4e recombination and transformation

Question 1

whats a plasmid

Answer 1

a small, circular loop of DNA separate from the chromosome, typically found in bacteria

Question 2

whats a recombinant plasmid

Answer 2

a circular DNA vector that is ligated to incorporate a gene of interest

Question 3

whats bacterial transformation

Answer 3

the process by which bacteria take up foreign DNA from their environment. Scientists use this process to introduce recombinant plasmids into bacteria

Question 4

whats genetic modification

Answer 4

the manipulation of an organism’s genetic material using biotechnology

Question 5

whats insulin

Answer 5

a hormone (in the form of a protein) secreted by the pancreas to control blood glucose levels

Question 6

whats diabetes

Answer 6

a disease where the body cannot properly produce or respond to insulin

Question 7

bacterium in prokaryotes

Answer 7

Bacteria possess independently replicating plasmids means that humans can genetically modify bacteria to synthesise large amounts of protein in a simple process.
This involves editing a plasmid to incorporate a target gene of interest. Once a plasmid is edited to integrate a target gene, it is referred to as a recombinant plasmid.
Bacteria then take up these recombinant plasmids from the environment in a process called bacterial transformation, which is arguably the most important step in the entire genetic modification process. Once this has occurred, bacteria can synthesise specific proteins.

Question 8

uses of bacterial trnasformation

Answer 8

large-scale production of the following proteins:
insulin to manages diabetes
erythropoietin to treat anaemia
chymosin for cheese production
interferon to treat some cancers
growth hormone to manage growth disorders
hepatitis B surface antigen for use in the hepatitis B vaccine
alpha-amylase for ethanol and high fructose corn syrup production

Question 9

whats a gene of interest

Answer 9

a gene scientists want to be expressed in recombinant bacteria. This gene often encodes a protein we wish to produce in commercial quantities. Also known as the desired gene

Question 10

whats a restriction endonuclease

Answer 10

any enzyme that acts like molecular scissors to cut nucleic acid strands at specific recognition sites. Also known as a restriction enzyme

Question 11

whats a ligase

Answer 11

an enzyme that joins molecules, including DNA or RNA, together by catalysing the formation of phosphodiester bonds

Question 12

whats a vector

Answer 12

a means of introducing foreign DNA into an organism. Plasmids are a popular vector in bacterial transformation