During the industrial production of mycoprotein (Fusarium venenatum) for human consumption in a bioreactor, several biological and technical challenges must be managed. Which of the following statements correctly describes a challenge and the biological basis of its management in this biotechnology process?
To maximize mycoprotein yield, the fermenter is operated to maintain the culture in the stationary phase, where biomass—acting as a secondary metabolite—reaches its peak concentration.
The harvested fungal biomass undergoes a rapid heat-treatment step to activate endogenous RNA-degrading enzymes (nucleases), reducing the nucleic acid content to prevent health issues like gout.
Anaerobic conditions must be strictly maintained in the fermenter because Fusarium venenatum relies on fermentation pathways to synthesise structural proteins efficiently.
Aseptic techniques are implemented primarily to prevent the culture of Fusarium venenatum from undergoing spontaneous genetic mutations during prolonged continuous cultivation.
39 exam-style questions on OCR A A Level Biology Cloning and biotechnology. Each one has a worked solution and a mark scheme showing where the marks go.