Chapter 13: Biotechnology

Question 1

biotechnology

Answer 1

any technological application that uses biological systems, living organisms, or derivatives thereof to make or modify procudts or processes

Question 2

recombinant DNA

Answer 2

single molecules containing DNA sequences from two or more organisms

Question 3

what tools are used to make recombinant DNA?

Answer 3

restriction enzymes for xutting DNA into pieces (fragments) that can be manipulated
Gel electrophoresis for the analysis and purification of DNA fragments
DNA ligase for joining DNA fragments together in novel combinations

Question 4

restriction enzymes

Answer 4

cut double stranded DNA moleules into smaller, noninfectious fragments

Question 5

recognition sequence or a restriction site

Answer 5

specfic sequence of DNA bases that restriction enzymes recognize
most are 4-6 bp long
make palindromes
some cut so there is a little bit of single stranded DNA

Question 6

methylases

Answer 6

add methyl groups to cell DNA so that restriction enzymes do not chop up the DNA of the cell they are from becuase they can’t recognixe them

Question 7

restriction digest

Answer 7

using restriction enzymes in the lab

Question 8

gel electophoresis

Answer 8

a way to separate DNA fragments
fragments placed in wells on one end of a semisolid gel and an electric field is applied DNA will move toward the positive end, with smaller draments traveling more quickly

Question 9

What info does gel electophoresis give?

Answer 9

the number of fragments
the size of the fragments
the relative abundance of a fragment

Question 10

DNA ligase

Answer 10

involved in DNA metabolism
catalyzes the joining of DNA fragments by making phosophodiester bonds between them
joins Okizaki fragments

Question 11

clone

Answer 11

produce many identical copies

Question 12

transformation

Answer 12

inserting recombinant DNA into host cells

Question 13

transfection

Answer 13

insering recombinant DNA into host cells derived from animals

Question 14

Transgenic

Answer 14

describes a cell with recombinant DNA

Question 15

True or false: most cells that are exposed to recombinant DNA become transormed with it

Answer 15

false

only a few do

Question 16

selectable marker genes

Answer 16

ex. genes that confer antibioitic resistabce

often included in recombinant DNA

Question 17

electroporation

Answer 17

a short electric shock used to create temporary pores in membranes through which DNA can enter

Question 18

replicon

Answer 18

replication unit

a segement of DNA that contains an origin of replication

Question 19

How can DNA become part of a replicon?

Answer 19

inserted into host chromsome

can enter host cell as a vector and then integrate or have its own origin of replication

Question 20

vector

Answer 20

part of a carrier DNA sequence

Question 21

plasmid

Answer 21

small
one or more restriction enzyme recognition sequence
contain genes that conger resistance
ori and replicate independently

Question 22

Do most cells take up vectors after interactions?

Answer 22

nope

Question 23

Do all vector copies have the foreign DNA after ligatio n reactions?

Answer 23

nope

Question 24

reporter gene

Answer 24

genes whose expression are easily assayed

ec. selectable markers

Question 25

genomic library

Answer 25

a collection of DNA fragments that comprise the genomw of an organism

Question 26

cDNA

Answer 26

complementary DNA

Question 27

cDNA library

Answer 27

snapshot of the transcription pattern of the cell

collections of cDNAs from a particular tissue at a particular time in the life cycle of an organism

Question 28

synthetic DNA

Answer 28

created from PCR amplifications

Question 29

knockout experiment

Answer 29

inactivate a gene and see what happens

helps determine the minimal genome

Question 30

homologous recombination

Answer 30

targets specific genes
insert normal alleles into plasmid and then restriction enxymes insert reports genes in the middle of the normal gene, which prevents it from creating normal proteins
once the recombinant plasmid has been made, it is used to transfect stem cells
swap nonfunctioning allele with functioning in host

Question 31

stem cell

Answer 31

unspecialized cell that divides and differentiates into specialized cells

Question 32

antisense RNA

Answer 32

binds by pairing to complementary sense bases on mRNA
ex. microRNA
prevents translation of mRNA

Question 33

RNA interference

Answer 33

RNAi
a natural mechanism for inhibiting mRNA translation
uses small interfering RNAs which are made in a process similar to the processing od microRNAs (double stranded)

Question 34

small interfering RNAs

Answer 34

siRNAs
short double stranded RNA that is unwaound to single stranfs by a protein complex that guides one strand to a complementary mRNA and then causes the breakdown of the mRNA

Question 35

expression vectors

Answer 35

have the characteristics of typical vectors and the extra sequences needed for the foreign gene to be expressed in the host cell

Question 36

inducible promoter

Answer 36

responds to a specfic signal can be included in an expression vector

Question 37

tissue-specific promotoer

Answer 37

expressed only in certain tissues at certain times

can be used it localized expression is desired

Question 38

signal sequences

Answer 38

can be added to expression vectors so the gene product goes where it needs to

Question 39

pharming

Answer 39

the production of pharmaceuticals in farm animals or plants

Question 40

advantages of recombinant DNA technology over traditional methods of breeding

Answer 40

-identify specfiic genes
introduce any gene from any organism
ability to generate new organisms quickly

Question 41

Bioremediation

Answer 41

The use by humans of other organisms to remove contaminants from the environment