Biotechnology Flashcards
What is biotechnology and genetic engineering?
- the use of living things or their components to make useful products
- the direct manipulation of genes for practical purposes
How does the dominion mandate relate to this chapter?
Man has dominion over all creation; however, we have to be responsible with that authority. For instance, we cannot clone humans or kill embryos by taking away their stem cells. However, we may test on animals because they do not have rights. In the same way, we may not want to do so because we are to be stewards of the earth.
What is recombinant DNA?
when a protein needs to be made by taking DNA from 2 (usually of a different species) organisms and combining them
Explain DNA/gene cloning using recombinant DNA
- use restriction enzymes to cut out the human gene of interest at two restriction sites. This occurs when the bonds of the bases are unconnected to create sticky ends (small section of unpaired bases attracted to other unpaired bases)
- cut bacterial plasmid at one restriction site with one restriction enzyme
- combine plasmid and human gene and add DNA ligase to glue them together
- recombinant plasmid formed
- put plasmid into bacteria cells
- let bacteria transcribe and translate the gene into a protein and replicate
- either harvest copies of genes for research or the protein
gene cloning
making multiple copies of DNA
cloning vector
a DNA molecule that carries foreign DNA into a host cell
restriction fragments
pieces that have been cut
Why was it important to find an enzyme that would cut the plasmid at only one site?
it would be destroyed or not useful anymore
Why might there be some different lengths of plasmids?
Because everyone has a unique DNA sequence
Why is it important to discard any enzymes that cut the plasmid at the replication site?
because that would prevent the plasmid from replication and making the protein
Why is it important to cut the plasmid and the human DNA with the same restriction enzyme?
sticky ends must pair up
Do restriction enzymes exist naturally in organisms?
Yes, bacteria defend themselves against viruses with restriction enzymes
Why would restriction enzymes that created “blunt” ends not be as useful in recombination as those that create sticky ends?
The 2 organisms DNA would not be able to connect
Explain PCR.
Polymerase Chain Reaction or gene amplification: quickly copies the DNA or RNA for studying with polymerases in a test tube
Explain gel electrophoresis.
- agarose gel created and put into frame
- DNA loaded into wells at top of gel
- electric charge is turned on: DNA is negative, so it flows to the positive side of the gel
- one piece remains dyed, all others spread throughout the gel
- the shorter the DNA fragments, the longer they go because they move easily through the pores in the gel
- dyed again to see full DNA fingerprint
What is a DNA Fingerprint?
the individual’s pattern of DNA made through gel electro. can be in crime scenes and paternity experiments to compare either DNA of suspect to the crime scene or DNA of father to son
What are some pros and cons of animal cloning?
Pro: fewer variables in a drug experiment on rats
Con: those variables may not apply to the rest of the population
What is RFLP?
Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism- each human has different lengths of restriction fragments
What are 2 types of human cloning?
reproductive: parents can clone themselves if they really want a baby and are sterilek
therapeutic: donate yourself to research if you are deformed in any way
What is nuclear transplantation and somatic cell nuclear transfer?
- transferring a diploid nucleus into an egg cell with a haploid nucleus that had its nucleus removed
- no fusion of egg and sperm
How was Dolly the Sheep cloned/born?
- 2 sheep to begin with: 1 a mammary cell donor and 1 an egg cell donor
- mammary diploid cell nucleus removed and placed into an egg cell that has had its haploid nucleus removed
- cells fused using electricity
- grown in culture and an early embryo forms
- placed in surrogate mother’s uterus which carries the zygote until birth
- Dolly is born identical to mammary cell donor
- 1997-2003: died prematurely because of hastened aging in the development of arthritis
What are stem cells?
differentiate into many other types of cells
What are totipotent stem cells?
differentiate into any type of cell in the body
What are pluripotent stem cells?
differentiate into several types of cells, but not all (found in bone marrow that makes blood cells)
What are some sources of stem cells?
embryotic: bad because it kills the embryo
bone marrow: good because you get it from adults and it doens’t harm them
What is IPS?
an induced pluripotent stem cell that artificially induces a cell to become a stem cell (how we grow organs)
What is gene therapy and how does it happen?
- replacing a mutated or damaged gene with a healthy one
- takes a healthy gene and implants it into a virus (RNA retrovirus) that infects the body and expresses that gene
- not long term because the body eventually fights it off
How is recombinant DNA used in us and the environment? What is this called?
- plants: 1) gene for pest-resistance 2) herbicide that kills weeds so crops are injected with an herbicide resistant gene so weeds are killed but the crops aren’t
- fruits: larger, juicier, seedless
- oil spills: bacteria codes for a protein that eats or breaks down the oil however it also affects the natural sea life and ocean
- dissolves blood clots in heart attack therapy
- human growth hormones for stunted growth
- insulin for diabetics
