Biotechnology Lecture Notes

These flashcards cover key concepts in biotechnology, including methods, definitions, and applications relevant to the field of biology.

What is biotechnology?

The use of artificial methods to modify the genetic material of organisms to produce novel compounds or perform new functions.

What is polymerase chain reaction (PCR)?

A technique used to rapidly increase the number of copies of specific regions of DNA for further analysis.

What is the role of plasmids in molecular cloning?

Plasmids are small circular DNA molecules that replicate independently and are used to insert foreign DNA.

What are recombinant DNA molecules?

Plasmids that contain foreign DNA inserted into them.

What is reproductive cloning?

A method used to create a clone or identical copy of an entire multicellular organism.

What is a genetically modified organism (GMO)?

An organism that has received recombinant DNA.

What is gene therapy?

A genetic engineering technique that involves introducing a non-mutated gene at a random location in the genome to cure a disease.

What is genomic mapping?

The process of finding the location of genes on each chromosome.

What does proteomics study?

The entire set of proteins produced by a cell type.

What is metagenomics?

The study of the collective genomes of multiple species that grow and interact in an environmental niche.

What is pharmacogenomics?

The evaluation of the effectiveness and safety of drugs based on an individual's genomic sequence.

What are biomarkers in cancer detection?

An individual protein indicating the presence of cancer, often found in body fluids for noninvasive testing.

What is a genome-wide association study (GWAS)?

A method that identifies genetic differences between individuals that may be involved in causing diseases.