Characterisation of genes and gene products at a molecular level Flashcards
DNA cloning definition
the process of making multiple identical copies of a particular piece of DNA.
Process of DNA cloning
- Restriction endonuclease cuts DNA at specific recognition sequence.
- Restriction endonuclease cuts complementary DNA at plasmid.
- DNA ligase joins the two fragments in the presence of calcium chloride which makes bacterial wall more permeable to the DNA fragment.
- DNA then multiplied rapidly in PCR, thus amplifying the DNA.
Special features of the recognition sequence
Often 6 bases long and produces a palindromic sequence.
What is a palindromic sequence?
Read the same 5’-3’ as 3’-5’
Features of cloning vectors
- Contain an antibiotic resistance gene for selection of the plasmids that contain the new gene.
- contains an origin of replication for the replication of the plasmid
- multiple cloning site
- phage promoters which enable in vitro transcription of the recombination DNA fragment
Explain DNA electrophoresis
electric field is established across a gel, causing the DNA molecules to move a certain distance dependent on their size
Why would DNA be different lengths?
Contain many recognition sites for different restriction endonucleases which results in the DNA being cleaved at different base pair lengths.
Stages of DNA electrophoresis
- Electric field established across the gel
- DNA will move to anode, as it is negatively charged due to phosphate groups
- Polymers forming the gels have a porous matrix, which acts as a sieve allowing shorter DNA to move more rapidly than larger ones.
- DNA chains are then visualised using different methods
What gel is used for electrophoresis?
polyacrylamide and agrose
Two different methods of visualising DNA
- Stain with ethidium bromide, a fluorescent compound that binds to DNA. Forms red-orange fluorescent bands under UV.
- Autoradiography- Radioisotope 32P is incorporated into DNA before electrophoresis, then placed on a radiographic film after migration is complete.
Hybridisation of nucleic acids process
- Double stranded DNA molecules denatured by heat
2. Complementary sequences re-hybridise at lower temperatures
3 processes based on DNA hybridisation
southern blotting, northern blotting, fluorescent in situ hybridisation (FISH)
Stages of Southern Blot
- DNA sample cleaved by a restriction endonuclease
- Placed onto a polyacrylamide and agrose gel and separated by electrophoresis
- Gel is immersed in sodium hydroxide to denature the DNA
- DNA transferred from gel onto another support, such as a sheet of nitrocellulose. This is done by adding layers of absorbent paper soaked in salt solution into a cuvette. Gel block containing DNA is placed over the paper block and the nitro-cellulose sheet is arranged at the top.
- Dry blotting paper is added to the top, causing the solution from the lower stack to rise, moving the DNA in the gel to the nitrocellulose.
- Nitrocellulose, now a replica of the DNA, is heated in an oven to fix and immobilise the DNA onto this substrate
What occurs next and what is the function of southern blotting?
Single stranded DNA probes containing attached radioactive labels of 32P then hybridise with the complementary DNA on the nitrocellulose.
Sheet washed to remove unhybridised DNA.
Photographic film placed onto the nitrocellulose to shoe bands of DNA where the probe has attached,
What is northern blotting?
Same as southern blotting however finding specific RNA sequences
What is western blotting?
Same as southern and northern blotting instead proteins used
What is FISH?
Molecular cytogenetic technique that uses fluorescent probes that bind to specific complementary sequences on the DNA.
FISH function
Localises specific DNA sequences on chromosomes, so can be used in genetic counselling, personalising medicine and species identification.