Genetic Engineering

What is genetic engineering? and give examples

Artificial alteration and manipulation of genes

e.g human gene inserted into bacteria

e.g bacteria gene inserted into plant

What is the term used to describe an altered DNA?

Recombinant DNA

What is a GMO?

Genetically Modified Organism

What are the 5 steps in genetic

engineering and explain each step

1. Isolation - Removing DNA with target gene from human and bacteria (plasmid)

2. Cutting - DNA is cut using a restriction enzyme, human DNA is mixed with plasmid

3. Ligation - DNA ligase joins the ends of the target gene and the plasmid to make a single strand

4. Transformation - Uptake of the recombinant DNA into the bacteria cell

5. Expression - Bacteria undergoes binary fission, it reproduces the recombinant DNA, the information in a gene is decoded and used to make a protein

Describe some applications of genetic engineering in plants, animals, and micro-organisms

Plants - Herbicide resistant plants

Animals - Growth Hormone

Micro-organism - Insulin producing bacteria