Day 10.3 Genetics Flashcards
What is the purpose of PCR
Amplify a desired fragment of DNA (eg an allele)
What are the steps of PCR?
- Denaturation - heat the DNA to separate the 2 strands
- Annealing- During cooling, premade DNA primers anneal to a specific seq on the strand to be amplified
- Elongation - heat-stable DNA polymerase replicates the DNA seq after each primer –> then have 2 copies
- Repeat a lot for amplification.
Agarose gel electrophoresis
Used to separate PCR products of different sizes. Negative end (cathode) has wells, and DNA is negatively charged, so it runs toward positive end (anode). Smaller molecules (low molecular weight) travel further bc it is easier for them to get through the gel Results are compared to (known) DNA ladder.
What is unique about the primers used in PCR?
They’re DNA primers (vs the normal RNA primers)
How is PCR for proteins different?
Proteins can be positive or negative, so the wells are in the middle, so that they can travel in either direction. So, PCR identifies both charge and size (smaller travels further)
Southern blot
Southern = DNA sample (and DNA probe)
DNA sample is electrophoresed on gel and txfrd to a filter. Filter is soaked in a denaturant, and then exposed to a labeled DNA probe.
Labeled probe binds to the DNA, making double stranded DNA.
Double strand is seen when the filter is exposed to film.
Northern blot
Northern = RNA (and DNA probe)
RNA is electrophoresed on a gel and then transferred to a filter.
Filter is soaked in denaturant and exposed to DNA probe. DNA binds to RNA and double stranded RNA-DNA hybrid is seen when filter is exposed to film.
Western blot
Western = protein sample (Ab probe)
Sample protein is separated via electrophoresis and transferred to a filter. Labeled Ab is used to bind to the protein.
Southwestern blot
Southwestern - DNA binding proteins (transcription factors) are the sample. They are idenitified using labeled oligonucleotides as the probes.
What is an oligonucleotide?
A short sequence of nucleic acids (single stranded)- e.g. a primer is an oligonucleotide.
What blotting procedure is used to determine gene expression?
Northern (so you can look at the RNA sequence that is transcribed) Northern = RNA
What is a microarray?
Lots of nucleic acid seq’s are arranged in a certain order in grids on a glass/silicon chip.
RNA or DNA probes are hybridized to the chip, chip is scanned to detect the relative amts of binding.
What is microarray used for?
To look at gene expression lvls or to detect SNPs- single nucleotide polymorphisms
For genotyping, forensics, predisposition to dz, cancer mutation, genetic linkage analysis
ELISA
Rapid test for Ag-Ab reactivity.
2 ways to do it:
1. Use a labeled test Ag to see if the pt’s immune system recognizes it (e.g. use HBsurfAg to see if pt has Ab against it; HIV Ag to see if pt has anti-HIV Ab)
2. Use a labeled test Ab to see if the pt has Ag present
The test substance (either Ag or Ab) is coupled to a color-generating enz, so if the target substance is present in the sample, the solution will have an intense color rxn, indicating a positive result.
What is the sensitivity and specificity of the ELISA test?
Both are 100%
But both FP and FN results do occur.
FISH
Fluorescent DNA or RNA probe binds to specific gene site of interest.
Used for specific localization of genes and direct visualization of anomalies (like microdeletions) at a molecular level
Used when deletion is too small to be visualized by karyotyping.
Fluorescence - gene is present. (If no fluor, it is not)
Karyotyping
Done in Metaphase.
Chromosomes are stained, ordered, numbered by morphology, size, arm-length ratio, banding pattern.
Can be performed on sample of blood, bone marrow, amniotic fluid, placental tsu.
Used to dx chromosomal imbalances- autosomal trisomies, sex chr disorders
Cloning methods
- Isolate eukaryotic mRNA of interest
- Expose the mRNA to a reverse transcriptase, to make cDNA
- Insert the cDNA fragments into bacterial plasmids w abx-resistant genes
- Put the bacteria on Abx plate- the ones that survive have the cDNA. Make a cDNA library.
Cloning: what is cDNA
DNA that lacks introns
Cloning: how is the DNA able to be inserted into plasmids?
Restriction enz cleave DNA at 4bp to 6bp palindromic sequences, which allows them to be inserted.
What is Sanger DNA sequencing?
Dideoxynucleotides halt DNA polymerization at each base, so sequences of various lengths are generated (and overall, all of the sequences cover the entire original sequence)
Terminated fragments are electrophoresed and the original sequence is deduced from matching up the overlaps.
What is knock-in?
Inserting a gene.
Constitutive: Gene insertion is random (into any place in the genome) so it could be inserted in the middle of something important and make it non-fnl
Conditional: insertion is targeted thru homologous recombination w the mouse gene. This is better.
What is knock-out?
Removing a gene
Conditional: targeted deletion of gene thru homologous recombination w the mouse gene.
In mouse model systems, how can the gene be manipulated at a specific devtl point?
Inducible cre-lox system w an abx-controlled promoter.
Eg to study a gene whose deletion causes embryonic lethality.