Question

Scientists like Craig Venter could choose to try to make any type of synthetic organism, from a bacterium to a mammal, but there are many things to consider when choosing a type of organism for research. Which of the following is a potential reason for choosing to create a type of organism other than a synthetic bacterium? a) There is always a chance that a microscopic bacterium could escape undetected from the lab, and end up in the environment. b) People who are concerned about scientific experimentation leading to animal cruelty are probably less concerned about experimentation with bacteria than experimentation with animals. c) Bacteria are easy to grow in a lab setting, and reproduce very quickly, as opposed to a eukaryotic organism like a mammal. d) The genome of a bacterium is far less complex, and easier to work with, than the genome of a eukaryotic organism like a mammal.

Answer 1

The correct answer is option a) "There is always a chance that a microscopic bacterium could escape undetected from the lab, and end up in the environment".

Step-by-step explanation:

One of the reasons why a scientist should consider if creating a synthetic bacterium is a good idea is that there is always a chance that a microscopic bacterium could escape undetected from the lab, and end up in the environment. A synthetic bacterium could be considered as a new bacterium or as a new species, therefore, there is no evidence of what would be the environmental impact of this new organism. Therefore, there is a risk that the microorganism could be released into the environment accidentally and could generate an environment impact.