Changes to video
Not seeds size, but seeds’ size
Questions regarding (4.3.1) Breeding, mutating, and modifying DNA
For the following questions, let us suppose that all the chromosomes for an individual organism can
be thought of as one single chromosome, containing two DNA strands that are connected and twist
about one another.
Each individual organism has DNA with two strands. How many DNA strands are passed onto
their will a single organism pass to its offspring through normal reproduction?
a) 0 strands
b) ½ of one strand
c) 1 strand
d) Both strands
[True or False?] Each individual organism’s DNA is comprised of half of its mother’s DNA and
half of its father’s DNA.
[True or False?] Each individual organism has two genes for every trait. One of those two genes will
always be dominant, and will alone determine the trait.
[True or False?] Below is a simple model of an organisms’ DNA. When this mother passes some of
her DNA (represented by A) onto her offspring, she will either pass the entire DNA strand in B or
the entire DNA strand in C.
A
B
C
[True or False?] Below is a simple model of an organisms’ DNA. When this mother passes some of
her DNA (represented by A) onto her offspring, the only way she could pass the strand in B to her
offspring is if there was a genetic mutation.
A
B
An individual organism’s DNA is given below. Each picture represents a different gene, so there are
three genes on one side and three genes on the other. How many different unique combinations of
DNA could this individual pass onto its offspring.
a) 1
b) 2
c) 3
d) More than 3
e) Impossible to count
[True or False?] Suppose we want to introduce a new gene into a variety of wheat grown in Idaho.
This can be accomplished by finding wheat grown elsewhere with this gene, and breed that wheat
with the Idaho wheat.
[True or False?] Suppose we want to introduce a new gene into a variety of wheat grown in Idaho.
This can be accomplished by manipulating the wheat plants to bestow all three stands of their DNA,
instead of just two, to their offspring.
[True or False?] Suppose we want to introduce a new gene into a variety of wheat grown in Idaho.
This can be accomplished by repeatedly breeding the Idaho wheat and waiting for a naturallyoccuring genetic mutation to provide this variety.
[True or False?] The Clearfield wheat varieties that are resistant to certain herbicides were created
by a naturally-occurring genetic mutation.
[True or False?] The Clearfield wheat varieties that are resistant to certain herbicides were created
by exposing the wheat to radiation, speeding up the rate of naturally-occurring genetic mutations.
[True or False?] If the Clearfield wheat varieties had been creating by cutting the gene for herbicideresistance out of a different organism and splicing it into the wheat DNA, then Clearfield wheat
would be called a Genetically Modified Organism (GMO).
[True or False?] If the Clearfield wheat varieties had been creating by cutting the gene for herbicideresistance out of a similar species of plant—or a different part of the DNA in the same species of
plant—and splicing it into the wheat DNA, then Clearfield wheat would be called a transgenic crop.
[True or False?] If a genetic mutation is caused by exposure to certain chemicals, the resulting plant
would be called a Cisgenic plant.
How are scientists attempting to protect the Cavendish banana from the Black Sigatoka fungus?
a) Traditional breeding
b) Breeding the Cavendish banana with similar banana plants from other regions
c) Inducing genetic mutations through exposure to chemicals
d) Inducing genetic mutations through exposure to radiation
e) Genetic modification
How are scientists attempting to protect the Cavendish banana from the Tropical Race Four fungus?
a) Traditional breeding
b) Breeding the Cavendish banana with similar banana plants from other regions
c) Inducing genetic mutations through exposure to chemicals
d) Inducing genetic mutations through exposure to radiation
e) Genetic modification
[True or False?] Humans have always been modifying the genes of plants—intentionally or not—by
their choices of what seeds to harvest and what seeds to plant.
[True or False?] The ancestor of wheat is Teosinte.
[True or False?] Until humans began domesticating the ancestor of corn, corn ears were two feet
long and the corn kernels were usually too large to eat.
[True or False?] Although genetic modification allows us to alter the genes of a plant more precisely,
it also allows us to alter genes in more ways and at a faster pace than with traditional plant breeding.