Question

Which of the following genetically engineered organisms was used by Eli Lilly to prepare human insulin?

• A. Yeast
• B. Virus
• C. Phage
• D. Bacterium

Hint:

Recombinant DNA technology, which involves inserting a gene into a host organism like bacteria, is a common method for producing important proteins like insulin.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is D

Eli Lilly used genetically engineered bacteria, specifically \textit{Escherichia coli}, to produce human insulin. This method of recombinant DNA technology involves inserting the human insulin gene into a bacterial plasmid, enabling the bacteria to produce the hormone. This was one of the first major applications of genetic engineering in medicine. Thus, the correct answer is Bacterium.