NCERT Solutions for Class 12 Biology Chapter 10 Biotechnology and its Applications

The NCERT Class 12 Biology Chapter 10, "Biotechnology and Its Applications," tells us about the use of biotechnology for agriculture, medicine, industry, and environmental conservation. The chapter discusses key points such as genetically modified organisms (GMOs), gene therapy, biopesticides, biofertilizers, and transgenic plant and animal production. The chapter shows us how biotechnology helps us raise crop yield, develop vaccines, and provide solutions to issues such as waste and pollution. The solutions also discusses the ethical uses of genetic engineering and responsibility in applying such technology. The Class 12 Biotechnology and its Applications NCERT Solutions explores the difficulties of how the crops are made and the morals involved in their utilisation.

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1. NCERT Solutions For Class 12 Biology Biotechnology and its Applications
2. Access Detailed Biotechnology and its Applications Class 12 NCERT Solutions
3. Important Topics and Sub-topics of Biotechnology and its Applications
4. How do you solve NCERT Class 12 Biology Chapter 10 questions effectively?
5. Important Question
6. What Extra Should Students Study Beyond the NCERT for NEET?
7. NCERT Solutions for Class 12 Biology Chapter-wise

LiveCBSE Result 2025 (LIVE): Class 10, 12 marksheet likely today at cbse.gov.in, Digilocker; websites to checkMay 12, 2025 | 10:32 PM IST

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Through applying the biotechnological applications in everyday life like discovering new drugs, cleaning up contaminants (bioremediation), and advancing sustainable development, the NCERT Solutions for Class 12 Biology helps students to value the position that biotechnology occupies in society and what can happen in the future. The CBSE Class 12 Biology Chapter 10 Answers helps students to understand the science and social aspect of biotechnology and also equips them for university life and real-world application

NCERT Solutions For Class 12 Biology Biotechnology and its Applications

Students can download the complete questions with detailed answers in a PDF of this chapter for better learning:

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NCERT Exemplar for Class 12 Biology Chapter 10 Biotechnology and its Applications

Access Detailed Biotechnology and its Applications Class 12 NCERT Solutions

The detailed answers to all the questions in this chapter are given below:

Ques 1: Which part of the plant is best suited for making virus-free plants and why?

Ans: Meristematic tissue (e.g., shoot apical meristem) is most appropriate for the production of virus-free plants since it is generally free from viral infections. This is due to the fact that viruses find it difficult to reach actively dividing cells in the meristem.

Ques 2: What is the major advantage of producing plants by micropropagation?

Ans: Micropropagation enables one to produce large numbers of genetically uniform plants rapidly. It can be applied for the propagation of disease-free plants and the conservation of rare or endangered species.

Ques 3: Find out what the various components of the medium used for propagation of an explant in vitro are.

Ans: The medium used for in vitro propagation includes nutrients like sucrose (source of energy), minerals (such as nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium), vitamins, plant growth regulators (auxins and cytokinins), and agar (gelling agent).

Ques 4: Crystals of Bt toxin produced by some bacteria do not kill the bacteria themselves because-

(a) Bacteria are resistant to the toxin

(b) The toxin is immature

(c) Toxin is inactive

(d) Bacteria enclose toxins in a special sac.

Ans: Bt toxin crystals formed in bacteria do not kill the bacteria because the toxin is inactive. The Bt toxin is in an inactive state inside the bacteria and is only activated when it is ingested by insects, where it is activated by the alkaline pH of the insect gut.

Hence, the correct answer is (c) Toxin is inactive

Ques 5: What are transgenic bacteria? Illustrate using any one example.

Ans: Transgenic bacteria are those whose genomes have been altered by recombinant DNA technology to include foreign genes. A good example is transgenic E. coli, which has been genetically modified to produce human insulin by the introduction of DNA sequences encoding the A and B chains of insulin, thus allowing it to synthesize insulin for the treatment of diabetes.

Ques 6: Compare and contrast the advantages and disadvantages of the production of genetically modified crops.

Ans: The following table shows the advantages and disadvantages of GM crops:

Ques 7: What are Cry proteins? Name an organism that produces it. How has man exploited this protein to his benefit?

Ans: Cry proteins are insecticidal proteins carried by the cry genes, which are produced by the bacterium Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt). They are toxic to many insect larvae, especially those belonging to the order Lepidoptera. Humans have utilized Cry proteins by transferring the cry genes into genetically modified crops like Bt cotton and Bt brinjal, rendering them resistant to certain insect pests.

Ques 8: What is gene therapy? Illustrate using the example of adenosine deaminase (ADA) deficiency.

Ans: Gene therapy includes methods to fix or substitute faulty genes that cause disease occurrence. ADA deficiency, for example, is a result of a mutation in the gene for the adenosine deaminase enzyme. In one important case, a 4-year-old patient received gene therapy in which his lymphocytes were grown, a viable ADA cDNA was introduced with a retroviral vector, and afterward, these converted cells were administered back into the patient's circulation.

Ques 9: Diagrammatically represent the experimental steps in cloning and expressing a human gene (say the gene for growth hormone) into a bacterium like E. coli.

Ans: Below is the diagram to represent the steps in DNA cloning.

