NCERT Solutions for Class 12 Biology, Chapter 11 - Biotechnology: Principles and Processes

This chapter will teach you about biotechnology and its sphere of activities. It deals with the study of techniques that use living organisms or enzymes derived from organisms to produce products, and processes, which can be used by human beings. The definition of Biotechnology which was given by the European Federation of Biotechnology stands as, “The integration of natural science and organisms, cells, parts thereof, and molecular analogues for products and services”.

Let us take a look at the topics that you will study in Class 12 Biology Chapter 11- Biotechnology: Principles and Processes

11.1 Principles of Biotechnology

11.2 Tools of Recombinant DNA Technology

11.2.1 Restriction Enzymes.

11.2.2 Cloning Vectors.

11.2.3 Competent Host (For Transformation with Recombinant DNA)

11.3 Processes of Recombinant DNA Technology

11.3.1 Isolation of the Genetic Material (DNA).

11.3.2 Cutting of DNA at Specific Locations.

11.3.3 Amplification of Gene of Interest using PCR.

11.3.4 Insertion of Recombinant DNA into the Host Cell/Organism

11.3.5 Obtaining the Foreign Gene Product

11.3.6 Downstream Processing

In this chapter, Biotechnology Principles and Processes Class 12 NCERT, you will study:

Section 11.1: In this section, you will learn about the principles of Biotechnology. Two main methods that facilitated the birth of modern biotechnology are Genetic Engineering and Bioprocess Engineering. These two core techniques are discussed briefly here.

Section 11.2: The tools of recombinant DNA technology are discussed in this section. They belong to a class of enzymes known as nucleases. There are two kinds of nucleases: exonucleases and endonucleases. You will also know what the cloning of vectors is along with its features. The tools of recombinant DNA technology are Restriction Enzymes, Cloning Vectors, and Competent Host (For Transformation with Recombinant DNA). these subtopics are thoroughly explained in this section.

Section 11.3: Several processes are included in recombinant DNA technology. The processes of Recombinant DNA technology have been explained in this section. We already know that the genetic material in all living things is a nucleic acid. One of the first steps here is to isolate the desired DNA, which does not contain any macromolecules. The enzymes used for this are Lysozyme, Cellulase, Chitinase, Ribonuclease, and Protease. The process of Recombinant DNA technology are Isolation of the Genetic Material (DNA), Cutting of DNA at Specific Locations, Amplification of Gene of Interest using PCR, Insertion of Recombinant DNA into the Host Cell/Organism,  Obtaining the Foreign Gene Product, and Downstream Processing.

You will learn that here, the restriction enzymes act as a scissor made out of molecules that cuts the DNA at specific regions. PCR stands for Polymerase Chain Reaction. It is a method that can make several copies of a DNA sequence using DNA polymerase. This process helps to amplify a single copy of DNA into millions of copies. Recombinant DNA is achieved through the process of joining two pieces of the DNA fragment into one with the help of the enzyme DNA ligase. Here, the recombinant DNA is introduced into a recipient host cell, and this process is known as transformation. The Recombinant DNA (rDNA) is transferred into a plant or animal cell and this foreign DNA is then multiplied.
You will also get to know that the foreign gene product can be obtained with the help of  Bioreactors. The processes of fermentation, separation and purification are also discussed in this section. The steps for downstream are separation and purification, formulation with suitable preservatives, clinical trials to test the efficacy and safety of the product, and quality control tests.

To know more about this chapter, refer to NCERT Solutions for Class 12 Biology 11 Pdf Download.