Why is a recombinant subunit vaccine considered safer than a live attenuated vaccine?
Correct answer A. It contains only an antigen protein and cannot cause infection
Topic / 65 questions
Biotechnology MCQs
Biotechnology MCQs are multiple-choice questions on the use of living organisms and their genes to make useful products, covering recombinant DNA technology, PCR, gel electrophoresis, vaccines, disease diagnosis and treatment. Every question on MCQs360 shows the correct answer instantly, so you can review each technique as you practise.
- Biological Molecules 74
- Coordination and Control 72
- Biology Diagnostic 70
- Cell Structure and Function 67
- Biotechnology 65
- Reproduction 58
- Bioenergetics 55
- Circulation 50
- Inheritance 48
- Digestion 45
- Immunity 45
- Support and Movement 45
- Acellular Life (Viruses) 45
- Homeostasis 45
- Respiration and Gaseous Exchange 45
- Evolution 45
- Enzymes 45
- Cell Cycle 41
- Chromosome and DNA 40
- Biology Introduction 38
- Ecosystem 27
How was Dolly the sheep produced?
Correct answer D. Transferring the nucleus of an adult udder cell into an enucleated egg cell
What is an advantage of recombinant human insulin over insulin extracted from animals?
Correct answer A. It is identical to human insulin and less likely to cause allergic reactions
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How is the recombinant hepatitis B vaccine produced?
Correct answer B. Yeast cells containing the gene for the viral surface antigen produce the antigen
Which two cell types are fused to make a hybridoma for producing monoclonal antibodies?
Correct answer A. An antibody-producing B lymphocyte and a myeloma (cancer) cell
What is a DNA probe used in disease diagnosis?
Correct answer D. A short labelled single strand of DNA complementary to a target sequence
Why is reverse transcriptase used to make the gene for human insulin that is inserted into bacteria?
Correct answer B. Bacteria cannot remove introns, so cDNA copied from mature mRNA is needed
Which disease was among the first to be treated by gene therapy?
Correct answer A. Severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID) due to ADA deficiency
Which product of recombinant DNA technology is used to treat certain viral infections and some cancers?
Correct answer D. Interferon
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Children who lack growth hormone can be treated with hormone produced by which method?
Correct answer B. Recombinant bacteria carrying the human growth hormone gene
What is a transgenic organism?
Correct answer D. An organism containing a gene transferred from another species
During gel electrophoresis, why does DNA move towards the anode?
Correct answer C. Its phosphate groups give it a negative charge
What type of sequence do most restriction endonucleases recognise in DNA?
Correct answer A. Short palindromic sequences
What are ‘sticky ends’ produced by some restriction enzymes?
Correct answer B. Short single-stranded overhangs with complementary bases
Which enzyme seals the sugar-phosphate backbone when a gene is inserted into a plasmid?
Correct answer C. DNA ligase
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Why do plasmid vectors often carry a gene for antibiotic resistance?
Correct answer B. To act as a marker for selecting bacteria that have taken up the plasmid
What is the natural function of restriction enzymes in bacteria?
Correct answer A. Destroying the DNA of invading bacteriophages
Why is Taq polymerase used in the polymerase chain reaction (PCR)?
Correct answer B. It is stable at the high temperatures used to separate DNA strands
What happens during the step of PCR carried out at about 94 to 95 °C?
Correct answer D. The double-stranded DNA separates into single strands
Starting from one double-stranded DNA molecule, how many copies are present after 10 PCR cycles, assuming perfect efficiency?
Correct answer B. 1024
About Biotechnology MCQs
The genetic engineering questions cover restriction enzymes, DNA ligase, plasmids and other vectors, recombinant DNA, transgenic organisms and genomic libraries. Technique questions ask about the polymerase chain reaction, gel electrophoresis, DNA sequencing and DNA fingerprinting, as well as plant tissue culture and protoplasts. The health care section follows the PMDC learning objectives: producing vaccines such as the recombinant hepatitis B vaccine, using DNA and RNA probes and monoclonal antibodies to diagnose disease, and biotechnology products used in treatment, such as human insulin, growth hormone and interferon. Some questions also touch on gene therapy and the ethics of biotechnology.
Key facts to remember
- Restriction enzymes cut DNA at specific base sequences, and DNA ligase joins DNA fragments together.
- Plasmids are small circular DNA molecules in bacteria that are widely used as vectors in genetic engineering.
- PCR uses a heat-stable DNA polymerase, Taq polymerase from Thermus aquaticus, to make many copies of a DNA sequence.
- In gel electrophoresis, DNA moves towards the anode because its phosphate groups carry a negative charge.
- Monoclonal antibodies are made by hybridoma cells formed by fusing a B lymphocyte with a myeloma (cancer) cell.
- The recombinant hepatitis B vaccine is produced by yeast cells carrying the gene for the virus's surface antigen.
Exams that include Biotechnology MCQs
Pakistan
- MDCAT
- NUMS
- AKU
- FSc boards
India
- NEET
Bangladesh
- HSC
- Medical Admission Test
How to prepare for Biotechnology MCQs
- Learn the steps of making recombinant DNA in order, naming the enzyme or vector used at each step.
- Draw the three stages of a PCR cycle, denaturation, annealing and extension, with their approximate temperatures.
- Make a list of biotechnology products used in medicine, with the organism used to produce each.
- Compare how DNA probes and monoclonal antibodies are used in diagnosing disease.
Frequently asked questions
Which exams ask Biotechnology MCQs?
In Pakistan, Biotechnology questions appear in MDCAT, the NUMS and AKU entry tests and FSc board papers. Students in India meet the same content in NEET, and in Bangladesh it is tested in HSC Biology and the Medical Admission Test.
What is recombinant DNA?
Recombinant DNA is DNA formed by joining genetic material from two different sources, such as a human gene inserted into a bacterial plasmid. The gene is cut out with restriction enzymes, joined to the vector by DNA ligase and placed into a host cell, which then makes the gene's product.
How are monoclonal antibodies used in diagnosis?
Monoclonal antibodies are identical antibodies that bind to one specific antigen. Because of this specificity they can detect particular hormones, pathogens or cancer markers in a sample, for example in pregnancy tests, and they can be labelled to locate tumours in the body.
Last reviewed October 2026