DNA Technology Flashcards
What does gene technology allow?
- manipulation, alteration and transfer of DNA across species
Define recombinant DNA
DNA that is made from 2 different organisms that has been combined
Define genetically modified organism
Organisms that contains recombinant DNA
Describe the 5 stages involved in making a protein from DNA
- Isolation of desired gene
- Insertion of gene into vector
- Transformation; transfer if DNA into suitable host cells
- Identification of host cells that have taken up gene
- Growth of these host cells
What is reverse transcriptase used for?
- to isolate the gene before it is placed in a vector
How does reverse transcriptase work?
- Cell that produces desired protein is identified (will contain large amounts of mRNA)
- mRNA is extracted, reverse transcriptase is used to produce cDNA
- DNA polymerase is used to produce complimentary DNA strand from cDNA (acts as a template)
What are restriction endonuclease enzymes used for?
To cut at specific recognition sites on DNA sequence
What do restriction endonucleases produce?
- blunt ends, when DNA is cut vertically
- sticky ends, when DNA is cut in staggered fashion
How is DNA inserted into a vector in In-Vivo cloning?
- gene and plasmid are cut with same restriction endonuclease enzymes, therefore ‘sticky ends’ are complimentary
- DNA fragments are mixed with opened-up plasmids, and some will be incorporated
- DNA ligase permanently joins plasmid and DNA
How are the plasmids reintroduced into bacterial cells?
- plasmids and bacterial cells are mixed in medium containing calcium ions.
- ions and temp changes make bacteria permeable, allowing plasmids to pass over membrane
Why will DNA of desired gene only be in some bacterial cells?
- bacterial cells did not take up plasmid
- plasmid closed up before gene was incorporated
How are bacterial cells that have taken up plasmid identified?
- all bacterial cells are grown on medium containing antibiotic
- cells that have taken up plasmids will have resistance
- all cells that have not, will die
What are gene markers used for?
To identify cells that contain plasmids, that have taken up DNA
How do antibiotic-resistance markers work?
- bacterial cells are grown in medium with antibiotic B, gene for resistance has been made useless if gene has been taken up
- cells that have taken up plasmid will die
- replica plating
How do fluorescent gene markers work?
- gene is inserted into centre of GFP (green fluorescent protein)
- any bacterial cell that has taken up plasmid will not produce fluorescence
How do enzyme gene markers work?
- desired gene is inserted into centre of gene that codes for enzyme lactase, which turns colourless solution blue
- if plasmid has taken up gene, will not turn solution blue
What is purpose of polymerase chain reaction (PCR)?
- automated, rapid method of producing cloned fragments of DNA
- allows amplification of small sample
What does PCR require?
- DNA fragment
- DNA polymerase
- primers
- nucleotides
- thermocycler