Recombinant DNA Techniques

Question 1

How are restriction enzymes named?

Answer 1

They are named after the species of bacteria that they are derived from. The first letter is from the Genus name and the next two are from the Species name. Any following letters refer to the strains. E.g. EcoRI: E- Esherichia, co- coli

Question 2

Are restriction sites always palindromic?

Answer 2

No

Question 3

Why is ethidium bromide carcinogenic?

Answer 3

Yes, it intercalates DNA, which is how is how it functions in DNA manipulation techniques.

Question 4

When polyacrylamide is used in gel electrophoresis, is the gel run vertically or horizontally?

Answer 4

Vertically

Question 5

How accurate is gel electrophoresis when polyacrylamide is used?

Answer 5

Can identify up to one base pair apart.

Question 6

Is polyacrylamide used for larger or smaller DNA fragments in gel electrophoresis?

Answer 6

Small fragments.

Question 7

What are Northern, Southern and Western blotting used for?

Answer 7

Northern- DNA
Southern- RNA
Western- protein

Question 8

How can you select for the recombinant bacteria?

Answer 8

Through antibiotic resistance genes and disruption of the beta galactosidase gene.

Question 9

True or False? The cDNA library obtained from any cell of the same organism will be the same.

Answer 9

False, cDNA depends on the cell type.

Question 10

What enzyme is often use in PCR?

Answer 10

Taq polymerase (from heat resistant bacteria)