Biotechnology

Biotechnology MDCAT MCQs with answers

41 past paper MCQs from Biology unit 16, Biotechnology, across 1 topic. They are arranged topic by topic; bigger topics show a sample here and link to their full set and to study notes. Tap “Show answer” for the correct option and a short solution.

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Biotechnology and Health Care

1.In somatic cell hybridization, which two cells are fused to produce monoclonal antibodies? (KMU MDCAT 2025)

  1. T-cells and nerve cells
  2. B-lymphocytes and spleen cells
  3. T-cells and liver cells
  4. B-lymphocytes and macrophages
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Correct answer: (b) B-lymphocytes and spleen cells

An antibody forming B lymphocyte is fused with a myeloma cell to give a hybridoma that divides without limit.

2.In molecular diagnostics, the primary function of DNA/RNA probes is to: (KMU MDCAT 2025)

  1. Replace malfunctioning genes in effected cells
  2. Bind to specific DNA or RNA sequences for identification
  3. Cut genetic material at precise locations
  4. Stimulate immune responses against disease-causing organisms
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Correct answer: (b) Bind to specific DNA or RNA sequences for identification

A probe is a labelled length of nucleic acid that pairs with the sequence being looked for.

3.A set of uniform proteins generated by genetically identical immune cells (a clone) is called: (KMU MDCAT 2025)

  1. Therapeutic proteins
  2. Immunoglobulins
  3. Monoclonal antibodies
  4. Recombinant proteins
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Correct answer: (c) Monoclonal antibodies

Antibodies from one clone of cells are all identical, and are called monoclonal.

4.Which biotechnological product is used to replace an abnormal gene in a patient's cells? (KMU MDCAT 2025)

  1. Antibiotic
  2. Vaccine
  3. Vector
  4. Interferon
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Correct answer: (c) Vector

A vector, usually a modified virus, carries the healthy gene into the cells of the patient.

5.Which of the following bacteria is used for developing vaccine against tuberculosis? (NUMS MDCAT 2025)

  1. Mycobacterium tuberculosis
  2. E. coli
  3. Salmonella typhi
  4. Mycobacterium bovis
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Correct answer: (d) Mycobacterium bovis

BCG is a weakened strain of Mycobacterium bovis, the cattle bacillus.

6.Which product is produced by genetically modified bacteria for patients with Diabetes mellitus? (SIBA MDCAT 2025)

  1. Insulin
  2. Erythropoietin
  3. Growth hormone
  4. Vaccine
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Correct answer: (a) Insulin

The human insulin gene is put into a bacterium, which then makes the hormone in bulk.

7.Role of mRNA in COVID-19 vaccines like Pfizer and Moderna is to: (SIBA MDCAT 2025)

  1. Helps the immune system recognize the virus
  2. Instructs cells to produce the viral spike protein
  3. Triggers immediate antibody release from memory cells
  4. Delivers enzymes that destroy the virus
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Correct answer: (b) Instructs cells to produce the viral spike protein

The messenger RNA of the vaccine tells the cell to build the spike protein, and the immune system learns it from there.

8.Monoclonal antibodies are useful in cancer diagnosis by: (SIBA MDCAT 2025)

  1. Replacing damaged tissue
  2. Changing the genetic code of cancer cells
  3. Killing healthy cells to reduce tumor spread
  4. Detecting specific tumor markers in samples
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Correct answer: (d) Detecting specific tumor markers in samples

A labelled monoclonal antibody binds only its own tumour marker, so it shows where the marker is.

9.In biotechnology vaccines can be developed by cloning of: (SIBA MDCAT 2025)

  1. Gene for antigen of pathogen
  2. Gene for receptor of the patient
  3. Gene for antigen of patient
  4. Gene for antibody of patient
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Correct answer: (a) Gene for antigen of pathogen

The gene for a surface antigen of the pathogen is cloned, and the antigen alone is used as the vaccine.

10.DNA/RNA probes are most commonly used as: (SZABMU MDCAT 2025)

  1. diagnostic tools of infectious diseases
  2. carrier in gene cloning experiments
  3. cementing material in somatic cell hybridization
  4. carrier or vector in gene therapy
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Correct answer: (a) diagnostic tools of infectious diseases

A labelled probe pairs only with its own sequence, which is how a pathogen is identified.

11.A patient with a genetic disorder undergoes treatment where a normal gene is inserted into their cells. This is called (SZABMU MDCAT 2025)

  1. Gene therapy
  2. Genetic testing
  3. Protein engineering
  4. DNA fingerprinting
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Correct answer: (a) Gene therapy

Putting a working copy of the gene into the cells of a patient is gene therapy.

12._______ is used in the production of Humulin? (KMU MDCAT 2024)

  1. Bacteria
  2. Fungi
  3. Protozoa
  4. Virus
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Correct answer: (a) Bacteria

Humulin is human insulin made by a genetically engineered bacterium.

