BTEC 3317 Quiz 3

The environmental health mandate of the US EPA was motivated by a book by Rachel Carson entitled "Silent Spring" which talked about the negative environmental effects of a widely used agricultural chemical, DDT. What is not true of DDT?

DDT is very effective in controlling the incidence of mosquito-vectored diseases like Zika virus

DDT is a nerve poison used to control rodents that feed on agricultural products

DDT use is now banned in many countries including the US

DDT leads to bird eggs with thin shells which gets crushed when mother birds try to incubate them

DDT is a nerve poison used to control rodents that feed on agricultural products

3 multiple choice options

The EPA's reason for regulating herbicide resistant plants is due mainly to:

the spread of herbicide-resistant plants can become difficult to control

herbicide resistant plants can cause indigestion in grazing animals

herbicide resistant plants can cause allergic reactions in humans

herbicide resistant plants can cause increased use of herbicides

the spread of herbicide-resistant plants can become difficult to control

3 multiple choice options

The US Environmental Protection Agency is responsible for regulating pesticides, novel microorganisms, and herbicide resistant plants under CFR title _______.

CFR52

CFR 40

CFR 21

CFR 172

CFR 40

3 multiple choice options

The requirement for pesticide registration and for Experimental Use Permits before testing bioengineered plants or microbes in the environment is covered under which Act?

Federal Insecticide Fungicide and Rodenticide Act

Federal Food Drugs and Cosmetic Act

National Environmental Protection Act

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Act

Federal Insecticide Fungicide and Rodenticide Act

3 multiple choice options

Under FIFRA, what is or are regulated by the EPA in a transgenic plant expressing a plant-incorporated protectant?

Only the protective protein translated from the introduced gene

The transgene and the protective protein product of the transgene

Only the foreign transgene introduced

The transgene, the protectant protein produced, and the transgenic plant are all regulated

The transgene and the protective protein product of the transgene

3 multiple choice options

Management of insect resistance to plant-incorporated pesticides (PIPs) is one responsibility of EPA. What is not a practice recommended to delay the development of insect resistance to PIPs?

Stack two different PIPs in a crop plant. It is harder to evolve resistance to two PIPs compared to one PIP alone

Rotate PIP engineered plant with plants not engineered with the PIP

Avoid having areas that are planted with non-PIP plants

Regular monitoring of PIP plots for sign of insects that have developed resistance to the PIP

Avoid having areas that are planted with non-PIP plants

3 multiple choice options

Registration refers to federal pre-marketing approval of biopesticides. What would not be regulated by U.S. Environmental Protection Agency as a biopesticide?

A bacterial mutant strain that protects crops from frost damage by a pathogenic bacterial strain

Papaya Ringspot Virus coat protein gene engineered in papaya to make them resistant to the Papaya Ringspot Virus

Pseudomonas putida that was patented for oil degradation

The cry toxins that are engineered in agronomically important crops to protect from certain caterpillars

Pseudomonas putida that was patented for oil degradation

3 multiple choice options

What applies to biopesticides?

Microbial biopesticides are not required to be tested for adverse effects on non-target organisms

Many biopesticides have narrow spectrum of activity and may not affect helpful insects

Demonstration of efficacy against the target organism is not required for EPA registration of certain biopesticides

Biopesticides are not biodegradable and leave persistent residues in the environment

Many biopesticides have narrow spectrum of activity and may not affect helpful insects

3 multiple choice options

What is not true of EPA's experimental use permit?

An EUP is not required for laboratory or greenhouse tests

An EUP will not be issued for testing in waters that affect fish, shellfish, or plants that are to be taken as food or feed

Field testing of watermelon engineered with Bt is not required since Bt had been approved previously for use in corn.

Public comments are solicited before approval of the permit

Field testing of watermelon engineered with Bt is not required since Bt had been approved previously for use in corn.

3 multiple choice options

For evaluating transgenic plants, EPA spends about one year reviewing the data collected, prior to deregulating the plant for commercialization. What is not a concern that EPA focuses on?

The effects of the engineered protein on non-target insects or other animals

The increased sugar content of the transgenic fruit

Potential for transgene flow to undesirable weeds

Health effects of the bioengineered plant to humans upon consumption

The increased sugar content of the transgenic fruit

3 multiple choice options

Under the Toxic Substances Control Act, a manufacturer must submit a ___________________ 90 days before the manufacture or import of intergeneric microorganisms for commercial purposes

Microbial Commercial Activity Notice

Intergeneric Microbes Exemption

Notice for transgenic commerce

Commercial License Application for Novel Microbes

Microbial Commercial Activity Notice

3 multiple choice options

Aside from regulating disposal of controlled, addicting drugs like heroin and other pain medications, the Drug Enforcement Administration is also responsible for regulating the proper disposal of sleep aids.

TRUE or FALSE

TRUE

1 multiple choice option

Patents protect inventions for up to 20 years from the earliest date of filing. For soybeans genetically engineered with the cry or Bt toxin, intellectual property protection activity starts at what stage of product development?

Before initial field trials of the GM soybean

During backcrossing studies

Right after successful transfer of the new cry toxin gene into soybeans

Starting from the isolation and characterization of a new cry toxin gene

Starting from the isolation and characterization of a new cry toxin gene

3 multiple choice options

Patents protect inventions in exchange for public disclosure of the invention. Myriad Genetics lost its case on its patent for the breast cancer gene, BRCA1, for what reason?

A specific utility for the use of the BRCA1 gene was not provided in the application

Myriad was not the first company to file a patent claim on the use of BRCA1 gene testing for susceptibility to breast cancer

BRCA1 gene exists in nature and therefore cannot be patented

The US PTO was not convinced that BRCA1 mutation testing is predictive of susceptibility to breast cancer

BRCA1 gene exists in nature and therefore cannot be patented

3 multiple choice options

Under the America Invents Act, the first person to file a valid patent application for a diagnostic machine with the USPTO will be granted the patent even if he was not first in making a working version of the diagnostic machine.

TRUE or FALSE

TRUE

1 multiple choice option