B13- [Part 2]- variation 🐶

Question 1

What are the potential benefits of genetic engineering in medicine ?

Answer 1

• genetic engineering provides the potential to cure inherited human disorders [e.g- sickle cell disease]
• and, genetically engineered microorganisms can mass procure proteins that humans need, such as growth hormones

Question 2

What are the potential risks of genetic engineering in medicine ?

Answer 2

• there are concerns that genetic engineering, could give rise to ‘designer’ babies

Question 3

What is the first step in genetic engineering ?

Answer 3

• the required gene to be transferred is identified by marker genes

Question 4

What happens to the required gene, after it has been identified ?

Hint: isolate

Answer 4

• restriction enzymes are then used to isolate the required gene from the genome of one organism

Question 5

How is the isolated gene used ?

Hint: inserted

Answer 5

• the isolated gene is inserted into a vector, [a bacterial plasmid or virus] to make recombinant DNA [plasmid or virus DNA, which is recombined with the required gene]

Question 6

How is the vector used ?

Answer 6

• after the isolated gene has been inserted into a vector, the vector is then used to transfer the gene into the required cells of an organism

Question 7

How is the vector transferred into the cells of an organism ?

Answer 7

• this required gene is then transferred to the cells of animals [e.g- the early embryo stage], plants or microorganisms at an early stage in their development
• this is so they develop with desired characteristics