13.Probiotics in infants formula milk keep babies healthy by doing all of the following actions except: (NUMS MDCAT 2024)

  1. Produce important vitamins
  2. Kill pathogenic bacteria
  3. Prevent colonization of pathogens
  4. Enhance immunity
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Correct answer: (b) Kill pathogenic bacteria

Probiotics crowd the pathogens out and feed the host, but they do not kill.

14.Gel electrophoresis is a technique: (PMC MDCAT 2020)

  1. Employed by forensic scientist to assist in the identification of the individuals by their respective type of DNA
  2. Collect all the genes found in one complete set of chromosome
  3. Is a technique to separate different sizeds fragment of charge bearing polymers (proteins, RNA or DNA)
  4. Grows single cell or a group of cells in a glass ware on artificial medium under aseptic conditions
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Correct answer: (c) Is a technique to separate different sizeds fragment of charge bearing polymers (proteins, RNA or DNA)

Gel electrophoresis pulls charged fragments through a gel, and the small ones travel furthest.

15.Which of the following is the components / tools of recombinant DNA technology? (PMC MDCAT 2020)

  1. Gene of interest
  2. Molecular scissors
  3. Molecular glue and expression system
  4. All of the above
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Correct answer: (d) All of the above

The gene, restriction enzymes to cut it, ligase to join it and a host to express it are all needed.

16.The DNA that has been altered and which now contains length of nucleotides from two different organisms is called a: (PMC MDCAT 2020)

  1. Plasmid
  2. Combined DNA
  3. Vector
  4. Recombinant DNA
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Correct answer: (d) Recombinant DNA

DNA carrying lengths from two organisms is recombinant DNA.

17.It is a method for rapid production of a very large number of copies of a particular fragment of DNA: (PMC MDCAT 2020)

  1. Gel electrophoresis
  2. Polymerase chain reaction
  3. DNA extraction
  4. Recombination
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Correct answer: (b) Polymerase chain reaction

The polymerase chain reaction doubles the chosen fragment at every cycle.

18.Transgenic organisms: (PMC MDCAT 2020)

  1. Have a foreign gene inserted into them
  2. Have an important role in the large scale production of medicinal products
  3. Are considered beneficial to humans
  4. All of the above
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Correct answer: (d) All of the above

A transgenic organism carries a gene from another species, and such organisms make insulin and other medicines.

19.The Plasmid pBR322 has antibiotic resistance genes for: (UHS MDCAT 2019)

  1. Streptomycin
  2. Ampicillin and Tetracycline
  3. Tetracycline and mxycycline
  4. Ampicillin
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Correct answer: (b) Ampicillin and Tetracycline

pBR322 carries resistance to ampicillin and to tetracycline, which is how transformed cells are picked out.

20.Genetic engineering has been successfully used for producing; (UHS MDCAT 2019)

  1. Animals, with inferior traits.
  2. Transgenic mice for testing safety of polio vaccine before use in humans
  3. Animals, that have the same genetic constitution.
  4. None of the above
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Correct answer: (b) Transgenic mice for testing safety of polio vaccine before use in humans

Transgenic mice carrying the human receptor are used to test the safety of the polio vaccine.

21.Which enzyme is administered to the patients of Severe Combined Immunodeficiency Disease (SCID)? (UHS MDCAT 2019)

  1. Adenosine Deaminase (ADA)
  2. Pancreatic Enzyme
  3. ß galactosidase
  4. ß lactamase
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Correct answer: (a) Adenosine Deaminase (ADA)

Adenosine deaminase is the enzyme missing in ADA-SCID, and it is given by injection or by gene therapy.

22.Complementary DNA molecule is: (UHS MDCAT 2019)

  1. DNA from mRNA
  2. an artificial DNA
  3. single stranded DNA
  4. a small segment Of chromosomal DNA
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Correct answer: (a) DNA from mRNA

Complementary DNA is made from messenger RNA by reverse transcriptase, so it carries no introns.

23.DNA polymerase enzyme for PCR is isolated from bacteria, Thermus aquaticus, because; (UHS MDCAT 2019)

  1. It can work at high speed.
  2. It can withstand high denaturation temperature.
  3. It can withstand low denaturation temperature.
  4. It can be used again and again.
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Correct answer: (b) It can withstand high denaturation temperature.

Taq polymerase comes from a hot spring bacterium and survives the $95^{\circ}\mathrm{C}$ of each cycle.

24.DNA made by joining pieces from two or more different sources: (UHS MDCAT 2018)

  1. Probes
  2. Restriction endonuclease
  3. Mutated DNA
  4. Recombinant DNA
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Correct answer: (d) Recombinant DNA

DNA carrying lengths from two organisms is recombinant DNA.

25.Deficiency of enzyme ______ causes combined immunodeficiency syndrome. (UHS MDCAT 2018)

  1. Adenosine transcriptase
  2. Adenosine transaminase
  3. Adenosine polymerase
  4. Adenosine deaminase
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Correct answer: (d) Adenosine deaminase

Adenosine deaminase deficiency is the commonest cause of severe combined immunodeficiency.

