chapter 21 - manipulating genomes Flashcards
Why do we compare genomes?
we compare genomes to :
- to understand evolutionary relationships
- understand genotype-phenotype relationships
- for epidemiology(disease analysis)
- synthetic biology(genetic engineering)
Why are the studies of genotype-phenotype relations and epidemiology important?
- Analysing the genotype to predict the phenotype
- understanding disease will help better prevent it
what is synthetic biology?
- designing and creating new biological molecules, systems and machines
- for example, making new enzymes to make them more efficient
What is DNA profiling?
- identifying individuals by comparing their repetitive non coding base sequences
What are the two uses of DNA profiling?
- forensic use
- medical use
How is dna profiling used in forensics?
- a sample of DNA is taken from a crime scene and suspects
- the DNA is amplified using PCR
- DNA is then labelled using a marker
- the gel electropheresis is run
How is dna profiling helpful in medical use?
- DNA profiling can be used for testing for specific combinations of alleles which can be used to diagnose genetic disease
What is a genome?
- its the complete set of genetic material (genes + non coding DNA)that an organism has
what is a proteome?
- the complete set of proteins that an organism can make
What two techniques are used to construct dna profiles and what are their purposes?
- PCR, used to amplify dna
- electrophoresis, separation of the the dna fragments
To produce a dna profile, dna must be:
- extracted (usinf PCR)
- digested using restriction endonucleases
- separated using electrophoresis
- hybridised with probes
- visualised in banding patterns
What is the difference between dna profiling and dna sequencing?
- dna profiling, identifying individuals by comparing their repetitive non coding base sequences
- dna sequencing, is determining the precise order of nucleotides in a dna molecule
how is dna sequenced?
- pcr is conducted
- some of the free nucleotides in pcr have been modified in two ways:
- when they bond to a dna strand they terminate polymerisation
- they are fluorescently coloured
- new dna strands stop growing when a terminator base is added (PCR is interupted)
- this results in every possible chain length being produced
- lasers detect the final base on each chain
- the sequence of dna bases can therefore be worked out
why do we sequence dna and what is it used for?
- to predict amino acid sequences
- its used for understanding evolutionary relationships and in medicine(understand the antigens to make new vaccines)
why is it easier to predict amino acid base sequences in simple organisms over more complex organisms?
- in more complex organisms, its harder to determine proteins from dna