WEEK 4: Biotechnology

Question 1

BIGASS IMPORTANT NOTE

Answer 1

The first half of class was a narrated video by Dr. Washington that has its own set of slides - they’re too specific to make flashcards for so just go over that set of slides on your own once or twice.

Question 2

Biotechnology

Answer 2

The use of biological organisms to manufacture a product.
(disciplines include medicine, industrial, agricultural, and marine)

Earliest forms of biotech include Fermentation to make wine, yogurt, etc.

Question 3

Recombinant DNA (rDNA)

Answer 3

DNA that’s been spliced together from different species to make a new form of an organism, or to create genes with new functions

In Slides: “Modified bacteria” “Human insulin” “Rennet”

Question 4

What’s the most used organism in biotechnology?

Answer 4

ESCHERICHIA COLI BABY
E. coli.

Question 5

Restriction Enzymes (Genetic Engineering)

Answer 5

Enzyme used to recognize a specific DNA sequence and cut it to produce DNA fragments.

They cut DNA at a specific sequence. The scissors.

Question 6

Ligases (Genetic Engineering)

Answer 6

DNA Ligases are used to bind DNA fragments together. The glue.

Question 7

Plasmids (Genetic Engineering)

Answer 7

Circular bacterial DNA that can be engineered to produce more recombinant DNA.

Question 8

Cloning

Answer 8

Producing a genetically identical copy of anything, from specific genes to cells, tissues, and even entire organisms.

Question 9

Gene Cloning

Answer 9

Used to produce large quantities of DNA for study
Also done to produce the protein encoded by the DNA (requires specialized vectors)

Question 10

Vectors

Answer 10

A DNA molecule that carries foreign DNA into a host cell, replicates inside a bacterial (or yeast) cell, and produces many copies of itself.

Question 11

Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR)

Answer 11

Molecular biology technique used to amplify specific DNA.

Question 12

Gene mapping

Answer 12

The creation of a genetic map by identifying genes at specific locations on chromosomes.

Question 13

Genetically Modified Organisms

Answer 13

Any organism that has been modified by altering one or more genes using recombinant DNA (rDNA) technology (Crops and Transgenic animals)

Question 14

Whole Organism Cloning

Answer 14

Cloning an animal via nuclear transfer from somatic cells (body cells) into an embryonic cell that’ll be incubated/raised into a living genetic twin of the OG.

Question 15

Transgenic Livestock

Answer 15

Livestock that have been genetically modified with genetic engineering techniques.

Question 16

Transgenic Livestock Applications

Answer 16

AGRICULTURAL
>Reduced pollution, improved nutrient content in milk and meat, increased growth in livestock, improved disease resistance

BIOMEDICAL
>”Gene pharming”
>Xenotransplantation
>Human disease research (usually transgenic rodents)

Question 17

“Pharming”

Answer 17

The production of pharmaceuticals and other valuable substances in transgenic animals.

Ex. BioSteel, a patented type of spider silk made in transgenic goat milk. Crazy shit.

Question 18

Xenotransplantation

Answer 18

Growing organs in animals to transplant to humans.

Question 19

Transgenic pets

Answer 19

Glofish lol, zebra fish with a fluorescent protein gene from sea anemones put in them. Originally engineered to detect pollutants in waterways.

Question 20

Genetic Testing

Answer 20

Genetic tests involve direct examination of DNA molecules from blood or other tissues to find genetic disorders.

Question 21

Gene therapy

Answer 21

Transferring specific genes into mammalian cells with the goal of treating genetic disorders. A technique for correcting defective genes.

Question 22

Pharmacogenomics

Answer 22

Branch of pharmacology that looks at how variation in human genetics leads to variation in response to drugs.