Recombinant DNA Technology and Genomics

A set of flashcards designed to help reinforce key concepts from the lecture on recombinant DNA technology and genomics.

What is recombinant DNA technology?

The joining of DNA molecules, usually from different biological sources.

What organism is commonly used to introduce recombinant plasmids into plant cells?

Agrobacterium tumefaciens.

What does T DNA refer to in the context of plant genetic engineering?

DNA that contains the gene of interest.

Define genomics.

The study of whole genomes or genomes in their entirety.

What are the main areas of inquiry in genomics?

Structural genomics, functional genomics, and comparative genomics.

What is bioinformatics?

Mathematical software applications used to organize, share, and analyze biological data.

What does the Human Genome Project aim to achieve?

To sequence and identify all genes of the human genome.

What is a BAC?

Bacterial artificial chromosome, preferred for cloning vectors.

What key enzyme is used in generating specific DNA fragments for recombinant DNA?

Restriction enzymes.

What is the significance of EcoRI in molecular biology?

It's a restriction enzyme that cuts DNA at specific sequences.

What does cDNA stand for?

Complementary DNA.

How is cDNA synthesized?

Using reverse transcriptase on mRNA.

What are suicide genes used for in cloning?

To kill bacteria that do not have DNA inserts.

What is the primary advantage of using whole-genome shotgun sequencing?

It allows for rapid sequencing and assembling of an entire genome.

What is a major limitation of whole-exome sequencing (WES)?

It fails to identify gene regulatory regions influencing gene expression.

What is the purpose of genome annotation?

To identify structural and functional elements in the genome.

What is a SNP?

Single nucleotide polymorphism; a variation at a single base pair in the genome.

How do bioinformatics applications assist genomics?

By creating DNA-sequence alignments and identifying overlapping sequences.

What are homologous genes?

Evolutionarily related genes derived from a common ancestor.

What is a transgenic organism?

An organism that has had genes from another species inserted into its genome.

What is the purpose of RNA sequencing?

To analyze the expression of genes qualitatively and quantitatively.

Define proteomics.

The study of the complete set of proteins expressed by a genome.

What is the significance of the ELSI program in the Human Genome Project?

To address ethical, legal, and social implications of genetic research.

What is an enhancer in genetics?

A nucleotide sequence that increases transcription of a gene.

What are CNVs?

Copy number variations; segments of DNA that are duplicated or deleted.

What does the term synteny refer to?

The conservation of blocks of gene order in chromosomes across species.

What are the major features discovered by the Human Genome Project?

Less than 2% of the genome codes for proteins and about 20,000 protein-coding genes exist.

What role do artificial chromosomes play in genetic research?

They serve as vectors for cloning large DNA fragments.

What is the significance of using microarrays in genomics?

To analyze gene expression levels across multiple genes simultaneously.

What is metagenomics?

The study of genetic material recovered directly from environmental samples.

Define nutrigenomics.

The study of how genetics and diet interact and influence each other.

What is the focus of comparative genomics?

To compare genomes of different organisms and study genetics and biology.

How does personalized genomics benefit drug therapy?

It leads to customized drugs that fit an individual's genetic makeup.

What technology has primarily improved proteomic analyses?

Mass spectrometry.

What is the purpose of two-dimensional gel electrophoresis?

To separate proteins based on their isoelectric point and molecular weight.

What does the Human Microbiome Project aim to accomplish?

To catalog the microorganisms found in the human body.

What defines a gene as a functional gene in genomics?

It must code for a protein or have a regulatory role.

What does the acronym HGP stand for?

Human Genome Project.

What are the two main types of genetic variations explored in genomics?

Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and structural variations.

Define pharmacogenomics.

The study of how genes affect a person's response to drugs.

What concept explains why there are fewer genes than predicted proteins?

Alternative splicing, which allows the production of multiple proteins from a single gene.

What is a key challenge in sequencing genomes that contain a high amount of repetitive DNA?

It complicates the assembly of genome sequences.