Science & Technology
Biotechnology
Biotechnology — Quick Revision
One-page CGPSC quick revision for Biotechnology: rDNA tools, CRISPR, GM crops, genome-edited rice, vaccines, regulators and treaties in tables.
The whole Biotechnology chapter on one page: tools, editing, crops, medicine, regulation and dates. For explanations, go back to the chapter.
How to use this sheet
Scan it top to bottom in the week before Prelims. Bold entries are the facts examiners return to most often. Figures marked with a year are time-sensitive — quote them with that year.
Tools of Genetic Engineering
| Tool | Key fact |
|---|---|
| Restriction endonuclease | Molecular scissors; recognises palindromes; EcoRI cuts GAATTC; sticky ends; Nobel 1978 |
| DNA ligase | Molecular glue; joins fragments |
| Vectors | Plasmids (pBR322), bacteriophages, Ti plasmid of Agrobacterium tumefaciens (plants), retroviruses (animals) |
| Vector features | ori, selectable marker, cloning site |
| Competent cells | Calcium ions + heat shock; microinjection; electroporation; gene gun |
| Blue–white screening | Insertional inactivation of lacZ; recombinant colonies white |
| Gel electrophoresis | Agarose; DNA moves to anode; smaller fragments farther; ethidium bromide + UV |
| PCR | Kary Mullis 1983 (Nobel 1993); denaturation → annealing → extension; Taq polymerase (Thermus aquaticus) |
| First rDNA | Cohen and Boyer, 1972–73 |
Editing, Therapy, Cloning, Genomics
| Item | Key fact |
|---|---|
| CRISPR-Cas9 | Bacterial immune system; Cas9 + guide RNA; Nobel Chemistry 2020 — Charpentier, Doudna |
| SDN-1 / SDN-2 | No foreign DNA; exempt from GM rules (MoEFCC OM, 30 March 2022) |
| SDN-3 | Foreign gene; regulated as GM |
| Casgevy | First CRISPR therapy; UK Nov 2023, USA Dec 2023 |
| BIRSA 101 | India’s indigenous CRISPR therapy for sickle cell; CSIR-IGIB; Nov 2025 |
| First gene therapy | 1990, ADA deficiency |
| Somatic vs germline | Not inherited vs inherited (germline restricted) |
| iPSCs | Yamanaka; Nobel 2012 |
| Dolly | 5 July 1996, Roslin Institute; SCNT; mammary cell |
| DNA fingerprinting | Alec Jeffreys, 1984; VNTRs; Lalji Singh; CDFD Hyderabad |
| DNA Bill 2019 | Withdrawn 24 July 2023 |
| Human Genome Project | 1990–2003; about 3 billion bp; about 20,000 genes |
| Genome India | DBT 2020; 10,074 genomes; data released 9 Jan 2025; IBDC Faridabad |
Agricultural Biotechnology
| Item | Key fact |
|---|---|
| Bt cotton | Only commercial GM crop in India (as of 2026); approved March 2002; Bollgard II 2006; pink bollworm resistance |
| Bt toxin | Cry protein; Bacillus thuringiensis; protoxin activated in alkaline insect gut |
| Bt brinjal | GEAC 2009; moratorium Feb 2010; grown in Bangladesh |
| GM mustard DMH-11 | Delhi University (Deepak Pental); GEAC Oct 2022; SC split verdict July 2024; national GM policy directed |
| Genome-edited rice | 4 May 2025; DRR Dhan 100 Kamala (IIRR Hyderabad, from Samba Mahsuri, CKX2 gene); Pusa DST Rice 1 (IARI, salinity/alkalinity) |
| Golden Rice | Beta-carotene; Philippines 2021; court halt April 2024 |
| RNAi example | Tobacco vs nematode Meloidogyne incognita |
| Virus-free plants | Meristem culture |
| Biofertilizers | Rhizobium, Azotobacter, Azospirillum, blue-green algae, mycorrhiza |
