← Biology

Topic 21: Biotechnology and Genetic Modification

5 subtopics · Why bacteria, yeast and enzymes in industry, fermenters, and the six steps of genetic modification

📖 Open Full Study Guide → 🏆 Challenge Prep Guide — Master the tricky questions
Heads up — every Biology exam here is Challenge level. There are no standard mocks for Biology: all six papers for this topic are deliberately harder than a normal Cambridge paper. So read your scores in that light — a mark that looks low here would usually be higher on a real paper.
21.1
Why Bacteria Are Useful
›
Rapid reproduction, complex molecules, plasmids and few ethical concerns
21.2
Yeast — Biofuel and Bread-Making
›
One reaction, two useful products — and knowing which is which
21.3
Enzymes in Industry
›
Pectinase, lactase and the enzymes in biological washing powder
21.4
Fermenters
›
The five conditions that must be controlled, and why each one matters
21.5
Genetic Modification
›
The six-step process, the two enzymes, and a balanced view of GM crops
21.6
Exam Technique & the Vocabulary That Scores
›
Restriction enzyme cuts, ligase joins — never the other way round
📝 Topic 21 Challenge Exams
3 × Paper 2 (MCQ) · 3 × Paper 4 (Theory) · all Challenge level
›