Genetic Engineering Flashcards
Diabetes
2 marks
A lifelong condition that causes a person’s blood sugar level to become too high.
Fermenter
(2 marks)
A tank containing nutrients, which is used to grow large numbers of bacteria or yeast.
Plasmid
2 marks
A small, circular piece of DNA found in a bacterial cell.
Restriction endonuclease enzyme
2 marks
An enzyme that can cut DNA in specific places in the DNA molecule.
Genetic engineering
4 marks
Can be done by transferring a desirable gene from a donor organism into the genome of a recipient organism.
Genetic engineering is useful in
3 marks
Agriculture, technology + has helped further scientific research.
Genetic engineering can be carried out on
2 marks
Plants + animals.
Examples of Genetic Engineering
4 marks
- Banana vaccine
- Venomous cabbage
- Enviropig
- Spidergoat
Banana vaccines
3 marks
An engineered part of a virus is injected into the fruit where it multiplies thousands of times.
When eaten, it produces antibodies which fight off deadly disease.
Venomous cabbage
3 marks
By injecting cabbages with scorpion venom, scientists figured out a way of stopping caterpillars from eating their way through an entire crop.
And the venom is altered to be safe for humans.
Enviropig
3 marks
Phosphorous is a harmful chemical found in pig manure.
- Canadian scientists have genetically engineered a pig embryo so that pigs produce up to 70% less of manure.
Spidergoat
5 marks
Researchers in the USA discovered, inserting a spider gene into the DNA of goats meant the goats produced milk containing an extra protein
- which can be spun into spider silk thread used in things like protective clothing and car interiors.
Usually the recipient organism in Genetic Engineering is a bacterial cell because:
(4 marks)
Bacterial DNA;
- is easily manipulated.
- can reproduce very rapidly.
The bacteria then have the ability to make whatever the desirable gene codes for - e.g insulin
Often the recipient organism in Genetic Engineering
1 mark
Bacterial Cell
Before genetic engineering, insulin was obtained from
1 mark
Pigs + cattle.
Why is insulin required now more than ever?
1 mark
Increase in the number of diabetics.
Insulin Production Process
16 marks
- Human insulin gene is removed using a restriction enzyme.
- Bacterial plasmid is cut open using the same restriction enzyme.
- Restriction enzymes leave ‘sticky ends’, where 1 of 2 DNA strands is longer than the other.
- Using the same restriction enzyme to cut both the human DNA + bacterial plasmid results in complementary sticky ends that join by base pairing.
- Different enzyme is used to join insulin gene + bacterial plasmid.
- Bacterial plasmid containing the insulin gene is placed into a bacterial cell.
- Bacterial cell is placed in a fermenter.
- Downstreaming occurs.
- Pure insulin produced can be used to treat diabetes.
Downstreaming
3 marks
When insulin is extracted, purified + packaged.
Uses of the Restriction Enzyme in the insulin production process
(7 marks)
- Remove Human insulin gene
- Cuts open the Bacterial plasmid.
- Leave ‘sticky ends’, where 1 of 2 DNA strands is longer than the other.
- Cuts both the human DNA + bacterial plasmid results in complementary sticky ends that join by base pairing.
Perfect conditions for Reproduction
3 marks
Warmth, moisture + O2.
Advantages of genetically engineered insulin:
5 marks
- Not limited by the slaughter of animals.
- Large quantities can be made quickly.
- No risk of transferring infections.
- More effective at treating diabetes as animal insulin is different to human insulin.
- No ethical issues concerning the use of animals.
Why is the Bacterial cell is placed in a fermenter during the production of insulin?
(1 mark)
To allow reproduction under perfect conditions.
