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Miss Artuch A2 > Genetic Engineering > Flashcards

Genetic Engineering Flashcards

1
Q

What is genetic engineering?

A

the modification of organisms by changing their genetic material; this can be the addition of genes from other species or the editing of genes that are already present

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2
Q

What is a transgenic organism?

A

an organism that contains genetic material into which DNA from an unrelated organism has been introduced

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3
Q

What is insulin?

A

a hormone used in the treatment of diabetes, is produced using genetically modified bacteria

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4
Q

What are Restriction endonucleases?

A

enzymes that cut DNA at specific sequences of nucleotides

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5
Q

What is a sticky end?

A

The small sections of single-stranded DNA that will bind to a complementary sequence left when restriction endonucleases cut the DNA

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6
Q

What is a DNA ligase?

A

an enzyme that joins the sugar– phosphate backbone of DNA.

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7
Q

What is dna ligase used for?

A

to ‘glue’ sections of DNA together

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8
Q

What is known as recombinant DNA?

A

DNA that is joined together

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9
Q

What are Plasmids?

A

small circles of DNA found in bacteria that can copy themselves within the bacteria

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10
Q

What is a vector?

A

a section of dna that is used to transfer dna from one organism to another

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11
Q

How can plasmids be used as vectors?

A

to transfer pieces of DNA from one cell to another.

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12
Q

What is a promoter?

A

a section of DNA that is often located at the front of a gene, responsible for switching the gene “on and off”

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13
Q

What does a promoter indicate?

A

the place where transcription (copying the gene) should start to make messenger RNA (mRNA)

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14
Q

Explain how Gene activity controlled by promoters

A
  • The new gene may attach to the host cell DNA, but will do so in a random place.
  • If this area is a ‘quiet’ region and, the rate of gene expression will be slow.
  • In other parts of the host cell, DNA gene expression may be high.
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15
Q

Why would one want to make a transgenic fish?

A
  • making models (organisms) for research in animal development and physiology
  • making models (organisms) for medical research
  • improving the yield of fish (AquAdvantage GM Salmon)
  • producing disease-resistant fish
  • detecting environmental pollution
  • producing novelty pets.
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16
Q

What do atlantic salmon produce?

A

Atlantic salmon normally produce growth hormone only when the water temperature is warm

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17
Q

What have AquAdvantage salmon been genetically engineered to do?

A

to produce growth hormone all the time, so that it grows all year

18
Q

What do AquAdvantage salmon contain?

A

a gene for the production of a growth hormone taken from a Chinook salmon

19
Q

What is the gene contained in AquAdvantage salmon attached to?

A

a promoter from another species of fish, the ocean pout

20
Q

What does the promoter from ocean pout ensure?

A

ensures that the gene for the production of growth hormone remains active, even at low temperatures, so that the genetically engineered salmon continue to grow all year round

21
Q

What happens ot the promoter and growth hormone?

A

The promoter and growth hormone gene are joined together and placed into a plasmid vector, also cut with restriction endonucleases

22
Q

How are DNA fragments joined?

A

using DNA ligase

23
Q

Where are recombinant plasmids placed

A

into bacteria to manufacture large quantities of it

24
Q

What happens to the recombinant plasmids?

A

The recombinant plasmids are then purified and microinjected into fertilised salmon eggs

25
Q

What does the promoter sequence ensure?

A

ensures that the growth hormone gene is switched on constantly, so that the salmon grow throughout the year.

26
Q

What are the advantages of genetic engineering for aquaculture?

A
  • Rapid growth rate – allowing quick food production
  • Improved product- in appearance and nutritional value
  • Guaranteed availability of product
  • Reducing the chance of depleting wild populations. (It may also be possible to apply the same technology to other species of fish, such as Tilapia, which are farmed in many countries around the world)
  • Efficient energy Conversion – GM organisms could be developed that convert energy more efficiently, resulting in less food wastage. A reduction in food requirements would increase profit margins
27
Q

What are the possible impact of the escape of genetically engineered species into the wild?

A
  • risk of escape- concern they would quickly out-compete wild populations
  • Risks to consumers- safety of the food not well studied (allergies possible, risk of genetic transfer to human or microorganisms, toxicity not known,
28
Q

How can you reduce the risk of escape?

A

Salmon will be kept in tanks or enclosures to minimise escape

29
Q

What is a precautionary principle?

A

A strategy that tries to ensure that all possible consequences of a new technology are considered before allowing it to be used

30
Q

What is bioluminescence?

A

when a biological organism emits light

31
Q

What is Biofluorescence?

A

incident light is re-emitted at a different, less energetic wavelength

32
Q

What is a GFP?

A

Green Fluorescent Protein

33
Q

What can a GFP do?

A

A GFP gene can be joined to a protein gene so that when the protein is made it will have GFP hanging off it

34
Q

What are GFP’s used for?

A
  • Tracing proteins
  • Gene Markers
  • Used to identify transgenic organisms
35
Q

How can GFP’s trace proteins?

A

Individual proteins in human cells are too small to see even under a microscope, but the ways they form, fold and interact are essential to life and this can be traced with GFP

36
Q

How can GFP’s be gene markers?

A

used in a bacterial plasmid to identify if the new gene was inserted successfully (usually the inserted gene disrupts the fluorescent gene and so the bacteria will no longer fluoresce)

37
Q

How can GFP’s be used to identify transgenic organisms ?

A

It can be inserted along with the new section of DNA and then success can be determined by shining a light on the organism to see if it fluoresces

38
Q

What does an engineered plasmid have?

A

several restriction sites where different enzymes can cut. Depending on the enzyme, the GFP gene will either be intact or disrupted

39
Q

How can success of recombinant DNA be determined by?

A

Success of recombinant DNA can therefore be determined based on whether the bacterium glows or not

40
Q

What is an AMP?

A

ampicillin resistant gene (antibiotic resistance)

Miss Artuch A2 (8 decks)

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