DNA Biotechnology

Flashcards for DNA Biotechnology Study Guide

Biotechnology

The use of living systems and organisms to develop or make products.

Gel electrophoresis

A laboratory method used to separate mixtures of DNA, RNA, or proteins according to their size and electrical charge.

In Gel electrophoresis, do small or large fragments travel farther in the gel? Does DNA travel toward the positive or negative end?

Small fragments; positive.

PCR (Polymerase Chain Reaction)

A technique used to amplify a single copy or a few copies of a segment of DNA, generating thousands to millions of copies of a particular DNA sequence.

Taq polymerase

A heat-stable DNA polymerase, frequently used in PCR.

Recombinant DNA technology

Combining DNA molecules from different sources into one molecule.

Plasmid

A small, circular, double-stranded DNA molecule that is distinct from a cell's chromosomal DNA.

Vector

A DNA molecule used as a vehicle to artificially carry foreign genetic material into another cell, where it can be replicated and/or expressed.

CRISPR

Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats.

In which species was the CRISPR system first 'discovered'?

Bacteria.

Spacers; Repeats

Segments of DNA that match viral DNA; repetitive sequences in the CRISPR array.

Somatic vs. germ-line gene editing

Editing genes in somatic cells (non-reproductive) vs. germ-line cells (eggs/sperm).

Who won the 2020 Nobel prize in chemistry for the CRISPR Cas-9 gene editing breakthrough?

Jennifer Doudna and Emmanuelle Charpentier.

Xenotransplantation

The transplantation of living cells, tissues, or organs from one species to another.