Biotechnology and genetic modification — IGCSE Biology (0610) questions by topic
Biotechnology and genetic modification questions identify the fungus used to make penicillin in a fermenter, link yeast's fermentation products to biofuel and bread, explain why bacteria suit manufacturing human proteins, and give the reason bacteria are chosen for biotechnology over other organisms.
Identify, state, explain, describe and complete lead 33 real questions worth 1 to 13 marks from 2023 to 2025 papers. Because these multiple-choice questions often test the same handful of organism properties from different angles, submitting each answer for instant marking quickly reveals whether a property, such as reproducing rapidly rather than slowly, has actually been understood.
May–June 2025, Paper 11
The table shows the features of four different types of bacteria. Which type of bacteria would be the most useful to use for biotechnology? reproduction rate / number of cell…
Answer this question and get it marked →May–June 2025, Paper 12
Why are bacteria useful in biotechnology and genetic modification? 1 They can make complex molecules. 2 They have a rapid reproduction rate. 3 They have cell walls. A 1, 2 and 3 B…
Answer this question and get it marked →The graph shows how changing the temperature affects the rate of stain removal from clothes, using a biological washing powder. The curve of rate of stain removal against…
Answer this question and get it marked →The flow chart shows some of the processes involved in making biofuel. The stages are: grind up plant biomass to extract K → filter to remove waste → add organism L for anaerobic…
Answer this question and get it marked →May–June 2025, Paper 13
Which feature makes bacteria useful in genetic modification? A can make complex molecules B have a cell membrane C have a cell wall D reproduce slowly
Answer this question and get it marked →Scientists have developed a genetically modified pineapple plant that produces pink fruit. The pineapple fruit is pink because of increased concentrations of a substance called…
Answer this question and get it marked →May–June 2025, Paper 21
Some of the processes involved in the production of insulin by genetic modification are listed. 1 cutting of bacterial plasmid DNA with restriction enzymes 2 expression in…
Answer this question and get it marked →May–June 2025, Paper 22
Which features make bacteria useful in biotechnology? 1 They are unaffected by antibiotics. 2 They do not contain plasmids. 3 They make complex molecules. 4 They reproduce…
Answer this question and get it marked →May–June 2025, Paper 23
Some processes involved in the production of human insulin by genetic modification are listed. 1 insertion of the human insulin gene DNA into a cut bacterial plasmid 2 bacteria…
Answer this question and get it marked →May–June 2024, Paper 31
Fig. 1.1 is a photograph showing different stages of bread-making. Bread dough is made by mixing flour, water and yeast together. Bread dough A has just been mixed. Bread dough B…
Answer this question and get it marked →October–November 2024, Paper 13
Which product of anaerobic respiration in yeast is used as a biofuel? A carbon dioxide B ethanol C glucose D oxygen
Answer this question and get it marked →Which statement describes genetic modification? A changing the genetic material of an organism B changing the genetic material of plants only C producing new organisms through…
Answer this question and get it marked →October–November 2024, Paper 21
The stages describe how genetic modification can be used to produce human insulin from bacteria. 1 Cut bacterial plasmid DNA with restriction enzymes. 2 Extract the gene for…
Answer this question and get it marked →October–November 2024, Paper 22
The diagram shows a bacterial cell that is used in genetic modification, with structures labelled A, B, C and D. Which labelled structure makes the bacterium useful for genetic…
Answer this question and get it marked →The diagram shows apparatus used to produce lactose-free milk: milk passed through alginate beads containing X produces milk containing Y. The alginate beads do not react with any…
Answer this question and get it marked →October–November 2024, Paper 23
Penicillin is produced in a fermenter by growing the fungus Penicillium. The graph shows how the mass of living Penicillium fungus and the concentration of penicillin change over…
Answer this question and get it marked →Which enzymes are required to produce human proteins, using genetic modification? (columns: to cut the bacterial plasmid DNA; to form a recombinant plasmid; to isolate the DNA…
Answer this question and get it marked →October–November 2024, Paper 32
A scientist investigated the effect of the enzyme pectinase on the volume of fruit juice produced by the same mass of two different fruits. Fig. 7.1 shows the results as a bar…
Answer this question and get it marked →October–November 2024, Paper 41
Penicillin can be produced in fermenters. State the name of the type of organism that produces penicillin.
Answer this question and get it marked →May–June 2023, Paper 12
Bacteria are useful for manufacturing products for human use. Which statement explains why they are useful? A Bacteria can be grown without nutrients. B Bacteria do not have a…
Answer this question and get it marked →May–June 2023, Paper 13
What is a reason for using bacteria in biotechnology? A Bacteria are found inside the human body. B Bacteria do not become resistant to antibiotics. C Bacteria can make complex…
Answer this question and get it marked →May–June 2023, Paper 21
The diagram shows a bacterial cell with four parts labelled A, B, C and D. Which part is useful in genetic modification? A B C D
Answer this question and get it marked →May–June 2023, Paper 22
The diagram shows a bacterial cell containing a plasmid. What is inserted into the plasmid if this cell is to be used for the production of insulin? A a length of DNA from a human…
Answer this question and get it marked →Yeast carries out anaerobic respiration, making carbon dioxide and ethanol as end-products. Which end-products can be used to make biofuel and bread? Columns: biofuel; bread. A…
Answer this question and get it marked →May–June 2023, Paper 23
Which substance is an enzyme used in fruit juice production? A lactase B maltose C pectinase D pepsin
Answer this question and get it marked →Genetic modification has been used to produce human insulin in bacterial cells. What is inserted into the bacterial cells to produce human insulin? A a human nucleus B human…
Answer this question and get it marked →Penicillin is made in a fermenter by growing organisms. Which type of organism is used in the production of penicillin? A bacterium B fungus C protoctist D virus
Answer this question and get it marked →October–November 2023, Paper 13
Why are bacteria useful in biotechnology and genetic modification? A They can manufacture complex molecules. B They reproduce slowly. C They have a nucleus. D They are the same as…
Answer this question and get it marked →What is a reason for inserting genes into bacterial cells? A to confer resistance to herbicides B to confer resistance to insect pests C to improve their nutritional qualities D…
Answer this question and get it marked →October–November 2023, Paper 21
Which product is made using an enzyme rather than bacteria or fungi? A insulin B penicillin C lactose-free milk D mycoprotein
Answer this question and get it marked →Some ways in which humans make use of organisms are listed. 1 using yeast to produce ethanol 2 artificial selection of sheep with thick wool 3 using bacteria to produce human…
Answer this question and get it marked →October–November 2023, Paper 22
The diagram shows how a human gene can be inserted into a bacterium, with four numbered steps: (1) a gene removed from a human chromosome; (2) a bacterial plasmid is removed and…
Answer this question and get it marked →October–November 2023, Paper 23
Which statement is an advantage of genetically modifying crops? A Less pesticide is used if the genetically modified crop is resistant to pests. B More herbicide is used if the…
Answer this question and get it marked →Other IGCSE Biology topics
- Organisms and their environment (126)
- Human nutrition (95)
- Characteristics and classification of living organisms (84)
- Coordination and response (83)
- Reproduction (82)
- Inheritance (74)
- Organisation of the organism (cells) (64)
- Plant nutrition (62)
- Transport in animals (62)
- Transport in plants (59)
- Movement into and out of cells (57)
- Variation and selection (50)