Which statement best describes how prokaryotes are used in biotechnology?

Which statement best describes how prokaryotes are used in biotechnology?

• A. They all have a membrane-bound nucleus.
• B. They can exchange genetic material through meiosis.
• C. They are used to create recombinant plasmids and mass-produce proteins such as insulin.
• D. They do not participate in genetic engineering.

Answer: (C)

In biotechnology, prokaryotes are used because they can be easily engineered to carry recombinant DNA on plasmids and express that DNA to produce large amounts of protein. The main point is that plasmids act as DNA carriers (vectors) for a gene of interest, and when introduced into bacteria, these cells can rapidly grow and churn out the encoded protein in fermentation setups. Insulin is a classic example: the human insulin gene is inserted into a bacterial plasmid, the bacteria produce insulin, and it can be purified for medical use. This approach leverages bacteria’s fast growth, simple genetics, and scalability to meet demand. Other statements fall short because they describe basic cellular traits or processes that aren’t about how prokaryotes are used in biotechnology—for instance, lacking a nucleus is a general property, meiosis is a eukaryotic process, and prokaryotes are indeed used in genetic engineering, not outside of it.

In biotechnology, prokaryotes are used because they can be easily engineered to carry recombinant DNA on plasmids and express that DNA to produce large amounts of protein. The main point is that plasmids act as DNA carriers (vectors) for a gene of interest, and when introduced into bacteria, these cells can rapidly grow and churn out the encoded protein in fermentation setups. Insulin is a classic example: the human insulin gene is inserted into a bacterial plasmid, the bacteria produce insulin, and it can be purified for medical use. This approach leverages bacteria’s fast growth, simple genetics, and scalability to meet demand.

Other statements fall short because they describe basic cellular traits or processes that aren’t about how prokaryotes are used in biotechnology—for instance, lacking a nucleus is a general property, meiosis is a eukaryotic process, and prokaryotes are indeed used in genetic engineering, not outside of it.