26.Chemical nature of primers used in the PCR process is _______. (UHS MDCAT 2018)

  1. RNA
  2. Protein
  3. Carbohydrate
  4. DNA
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Correct answer: (d) DNA

A primer is a short single strand of DNA that the polymerase can extend.

27.By PCR we mean: (UHS MDCAT 2018)

  1. Polymerase chronic reaction
  2. Polymerase chain reaction
  3. Polymerase copy reaction
  4. Polymerase cross reaction
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Correct answer: (b) Polymerase chain reaction

PCR stands for polymerase chain reaction.

28.Enzyme used by the Bacteria to cut the DNA of the invading Virus for its protection is: (UHS MDCAT 2018)

  1. Restriction Exonuclease
  2. Restriction Ligase
  3. Restriction Endonuclease
  4. DNA polymerase
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Correct answer: (c) Restriction Endonuclease

A restriction endonuclease cuts the DNA at a specific sequence within the molecule.

29.DNA polymerase is a temperature insensitive enzyme extracted from: (UHS MDCAT 2017)

  1. Fishelsoni
  2. Thermus aquaticus
  3. E. Coli
  4. Both Fishelsoni and Thermus aquaticus
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Correct answer: (b) Thermus aquaticus

Taq polymerase comes from Thermus aquaticus, a hot spring bacterium.

30.Gene can be made from mRNA using: (UHS MDCAT 2017)

  1. PCR
  2. PBr 103
  3. Eco R1
  4. Reverse transcriptase
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Correct answer: (d) Reverse transcriptase

Reverse transcriptase copies messenger RNA into complementary DNA, which carries no introns.

31.DNA Polymerase synthesize DNA from _________: (UHS MDCAT 2017)

  1. RNA
  2. Eco R1
  3. Template RNA
  4. Template DNA
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Correct answer: (d) Template DNA

DNA polymerase copies a DNA template, adding to a primer.

32.Among the following, which one is commonly used as a restriction enzyme: (UHS MDCAT 2017)

  1. pBr 101
  2. EcoR1
  3. EcoR3
  4. Both pBr 101 and EcoR3
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Correct answer: (b) EcoR1

EcoRI is the restriction endonuclease from Escherichia coli.

33.Restriction endonucleases cleave the __________ of duplex DNA. (UHS MDCAT 2016)

  1. Nitrogenous base
  2. Base sugar
  3. Phosphodiester bond
  4. Hydrogen bond
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Correct answer: (c) Phosphodiester bond

A restriction enzyme cuts the sugar phosphate backbone at a specific sequence.

34.The enzyme which is responsible for the formation of bond between two double stranded DNA fragments is: (UHS MDCAT 2016)

  1. Endonuclease
  2. Urease
  3. Ligase
  4. Helicase
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Correct answer: (c) Ligase

DNA ligase seals the backbone between two fragments.

35.The modified plasmid or phage DNA is called: (UHS MDCAT 2016)

  1. lone DNA
  2. Recombinant DNA
  3. cDNA
  4. rDNA
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Correct answer: (b) Recombinant DNA

A plasmid carrying an inserted gene is recombinant DNA.

36.In cystic fibrosis, liposomes-microscopic vesicles are sued which are coated with: (UHS MDCAT 2015)

  1. Healthy Gene
  2. Chromosome
  3. Protein
  4. Carbohydrate
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Correct answer: (a) Healthy Gene

The liposome carries a healthy copy of the gene into the cells of the airway.

37.The DNA formed by the reverse transcription is called: (UHS MDCAT 2015)

  1. rDNA
  2. dDNA
  3. cDNA
  4. DNA
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Correct answer: (c) cDNA

DNA made from RNA by reverse transcriptase is complementary DNA.

38.Bacterial cells take up recombinant plasmids when they are treated with: (UHS MDCAT 2015)

  1. CaCl2
  2. NaCl
  3. KCl
  4. NaOH
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Correct answer: (a) CaCl2

Calcium chloride makes the wall permeable so the plasmid can enter.

39.Which one of the following is made up of radioactively labelled nucleotides? (UHS MDCAT 2015)

  1. Phage DNA
  2. Genomic Library
  3. Recombinant DNA
  4. Gene Probe
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Correct answer: (d) Gene Probe

A gene probe is a labelled length of nucleic acid that pairs with the sequence sought.

40.A technique in transgenic animals in which desired gene is inserted into the eggs of animal is called: (UHS MDCAT 2015)

  1. Embryonic Stem Cell mediated Transfer
  2. Microinjection
  3. Retro-virus mediated gene Transfer
  4. Virus vectors
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Correct answer: (b) Microinjection

Injecting the gene straight into the egg is microinjection.

41.Which one of the following edible products is widely pasteurized? (UHS MDCAT 2015)

  1. Soft drinks
  2. Mango squash
  3. Milk
  4. Orange Juice
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Correct answer: (c) Milk

Milk is pasteurized to kill the pathogens without spoiling its taste.

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