Latest Maharashtra State Board (SSC & HSC) 2026-27 Syllabus Digest & Solutions Updated!
Class 12 (HSC Board)Biology2026-27 Syllabus

Chapter 12 Biotechnology Solutions

Complete Maharashtra State Board Balbharati & Yuvakbharati textbook solutions for Chapter 12 Biotechnology. Step-by-step solved exercises, numerical problems, and digest answers.

23 Solved Questions2 Diagrams1165 words

Maharashtra State Board 12th Biology Solutions Chapter 12 Biotechnology

1. Multiple choice questions

Question 1 Maharashtra Board Solution
MU The bacterium which causes a plant disease called crown gall is ……………….. (a) Helicobacter pylori (b) Agrobacterium tumifaciens (c) Thermophilus aquaticus (d) Bacillus thuringienesis
Solution & Step-by-Step Answer:
(b) Agrobacterium tumtfaciens
Question 2 Maharashtra Board Solution
The enzyme nuclease hydrolyses ……………….. of polynucleotide chain of DNA. (a) hydrogen bonds (b) phosphodiester bonds (c) glycosidic bonds (d) peptide bonds
Solution & Step-by-Step Answer:
(b) phosphodiester bonds
Question 3 Maharashtra Board Solution
In vitro amplification of DNA or RNA segment is known as ……………….. (a) chromatography (b) southern blotting (c) polymerase chain reaction (d) gel electrophoresis
Solution & Step-by-Step Answer:
(c) polymerase chain reaction
Question 4 Maharashtra Board Solution
Which of the following is the correct recognition sequence of restriction enzyme hind III. (a) 5′ —A-A-G-C-T-T— 3′ 3′ —T-T-C-G-A-A—5′ (b) 5′ — G-A-A-T-T-C—3′ 3′ — C-T-T-A-A-G—5′ (c) 5′ — C-G-A-T-T-C—3′ 3′ — G-C-T-A-A-G—5′ (d) 5′ — G-G-C-C—3′ 3′ — C-C-G-G—5′
Solution & Step-by-Step Answer:
(a) 5’ —A-A-G-C-T-T—3’ 3’ —T-T-C-G-A-A—5’
Question 5 Maharashtra Board Solution
Recombinant protein ……………….. is used to dissolve blood clots present in the body. (a) insulin (b) tissue plasminogen activator (c) relaxin (d) erythropoietin
Solution & Step-by-Step Answer:
(b) tissue plasminogen activator
Question 6 Maharashtra Board Solution
Recognition sequence of restriction enzymes are generally ……………….. nucleotide long. (a) 2 to 4 (b) 4 to 8 (c) 8 to 10 (d) 14 to 18
Solution & Step-by-Step Answer:
(b) 4 to 8

2. Very short answer questions

Question 1 Maharashtra Board Solution
Name the vector which is used in production of human insulin through recombinant DNA technology.
Solution & Step-by-Step Answer:
PBR 322
Question 2 Maharashtra Board Solution
Which cells from Langerhans of pancreas do produce a peptide hormone insulin?
Solution & Step-by-Step Answer:
cells of islets of Langerhans of a peptide hormone insulin.
Question 3 Maharashtra Board Solution
Give the role of Ca++ ions in the transfer of recombinant vector into bacterial host cell.
Solution & Step-by-Step Answer:
Ca++ ions promotes binding of plasmid DNA to lipo polysaccharides on bacterial cell surface. Then plasmid can enter the cell on heat shock.
Question 4 Maharashtra Board Solution
Expand the following acronyms which are used in the held of biotechnology:

Solution & Step-by-Step Answer:

Question 5 Maharashtra Board Solution
Fill in the blanks and complete the chart.

GMO

Purpose

(i) Bt cotton

———–

(ii) ———-

Delay the softening of tomato during ripening

(iii) Golden rice

———–

(iv) Holstein cow

———–

Solution & Step-by-Step Answer:

