C21 Genetics

biotechnology

use/alteration of cells/bio molecules for specific applications

transgenic organism

has DNA from different species

recombinant DNA

comes from more than one type of organism

qualifications to be patentable

new, useful, and non-obvious.

complementary DNA (cDNA) is patentable.

recombinant DNA tech

adds genes from 1 organism to another; 'gene cloning' (make many copies of specific DNA sequence)

ingredients for recombinant DNA

1. restriction enzymes (cut DNA at spec sequences)

2. cloning vectors (DNA pieces to deliver desired DNA)

3. recipient cells (bacteria, cultured single cells)

restriction enzymes

cut DNA at specific sequences; found naturally in bacteria. generate 'sticky ends' that are complementary to each other

cloning vectors

plasmids, bacteriophages, disabled retroviruses, artifical chromosomes from bac/yeast

bioremediation

use of bac/plants to detox environmental pollutants (nickel-contam. soils, mercury-tainted soils, TNT in land mines)

microarrays (gene chips)

devices that detect & display mRNAs in a cell.

mRNA extracted, cDNA made and labeled, then put in microarray.

pattern & color intensities show which genes are expressed. put through scanner to analyze results

gene silencing

block synth or degrade mRNA

genome editing

make double-stranded breaks in DNA helix to enable insertion/removal of a sequence

antisense tech

gene silencer; block expression by introducing RNA complementary to gene's mRNA transcript, which binds to mRNA and prevents its translation

morpholino

gene silencer; 25 DNA bases bonded to each other by NOT sugar-phosphate groups; block splice-site mutations that'd otherwise delete entire exons. used in Duchenne muscular dystrophy

ribozyme

RNA in ribosome w catalytic activity like enzymes. fits shape of certain RNA molecules and can cut it

RNA interference

gene silencer; short double stranded RNA sent into cells and then separate, so one strand binds to complementary mRNA to silence it. then it's cut?

applications of RNAi

vaccines, treat cancer, engineer better tasting decaf coffee lol

3 major genome editing techniques

ZFNs, TALENs, CRISPR-Cas9

Zinc Finger Nuclease (ZFN) tech

use characteristic shaped proteins ('zinc fingers': beta-pleated sheet linked to alpha helix by zinc atom) to bind 3-base DNA sequences that nuclease then cuts

Transcription-Activator-Like Effector Nuclease (TALEN) tech

restriction enzyme from bac cuts DNA on both strands

Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats (CRISPRs)

short sequences of DNA with several repeats from bacteria (provide action similar to immune response). Enable deployment of restriction enzyme Cas9, which recognizes and cuts out DNA sequences from infecting viruses.

All sequences (CRISPR and viral) transcribed into CRISPR RNAs, which guides Cas9 to other sites with viral DNA where it can cut both strands

gene drive

application of genome editing to kill, alter, or render a pathogen infertile.

Zinc Finger Nuclease (ZFN) tech