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New questions that are not included in the question collection from WS21. If you also have new questions, please share them. :)

Stand: June.2025



1. Describe the process which resulted in the formation of prebiotic cells according to a common mode

  • Oparin-Haldane hypothesis
  • Early Earth had a primordial soup of simple chemicals.
  • Energy sources (lightning, UV) helped form organic molecules (e.g. amino acids).
  • Organic molecules formed polymers like proteins and RNA.
  • Polymers became enclosed in membrane-like structures (protobionts).
  • These structures had basic metabolism, forming prebiotic cells


2. tRNA structure and cell

  • tRNA is a small RNA molecule that acts as an adapter and helps translate mRNA into proteins.
  • It has a cloverleaf structure with key regions:
  • Acceptor stem at the 3' end attaches a specific amino acid.
  • Anticodon loop pairs with a complementary mRNA codon.
  • D loop and TΨC loop help with folding and enzyme recognition.
  • Each tRNA carries a specific amino acid to the ribosome, where it binds to mRNA codons during translation, ensuring the correct sequence of amino acids in the protein.


3. What is chymosin (Origin and biotechnological purpose)

  • Origin: Chymosin is a natural enzyme originally found in the stomach of young mammals, especially calves
  • Biotechnological Purpose: It is used in the cheese-making industry to coagulate milk by breaking down casein proteins, helping milk curdle and form cheese


4. Give the 3 main nutritional types of prokarytes and their associated main source of energy (max 3 setences)

  • Phototrophs: Use light as their main energy source.
  • Chemotrophs: Use chemical compounds (either organic or inorganic) for energy.
  • Autotrophs: Use CO₂ as their carbon source, often coupled with light or inorganic chemicals for energy


5. What is the biological purpose of DNA?

  • DNA contains the instructions needed for an organism to develop, survive and reproduce.
  • Information Storage
  • Protein Coding
  • Replication
  • Heredity
  • Regulation


6. Name three products of yellow biotechnology

  • Silk
  • Honey
  • Insect-based proteins


7. Give 3 effects of antibiotica that they can have on bacteria (max.3 sentences)

  • Inhibit cell wall synthesis, causing the bacterial cell to burst (e.g., penicillin)
  • Block protein synthesis, preventing bacteria from making essential proteins
  • Disrupt DNA replication or repair, stopping the bacteria from reproducing


8. What were the contributions of Louis Pasteur and Robert Koch to biotechnology?

  • Their discoveries linked microbes to health, disease, and industry, forming key pillars of modern biotechnology
  • Fathers of microbiology


9. What are Triglycerids (chemical building blocks, main purpose)?

  • Type of lipid (fat) found in the body and in food
  • Chemical Building Blocks: 1 glycerol molecule and 3 fatty acids
  • Main purpose: Energy storage


10. What is habitable zone? On which 2 main assumptions is the search for life outside earth currently based?

  • Habitable zone is the distance from a star where an earth-like planet can maintain liquid water on its surface and potentially earth-like life.
  • Search for life outside earth based on:
  • Life requires liquid water to survive
  • Carbon-based life is the most likely form, similar to life on Earth


11. Explain the RNA-World Hypothesis

  • Suggests that RNA was the first genetic material and played a key role in the origin of life on Earth.
  • RNA molecules could both store genetic information (like DNA) and catalyze chemical reactions (like proteins)
  • Early life may have relied on RNA for both replication and metabolic functions, before DNA and proteins evolved
  • This idea is supported by the discovery of ribozymes


12. What is transformation in molecular biology/biotechnology

  • Process by which a cell takes up foreign DNA from its environment and incorporates it into its own genome.


13. Microbiological farming – meaning

  • Use of microorganisms (like bacteria, fungi, and algae) in agricultural practices to improve crop growth, soil health, and pest control


14. Four main claims of special creation

  • Life was created by a supernatural being (God).
  • All living things were created in their present form and have not evolved from other forms.
  • Creation occurred over a short period of time, often interpreted as six literal days.
  • Humans are uniquely created and are distinct from all other forms of life.


15. What are the two types of fermentation used in beer made in ancient Mesopotamia?

  • Alcoholic fermentation: carried out by yeast, converting sugars into ethanol and carbon dioxide.
  • Lactic acid fermentation: carried out by lactic acid bacteria, producing lactic acid which can influence flavor and preservation.


16. What is so special about ATP?

  • Acts as the universal energy currency of all living cells.
  • It stores and provides energy for nearly all cellular processes by releasing energy when its high-energy phosphate bonds are broken.
  • This energy powers activities like muscle contraction, active transport, and biochemical reactions, making ATP essential for life.


17. 4 sources for Information for bio food safty regulations

  • FSMA by FDA
  • ISO 22000
  • Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011 – EU Food Information Regulation
  • FAO/WHO


18. Mechanisms of genome duplication


19. 4 types of gene mutations

  • Nonsense Mutation: A genetic mutation of DNA sequence results in a shorter, unfinished protein production.
  • Missense Mutation: single base pair change causes the substitution of one amino acid in the resulting protein
  • Frameshift Mutation: involves the insertion of deletion of a nucleotide in which the number of deleted base pairs is not divisible by three
  • Insertion Mutation: extra genetic material is added to the DNA sequence. This can range from a single base pair to larger segments of DNA, including entire sections of chromosomes.
  • Deletion Mutation: genetic material is lost. Like insertions, deletions can be small (a single base pair) or large (a significant segment of a chromosome).
  • Repeat Expansion Mutation: a sequence of three nucleotides (a triplet) is repeated multiple times in a row


20. Compound helps modern medicine (and how it "works")

  • Penicillin is one of the first and most important antibiotics, used to treat bacterial infections.
  • Penicillin inhibits bacterial cell wall synthesis by binding to and inactivating proteins involved in the construction of the peptidoglycan layer. This disruption prevents proper cell wall formation, leading to osmotic instability and eventual bacterial cell lysis. When bacteria attempt to divide, the weakened or incomplete cell wall cannot withstand the internal pressure, causing the cell to burst.


21. 3 examples White Biotech

  • Biofuels
  • Enzymes
  • Bioplastics


22. What are GMO crops example and why

  • plants whose DNA has been altered using genetic engineering to introduce traits not naturally found in the species
  • Example
  • Cotton: Insect resistance, to reduces pesticide use, increases yield
  • Maize: Insect + herbicide resistance, higher yield, less chemical input
  • Virus-Resistant Papaya (Rainbow Papaya): Virus resistance, prevents disease, saves crop


23. Is yeast doing fermentation voluntarily? Explain why (not).


24. Describe a gene technological product used in red biotechnology and explain briefly what it does.


25. What is biocontrol? Give an example.

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