Biology- DNA Technology

genetic engineering

the process of manipulating genes and genomes

biotechnology

the process of manipulating organisms and their components for a purpose of making useful products

recombinant DNA

DNA that has been artificially made using DNA from different sources

gene cloning

scienctist produce significant sampels of specific segement of DNA

restriction enzyme

any of the enzymes that cut nucleic acid at specific restriction sites and produce restriction fragments

restriction fragments

DNA segment resulting from cutting of DNA by a restriction enzyme

sticky end

the single-stranded end of a double-stranded DNA fragment that can form base pairs with another sticky end of a DNA fragment cut by the same enzyme

cloning vector

An agent used to transfer DNA in genetic engineering. A plasmid that moves recombinant DNA from a test tube back into a cell is an example of a cloning vector, as is a virus that transfers recombinant DNA by infection.

PCR

polymerase chain reaction- DNA is copied multiple times to produce many copies of the original molecules helpful when there's only a small DNA sample

Gel Electrophoresis

Separates DNA fragments by size using an electric current

Southern blotting

technique used to determine the presence of specific nucleotide sequences in DNA

human genome project

An international collaborative effort to map and sequence the DNA of the entire human genome.

genomics

the branch of genetics that studies organisms in terms of their genomes (their full DNA sequences)

proteomics

the study of all of an organism's proteins, including its identity, structure, interaction, and abundance

clone

a group of genetically identical cells or organisms derived from a single cell or individual by some kind of asexual reproduction

DNA ligase

enzyme that catalyzes the joining of the 5' and 3' ends of two DNA fragments; essential in DNA replication and used in recombinant DNA technology

RFLPs

differences in homologous DNA sequences that are reflected in different lengths of restriction fragments produced when the DNA is cut up with restriction enzymes

gene therapy

a technique that places a gene into a cell to correct a hereditary disease or to improve the genome

dna fingerprinting

a technique used especially for identification (as for forensic purposes) by extracting and identifying the base-pair pattern in an individual's DNA