The process of genetic engineering Flashcards
List the six steps used when inserting a human target gene into a bacterium
Isolation Cutting Ligation Transformation Cloning Expression
What is isolation in relation to the process of genetic engineering involved when inserting a human gene into a bacterium ?
Isolation is the removal of the chromosome (containing the target gene) from the human cell and the plasmid DNA from the bacterium
What is cutting in relation to the process of genetic engineering involved when inserting a human gene into a bacterium ?
(2)
This is the cutting of the plasmid at a single site and the cutting of the human DNA into many sections
Only one of these sections of human DNA will contain the target gene
What is ligation in relation to the process of genetic engineering involved when inserting a human gene into a bacterium ?
Ligation is the joining of two sections of DNA to form a single strand
What happens during the ligation step of genetic engineering?
(2)
The cut plasmids are mixed with the human DNA sections which allows the cut ends to combine
The cut ends of the plasmid should combine by base pairing with the complementary ends of the human DNA that contains the target gene
This also results in the formation of many unsuitable combinations
What unsuitable combinations of genes may form during the ligation step of genetic engineering?
(3)
The plasmids may stick to each other
A plasmid may stick to several human DNA sections in a row
A plasmid may stick to a section of human DNA that does not carry the target gene
Why can ligation also be called DNA splicing?
As splicing involves the joining of overlapping sections together and ligation is the joining of the overlapping cut ends of the DNA sections
During ligation how does the target gene become part of the plasmid DNA?
The use of DNA ligase forms the bonds within the recombinant DNA (between the plasmid and the human DNA)
What is transformation in relation to the process of genetic engineering involved when inserting a human gene into a bacterium ?
It is the uptake of DNA into a cell
During the transformation stage, what occurs?
4
The bacteria are treated in such a way that they can take in plasmids composed of recombinant DNA from a surrounding solution
The vast majority of the bacteria cells fail to take up the plasmids or only take up a plasmid that foes not contain the target gene
These bacteria will be of no use as they do not contain the target gene
The small number of bacteria that have taken up the plasmid containing the target gene are identified
During the transformation stage of genetic engineering, what happens to the vast majority of bacteria cells?
They fail to uptake the plasmids containing the target gene
At the beginning of the transformation stage what is done to the bacteria cells?
They are treated in such a way that they can take in plasmids composed of recombinant DNA from a surrounding solution
What is cloning in relation to the process of genetic engineering involved when inserting a human gene into a bacterium ?
Cloning is the production of identical copies of the bacterium containing the target gene
During the cloning stage of genetic engineering, what takes place
The bacteria containing the target gene are grown or cloned using a nutrient medium
As the bacteria reproduce they produce copies of the plasmid with the target gene
During the cloning stage, what is done to the bacteria containing the target gene?
The bacteria are grown or cloned using a nutrient medium
