Lecture 21 - biology in use

Question 1

in a simple protein what can be used as a host for protein production

Answer 1

anything can be used, but there are obvious options as some are cheaper

Question 2

in a complex protein what can be used for protein production

Answer 2

need a more complex system, eukaryotic system or whole animal

Question 3

is there post translational modification needed in insulin and therefore which host is best

Answer 3

no post translational modification so therefore best produced in bacteria

Question 4

is there post translational modification needed in EPO and therefore which host is best

Answer 4

yes post translational modification (glycosylated) so therefore best produced in mammalian cells

Question 5

is there post translational modification needed in antithrombin and therefore which host is best

Answer 5

yes post translational modification (y-carboxyated) so therefore best produced in a transgenic animal

Question 6

what is optogenetics

Answer 6

controlling the brain using light

Question 7

how does optogenetics work

Answer 7

channelrhodopsin is introduced to neurons meaning when you shine a light on those neurons the ion channels will open = creating an action potential

Question 8

what does the plasmid for optogenetics contain

Answer 8

promotor = neuron cell specific promotor

transgene = channelrhodopsin

antibiotic resistance

Ori

Question 9

what is protein evolution

Answer 9

when a protein is altered for a new use or improvement of its use

Question 10

how does protein evolution occur

Answer 10

• degenerative PCR is used meaning it can not correct any errors
• copies made by PCR contain mutations
• each copy is cloned into plasmid
• then transformed into bacteria
• then use the sequence of the variants you want, to work out the change in base pairs that resulted in change in colour

Question 11

what is permanent treatment using biotechnology

Answer 11

use the patient as the host for protein production

Question 12

what is the benefit to using the patient as the host for protein production

Answer 12

one off treatment

Question 13

what is gene therapy

Answer 13

plasmids carried into patients using viral vectors

Question 14

what is special about the plasmid used in gene therapy

Answer 14

mammalian promotor used
- CDNA containing encoding signal sequence as proteases will be able to cleave the C chain

Question 15

what does invivo mean

Answer 15

when the plasmid is put straight into the body

Question 16

what does exvivo mean

Answer 16

when cells are extracted from the body, plasmid inserted then cells put back in the body