Study for the Life in the United Kingdom Test. Prepare with flashcards and multiple choice questions, each offering hints and explanations. Get ready for your exam!

Multiple Choice

Which pair of scientists is credited with cloning Dolly the sheep?

The main idea here is who made the breakthrough that produced Dolly the sheep. Dolly was the first mammal cloned from an adult cell, proving that an adult cell’s genetic material can be reprogrammed to develop into a whole living organism. This was done using somatic cell nuclear transfer: a nucleus from an adult donor cell (from the sheep’s mammary gland) was inserted into an egg cell with its own nucleus removed, the embryo was encouraged to develop, and then it was implanted into a surrogate mother. The scientists widely credited for this achievement are Ian Wilmut and Keith Campbell, who led the team at the Roslin Institute in Scotland. The spelling in the option you saw is a common variant, but Wilmut is the correct surname. Their work, completed in the mid-1990s, demonstrated that cloning from an adult cell is possible, marking a major milestone in genetics and biotechnology. Other options point to different, unrelated achievements. For example, the pair associated with pioneering in vitro fertilization is Edwards and Steptoe, not cloning. The others are notable figures in fields like early television or aviation, not cloning Dolly.

The main idea here is who made the breakthrough that produced Dolly the sheep. Dolly was the first mammal cloned from an adult cell, proving that an adult cell’s genetic material can be reprogrammed to develop into a whole living organism. This was done using somatic cell nuclear transfer: a nucleus from an adult donor cell (from the sheep’s mammary gland) was inserted into an egg cell with its own nucleus removed, the embryo was encouraged to develop, and then it was implanted into a surrogate mother.

The scientists widely credited for this achievement are Ian Wilmut and Keith Campbell, who led the team at the Roslin Institute in Scotland. The spelling in the option you saw is a common variant, but Wilmut is the correct surname. Their work, completed in the mid-1990s, demonstrated that cloning from an adult cell is possible, marking a major milestone in genetics and biotechnology.

Other options point to different, unrelated achievements. For example, the pair associated with pioneering in vitro fertilization is Edwards and Steptoe, not cloning. The others are notable figures in fields like early television or aviation, not cloning Dolly.