# Golden rice is a genetically engineered crop plant that produces beta-carotene, a substance the human body converts into vitamin A. Scientists inserted a gene from maize into the rice genome to achieve this. Explain how genetic engineering is used to insert a gene from one organism into another organism, and explain why the inserted gene is able to function in the new organism.

> OCR A-Level Biology B — Advancing Biology (H422) — 5.3 Manipulating genomes · Explain · 5 marks

> Vitamin A deficiency affects millions of people worldwide and can cause blindness. Golden rice was developed to help address this problem by engineering rice plants to produce beta-carotene in their grain.

## Mark scheme (5 marks)

1. A restriction enzyme is used to cut out the desired gene (beta-carotene gene) from the donor organism's DNA
2. The same restriction enzyme is used to cut open the host organism's DNA / vector (e.g. plasmid), leaving complementary sticky ends
3. Ligase enzyme joins / seals the gene into the host DNA / vector
4. The recombinant DNA / vector is inserted into the host organism's cells so the gene becomes part of the host genome
5. The genetic code / DNA is universal, so the same codons code for the same amino acids in all organisms, allowing the gene to be transcribed and translated correctly in the new host

## Key terms

- [genome](https://www.gradenine.co.uk/glossary/genome)
- [gene](https://www.gradenine.co.uk/glossary/gene)
- [genetic engineering](https://www.gradenine.co.uk/glossary/genetic-engineering)

## Related

- [Revision notes for OCR A-Level Biology B — Advancing Biology (H422)](https://www.gradenine.co.uk/learn)
- [How to answer "Explain" questions](https://www.gradenine.co.uk/tools/command-word-cheatsheet)
- [Practice this with AI marking (free)](https://www.gradenine.co.uk/start)

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Source: [GradeNine](https://www.gradenine.co.uk/q/golden-rice-is-a-genetically-engineered-386b5ba2) · Published by Druglandscape Ltd.