GMO

Purpose

(i) Bt cotton

Insect resistance

(ii) Flavr savr Tomato

Delay the softening of tomato during ripening

(iii) Golden rice

Rich in vitamin A

(iv) Holstein cow

High milk productivity

3. Short answer type questions.

Question 1 Maharashtra Board Solution
Explain the properties of a good or ideal cloning vector for r-DNA technology.
Solution & Step-by-Step Answer:
Desired characteristics of ideal cloning vector are as follows:
Question 2 Maharashtra Board Solution
A PCR machine can rise temperature up to 100 °C but after that it is not able to lower the temperature below 70 °C automatically. Which step of PCR will be hampered first in this faulty machine? Explain why?
Solution & Step-by-Step Answer:
Question 3 Maharashtra Board Solution
In the process of r-DNA technology, if two separate restriction enzymes are used to cut vector and donor DNA then which problem will arise in the formation of r-DNA or chimeric DNA? Explain.
Solution & Step-by-Step Answer:
In the process of r-DNA technology, if two separate restriction enzymes are used to cut vector and donor DNA, then it will result in fragments with different sticky ends which will not be complementary to each other.
Question 4 Maharashtra Board Solution

Recombinent protein

Its use in or for

(1) Platelet derived growth factor

(a) Anemia

(2) a-antitrypsin

(b) Cystic fibrosis

(3) Relaxin

(c) Haemophilia A

(4) Eryhthropoietin

(d) Diabetes

(5) Factor VIII

(e) Emphysema

(6) DNA ase

(f) Parturition

(g) Atherosclerosis

Solution & Step-by-Step Answer:

Recombinent protein

Its use in or for

(1) Platelet derived growth factor

(g) Atherosclerosis

(2) a-antitrypsin

(e) Emphysema

(3) Relaxin

(f) Parturition

(4) Eryhthropoietin

(a) Anemia

(5) Factor VIII

(c) Haemophilia A

(6) DNA ase

(b) Cystic fibrosis

4. Long answer type questions.

Question 1 Maharashtra Board Solution
(i) Define and explain the terms Bioethics.
Solution & Step-by-Step Answer:

Ethical aspects pertaining to the use of biotechnology are:

(ii) Define and explain the term Biopiracy.
Answer:

Following are the examples of biopiracy:
(a) Patenting of Neem (Azadirachta indica):

(b) Patenting of Basmati:

(c) Haldi (Turmeric) Biopiracy:

(iii) Define and explain the term Biopatent.
Answer:

This patent was not granted by Indian government. Such a patent is considered morally unacceptable and fundamentally unequitable. Such patents would pose a threat to global food security as financially powerful corporations would acquire monopoly over biotechnological process.

Question 2 Maharashtra Board Solution
Explain the steps in process of r-DNA technology with suitable diagrams.
Solution & Step-by-Step Answer:
The steps involved in gene cloning are as follows: (1) Isolation of DNA (gene) from the donor organism:

(2) Insertion of desired foreign gene into a cloning vector (vehicle DNA):

(3) Transfer of r-DNA into suitable competent host or cloning organism:

(4) Selection of the transformed host cell:

(5) Multiplication of transformed host cell:

(6) Expression of gene to obtain desired product. Then desired products like enzymes, antibiotiocs etc. separated and purified through down stream processing using bioreactors.

Question 3 Maharashtra Board Solution
Explain the gene therapy. Give two types of it.
Solution & Step-by-Step Answer:
Gene therapy is the treatment of genetic disorders by replacing, altering or supplementing a gene that is absent or abnormal and whose absence or abnormality is responsible for the disease. Types of gene therapy: (a) Germ line gene therapy:

(b) Somatic cell gene therapy:

Question 4 Maharashtra Board Solution
How are the transgenic mice used in cancer research?
Solution & Step-by-Step Answer:
Question 5 Maharashtra Board Solution
Give the steps in PCR or polymerase chain reaction with suitable diagrams.
Solution & Step-by-Step Answer:

(1) The DNA segment and excess of two primer molecules, four types of dNTPs, the thermostable DNA polymerase are mixed together in ‘eppendorf tube’.

(2) One PCR cycle is of 3-4 minutes duration and it involves following steps:

(3) In an automatic thermal cycler, the above three steps are automatically repeated 20-30 times.
(4) Thus, at the end of ‘n’ cycles 2n copies of DNA segments, get synthesized.

Question 6 Maharashtra Board Solution
What is a vaccine? Give advantages of oral vaccines or edible vaccines.
Solution & Step-by-Step Answer:
Question 7 Maharashtra Board Solution
Enlist different types of restriction enzymes commonly used in r-DNA technology? Write on their role.
Solution & Step-by-Step Answer:
Question 8 Maharashtra Board Solution
Enlist and write in brief about the different biological tools required in r-DNA technology.
Solution & Step-by-Step Answer:
The biological tools used in r-DNA technology are various enzymes, cloning vectors and competent hosts. (1) Enzymes:

(2) Vectors:

(3) Competent host cells: