college biology chapter 16

GM organisms

organisms that have acquired one or more genes by artificial means, or natural processes such as mutations and crossing over

restriction enzymes

Enzyme that cuts DNA at a specific sequence of nucleotides

DNA ligase

enzyme that chemically links DNA fragments together

recombinant DNA

DNA produced by combining DNA from different sources

plasmids

extra piece of circular DNA in a bacterium / circular DNA molecules in bacteria that carry only a few genes and can replicate independently of the single "main" chromosome

cloning vector

DNA molecules that can carry foreign DNA into a host cell and replicate there

reverse transcriptase

cDNA is made from mRNA by __________

"sticky ends"

the uneven ends of a double-stranded DNA molecule that has been cut with a restriction enzyme

cDNA

complimentary DNA; piece of DNA made from a mRNA that has already had introns (noncoding regions) removed

DNA clone

A section of DNA that has been inserted into a vector molecule, such as a plasmid or a phage, and then replicated to produce many copies

gene library

collection of bacteria that house different cloned DNA fragments

probe

short DNA sequences assembled from radioactive nucleotides

primer

START tags for building complementary sequences of DNA; short nucleotide sequences that are made in the lab

PCR

(polymerase chain reaction) multiple copies of a specific segment of DNA; used to make millions of copies of cDNA

Automated DNA sequencing

used to determine the unknown sequence of bases in a DNA sample

gel electrophoresis

Procedure used to separate and analyze DNA fragments by placing a mixture of DNA fragments at one end of a porous gel and applying an electrical voltage to the gel

DNA fingerprint

unique array of base sequences in each organism that is slightly different from the DNA in other organisms

tandem repeats

copies of the same short DNA sequences that are highly variable from one person to the next

RFLPs

restriction fragment length polymorphisms; areas in DNA that make us different; DNA from areas with tandem repeats cut with restriction enzymes, variation detected by gel electrophoresis

genomics

study of whole genomes, including genes and their functions

human gene therapy

the transfer of modified genes into a person's body cells to correct a genetic defect

recognition site

specific sequence of bases where a restriction enzyme cuts DNA

genetic engineering

genes are isolated, modified, and inserted into an organism; possible with recombinant technology

transgenic

term used to refer to an organism that contains genes from other organisms

Xenotransplantation

transplantation of an organ from one species into another

genome

all of an organism's genetic material

Pseudogenes

genes that have become inactivated by mutations

PCR steps

denaturing, annealing, extention

Human Genome Project

what trait is on what chromosome

structural genomics

mapping individual conditions

comparative genomics

evolutionary relationships

PCR uses

forensics, mutation detection

goal of PGlo

transform DNA

gel electrophoresis uses

forensics, fingerprinting, paternity