Diagrammatic representation of steps in DNA cloning

Ques 10: Can you suggest a method to remove oil (hydrocarbon) from seeds based on your understanding of rDNA technology and the chemistry of oil?

Ans: By recombinant DNA technology, it is possible to silence genes involved in the synthesis of glycerol and fatty acids in seeds, thereby lowering or even abolishing oil content (hydrocarbons). This is possible through methods like RNA interference (RNAi).

Ques 11: Find out from the internet what is golden rice.

Ans: Golden rice is a genetically modified rice variety engineered to synthesize beta-carotene, the precursor of vitamin A, in its endosperm instead of merely in its leaves. This was achieved by introducing two genes: psy from daffodil (Narcissus pseudonarcissus) and crtI from the bacterium Erwinia uredovora, both driven by endosperm-specific promoters.

Ques 12: Does our blood have proteases and nucleases?

Ans: Blood has no proteases or nucleases; rather, it has protease inhibitors that safeguard proteins from breakdown by proteases when circulating.

Ques 13: Consult the internet and find out how to make orally active protein pharmaceuticals. What is the major problem to be encountered?

Ans: To prepare orally active protein drugs, proteins or peptides are encapsulated in liposomes along with penetration enhancers for oral administration. The principal difficulty encountered is that the proteins can be hydrolyzed by the proteases of the stomach prior to exerting their therapeutic action, which requires alternative routes of administration directly to target locations.

Also Check NCERT Books and NCERT Syllabus here:

• NCERT Books Class 12 Biology

• NCERT Syllabus Class 12 Biology

• NCERT Books Class 12

• NCERT Syllabus Class 12

Important Topics and Sub-topics of Biotechnology and its Applications

The important topics are given below:

10. Biotechnology and its Applications

10.1 Biotechnological Applications in Agriculture

Biotechnological developments in agriculture have changed agricultural practice. The development of genetically modified (GM) crops is one such area. GM crops are designed to have desirable characteristics, including resistance to insects or better nutritional value.

• Benefits of GM Crops: GM crops have the possibility for increased yield, less use of pesticides, and better nutritional content (such as golden rice which is Vitamin A-rich).

• Drawbacks of GM Crops: There are concerns about the effect of GM crops on biodiversity and their possible allergenicity.

10.2 Biotechnological Applications in Medicine

Biotechnology applications in medicine are revolutionising healthcare. From creating life-saving medicines to creating sophisticated diagnostic tools, biotechnology is leading medical advances.

10.2.1 - Genetically Engineered Insulin

One of the first achievements of biotechnology was the development of genetically engineered insulin. This has given a safe and efficient treatment for diabetes. Biotechnology and its Applications NCERT solutions describe how bacteria such as E. coli can be genetically modified to synthesize human insulin.

10.2.2 - Gene Therapy

Gene therapy is the process of introducing genes into the cells of a patient to cure diseases. A typical example is the cure of Adenosine Deaminase (ADA) deficiency. During this therapy, functional genes are inserted into the lymphocytes of the patient. The NCERT solutions class 12 Biology Biotechnology and its Applications give a step-by-step explanation of this process.

10.2.3 - Molecular Diagnosis

Biotechnology has made it possible to produce highly sensitive molecular diagnostic methods. These methods can identify diseases at an early stage, improving the results of treatment.

10.3 Transgenic Animals

Transgenic animals are animals whose genes have been altered. They are used for several purposes, ranging from researching diseases to manufacturing useful proteins. The ethical concerns involving transgenic animals are also dealt with in the Class 12 Biology chapter on Biotechnology.

10.4 Ethical Issues

With the development of biotechnology, it is important to look at the ethical aspects of its applications. Problems like the safety of GM crops and the misuse of gene therapy must be given serious thought. The Class 12 Biology Biotechnology applications NCERT solutions urge students to think deeply about these ethical issues.

How do you solve NCERT Class 12 Biology Chapter 10 questions effectively?

To solve the textbook questions effectively, one needs to understand the concepts clearly first. The chapter has certain key terms, such as GM crops, genetically engineered insulin and transgenic animals. Making notes of the chapter is really important, highlighting all the important key points. The NCERT Class 12 Biology Ch 10 Solutions has all the solved exercise questions, with to-the-point answers and necessary information. Therefore, one should practice these solutions to have an overall idea of the chapter and to answer the questions in the exams.

NCERT Exemplar Class 12 Solutions

Important Question

Question 1: Which of the following steps are catalyzed by Taq DNA polymerase in a PCR reaction?

1. Denaturation of template DNA
2. Annealing of primers to template DNA
3. Extension of primer end on the template DNA
4. All of the above

Answer:

The extension of the primer end on the template DNA occurs during DNA replication or PCR amplification. Once the primer binds to the template strand, DNA polymerase extends the primer by adding complementary nucleotides to the growing strand. This process occurs in the 5' to 3' direction, with the polymerase synthesizing the new strand based on the template sequence. The extension continues until the entire segment of DNA has been replicated or amplified.

Hence, The correct answer is option (3) Extension of the primer end on the template DNA

NCERT Solutions for Class 12 Subject-wise

What Extra Should Students Study Beyond the NCERT for NEET?

Here is a table for all the important topics from the chapter:

NCERT Solutions for Class 12 Biology Chapter-wise

Below are the chapter-wise solutions: