Production of a human protein in bacteria by genetic engineering is possible because
- The human chromosome can replicate in bacterial cell
- The genetic code is universal
- Bacterial cell can carry out the RNA splicing reactions
- The mechanism of gene regulation is identical in humans and bacteria
Answer
(2) The genetic code is universal
Solution
As per NCERT, the genetic code is nearly universal: from bacteria to human, UUU codes for phenylalanine.
⇒ Hence a human gene inserted into a bacterium is translated by the bacterial machinery into the same sequence of amino acids, i.e. the same human protein.
⇒ A human chromosome cannot replicate in a bacterial cell, bacteria cannot splice RNA (their genes have no introns), and gene regulation differs in prokaryotes and eukaryotes.
∴ It is possible because the genetic code is universal.
Answer: (2)