 0.34 nm.
- Chargaff’s rule says that adenine equals thymine and guanine equals cytosine; the human karyotype has 22 pairs of autosomes.
- Telomeres maintain genomic stability during DNA replication; heterochromatin is the condensed, inactive region.
- Humulin was the first commercially produced genetically engineered human hormone.
- Totipotency is the capacity of a single plant cell to regenerate a whole plant; the meristem is used to get virus-free plants.
- Richard Feynman’s 1959 lecture began nanotechnology; the Nagoya Protocol governs benefit sharing; the US patent on turmeric was revoked after a biopiracy battle.
Frequently asked questions
How many RAS Prelims practice MCQs are there on Genetics, Biotechnology and Nanotechnology?
This page has 179 practice MCQs on Genetics, Biotechnology and Nanotechnology (Science and Technology). Each has the correct answer, and most have an explanation.
How many hydrogen bonds pair adenine with thymine?
Two. Adenine pairs with thymine by two hydrogen bonds, and guanine pairs with cytosine by three, which is why DNA rich in G and C is more stable.
What is totipotency?
The capacity of a single plant cell to regenerate into an entire plant. It is the basis of plant tissue culture, in which cells grown on a nutrient medium form a callus and then shoots and roots.
Which protocol deals with sharing the benefits of genetic resources?
The Nagoya Protocol to the Convention on Biological Diversity. It ensures that the benefits from using genetic resources are shared fairly with the countries and communities that provide them.