| Biopesticides | Bt, Trichoderma, NPV, neem |
| IGKV Raipur | Over 23,500 rice germplasm lines; BARC–IGKV Dubraj mutants (mutation breeding, not GM) |
Medical Biotechnology
| Item | Key fact |
|---|---|
| Insulin | A + B chains, disulphide bridges; C-peptide removed; Humulin 1982 (NCERT: Eli Lilly 1983) |
| First recombinant vaccine | Hepatitis B (yeast) |
| Covaxin | Inactivated; Bharat Biotech + ICMR-NIV |
| Covishield | Viral vector (ChAdOx1); Serum Institute |
| Corbevax | Protein subunit; Biological E |
| ZyCoV-D | World’s first plasmid DNA COVID vaccine; 20 Aug 2021; needle-free |
| GEMCOVAC-19 | India’s first mRNA vaccine; Gennova, Pune; 29 June 2022 |
| Cervavac | Indigenous HPV vaccine; Serum Institute; 2022 |
| Nobel 2023 Medicine | Karikó, Weissman — mRNA vaccines |
| Monoclonal antibodies | Hybridoma (B cell + myeloma); Köhler and Milstein 1975; Nobel 1984 |
| ELISA | Antigen–antibody reaction |
| NexCAR19 | India’s first CAR-T; IIT Bombay + Tata Memorial; CDSCO Oct 2023 |
| Haemophilia A gene therapy | First Indian human trial, CMC Vellore |
Regulation, Policy and Treaties
| Item | Key fact |
|---|---|
| Rules of 1989 | Under Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 |
| GEAC | MoEFCC; environmental release; “Appraisal” since 2010 |
| RCGM | DBT; research and confined trials |
| IBSC | In each institution |
| SBCC / DLC | State and district monitoring |
| Cartagena Protocol | Biosafety of LMOs; adopted 2000, in force 2003 |
| Nagoya Protocol | Access and benefit-sharing; 2010, in force 2014 |
| Biological Diversity Act | 2002 (amended 2023); NBA Chennai |
| Biopiracy | Turmeric (revoked 1997), neem (revoked 2000), basmati (RiceTec) |
| TKDL | CSIR + AYUSH |
| DBT / BIRAC | 1986 / 2012 |
| BioE3 | Cabinet 24 Aug 2024; Economy, Environment, Employment; six sectors |
| Bioeconomy | USD 165.7 billion in 2024; about 4.25% of GDP; target USD 300 billion by 2030 |
Don’t Confuse
| This | vs | That |
|---|---|---|
| GM crop (foreign gene; Bt cotton) | vs | Genome-edited SDN-1/2 (no foreign DNA; DRR Dhan 100) |
| Mutation breeding (radiation; Dubraj mutants) | vs | Genome editing (targeted) |
| Biofortification (bred into grain) | vs | Fortification (added after harvest; PDS rice) |
| GEAC — MoEFCC | vs | RCGM — DBT |
| Cartagena — biosafety | vs | Nagoya — benefit-sharing |
| ZyCoV-D — DNA | vs | GEMCOVAC-19 — mRNA |
| Covaxin — inactivated | vs | Covishield — viral vector |
| Endonuclease — cuts inside | vs | Exonuclease — trims ends |
| Somatic therapy — not inherited | vs | Germline — inherited |
| CRISPR Nobel — Chemistry 2020 | vs | mRNA vaccine Nobel — Medicine 2023 |
Favourite MCQ trap
“GM mustard is India’s second commercially cultivated GM crop.” Wrong. GEAC approved its environmental release in October 2022, but the Supreme Court’s split verdict (July 2024) left the matter pending. As of 2026, Bt cotton is the only GM crop approved for commercial cultivation.
Second favourite trap
“India’s genome-edited rice varieties (2025) were cleared by GEAC as GM crops.” Wrong. They are SDN-1/SDN-2 products with no foreign DNA, exempt from the GM rules since March 2022, and were released by ICAR.
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