What does the process of cloning in biotechnology involve?

The process of cloning in biotechnology fundamentally involves creating a genetically identical copy of an organism or cell through various methods. Cloning can be accomplished through techniques such as somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT), where the nucleus of a somatic cell is transferred to an egg cell that has had its nucleus removed. This results in the development of an organism that has the same genetic makeup as the donor organism.

This definition accurately reflects the core concept of cloning, which emphasizes the reproductive aspect of creating exact genetic replicas, whether it be at the level of whole organisms, tissues, or even cells. The various methods of cloning may be employed for different purposes, such as therapeutic cloning, reproductive cloning, or cloning for agricultural improvements, but they all maintain the foundational principle of genetic identity.

The other options describe different biotechnological processes that do not encapsulate the essence of cloning. Creating a diverse group of organisms through breeding pertains to selective breeding or genetic diversity, while deleting genes involves genetic engineering techniques focused on gene function. Combining genes from different organisms to form hybrids refers to methods such as transgenics or hybridization, which aim to incorporate desirable traits from different sources rather than producing clones. Thus, the distinctive aspect of cloning is its focus on genetic uniformity