recombinant DNA human bio

recombinant DNA technology

process that produces recombinant DNA by introducing DNA into a cell from a different organism or DNA that has been modified in some way

transgenic organism

an organism that has DNA from another organism in it

what needs to happen for genetic engineering to be possible

• identify + isolate the gene for desired trait

• 'open' the DNA receiving the gene and add the gene in

restriction enzymes

enzymes that cut strands of DNA at a specific sequence of nucleotides known as the recognition site

vectors

a DNA molecule that is used to carry DNA into a cell e.g. plasmids

plasmid

circular, double stranded units of cytoplasmic DNA in bacteria that is able to replicate quickly + independently to chromosomal DNA

straight cut

A cut produced when a restriction enzyme makes a clean break across the two strands of DNA so that the ends terminate in a base pair (blunt ends)

sticky ends

The overhanging end produced by a staggered cut of a sequence of nucleotide bases

staggered cut

A cut produced when a restriction enzyme creates fragments of DNA with unpaired nucleotides that overhang at the break in the strands (sticky ends)

DNA ligase

enzyme that joins seperate pieces of DNA

steps to rDNA technology

1. isolate the gene and cut it out using a restriction enzyme

2. isolate a plasmid from a bacterial cell and cut it with the same restriction enzyme

3. splice the human DNA into the plasmid using DNA ligase to join the sticky ends

4. treat the recombinant DNA so it takes up the plasmid. once this is successful, the bacterium will multiply so that either the human gene or the product of the gene can be used