Biotechnology Flashcards
What is biotechnology?
Any technological application that uses biological systems/ living organisms
Uses for biotechnology?
Healing: vaccines, medications, diagnosis of disease, gene therapy
Investigation:
- DNA and protein analysis to identify relationships and predict how species evolved ( evolutionary theory)
- epigenetics, investigating relationship between environment and gene expression
What are the 11 biotechnological techniques and tools?
Gene probing DNA profiling DNA sequencing Gel electrophoresis Polymerase chain reaction Cloning Genetic engineering (recombinant DNA) Restriction enzymes Ligase enzyme Plasmids Transgenic organisms
Define gene probing?
A single stranded DNA or DNA used in genetic engineering to search for a particular gene or other DNA sequence
Define DNA profiling?
a technique that uses the banding patterns of DNA fragments as means of identification; a DNA fingerprint is unique to a particular individual; also called DNA fingerprinting
Define DNA sequencing?
The determination of the precise order of nucleotides (nucleotide sequence) in a sample of DNA.
Define polymerase chain reaction ?
(PCR) A technique used in molecular biology for producing multiple copies of DNA from a sample; used in DNA fingerprinting and in identifying diseases
Define cloning?
Process of producing clones of organisms or clones of organisms or copies of cells or DNA fragments (molecular cloning)
Define genetic engineering?
(Recombinant DNA) , the procedures used to produce recombinant DNA; involve introducing DNA into a cell from a different type of organism or DNA that has been modified in someway
Define restriction enzymes ?
An enzyme that cuts strands of DNA at a specific sequence of nucleotides
Define ligase enzymes?
An enzyme that can catalyse process of joining short strands of DNA during replication ( ligation?)
Define plasmids?
In bacterial cell, small circular strands of DNA distinct from the main bacterial genome, composed of only a few genes and able to replicate independently within cells
Define transgenic organisms?
An organism that has had DNA from another species introduced into it artificially.
Where do restriction enzymes come from and what is their role there?
They come from in bacteria where they restrict the duplication of infecting viruses by cutting up the viral DNA
How are restriction enzymes used by scientists?
Scientists use them to cut DNA at recognition sites and restrict the duplication of bacteriophages
What are the 2 types of ends that restriction enzymes can make?
Blunt ends and sticky ends