Genetic Modification Flashcards
Whats recombinant DNA?
When a gene is cut out of the DNA of one species and inserted into the DNA of another.
Whats a transgenic organism?
The organism that receives the gene from a different species.
Whats restriction endonucleases?
Enzymes that cut DNA molecules at specific points. Different restriction enzymes cut DNA at different places. They can be used to cut out specific genes from a molecule of DNA.
Whats ligases?
Enzymes that join the cut ends of DNA molecules.
How is transgenic bacteria produced?
Enzymes that join the cut ends of DNA molecules.
- Some restriction enzymes make a single straight cut and the fragments of DNA they produce are said to have “blunt ends”.
- Other restriction enzymes make a staggered cut. These produce fragments of DNA with overlapping ends with complementary bases. These overlapping ends are called “sticky ends”.
Whats bacteriophage?
A bacteriophage is a virus that attacks a bacterium. It does this by attaching to the cell wall of the bacterium and injecting its own DNA. This DNA becomes incorporated into the DNA of the host cell, and eventually causes the production of many virus particles.
Whats a use of genetically modified bacteria?
One bacterial enzyme used is glucose isomerase. It catalyzes a reaction which converts glucose into a similar sugar called fructose. Fructose is much sweeter than glucose, so less is needed to sweeten foods.
