Bio Lab Exam 1 Flashcards
Plasmids
Are double standard circular DNA molecules found in a cell, separate and apart from the chromosomes of the cell. Found in many Bacteria.
Polymerase chain reaction
A way to replicate DNA in a test tube. It has the ability to amplify tiny amounts of source DNA. It has the ability to amplify a particular region of source DNA defined by the primers chosen, and used for speed.
Restriction enzymes
Genetic engineering relies on restriction enzymes that can cut large pieces of DNA into smaller fragments. These enzymes are double standard DNA specific endonucleases. They bind to certain sites on the double helix and break the phosphodiester bonds linking nucleotides. Each restriction enzyme recognizes a different DNA sequence, generally 4-6 bases in length
DNA ligase
The ability to join together two different pieces of DNA is the other half of the recombinant DNA technology. The same enzyme that creates the phosphodiester bonds between Okazaki fragments gives us this capability.
Transformation
The experiment by Griffith and Avery that DNA could be taken up by bacteria which then might exhibit novel phenotypic traits.
Column chromatography
Method of separating and purifying proteins based on some property they possess. Can be size, charge, hydrophobicity, or binding specificity. Uses bead matrix
How do you measure transformation efficiency?
Usually measured by determining the number of transformed colonies observed for each microgram of DNA used.
What is an enzyme?
Enzymes are proteins. Their properties determine their structure. Acts as a catalyst.
Enzyme activity
Measure by determining the rate of the catalyzed reaction. The rate of reaction is the change in concentration of a reactant over time. Measured as either substrate disappearance or as product formation.
Equation for percent of inhibition
%=rate w/o - rate w decided by rate w/o
