Biotechnology and Genomics Flashcards

Lab 12

Genetic engineering

Inserting cloned genes into an organism.

Transgenic organism

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

Recombinant DNA (rDNA)

Contains DNA from two or more different organisms.

Vector

Used to carry foreign DNA (may be a plasmid from bacteria).

Restriction enzymes

Molecular scissors that cut DNA at specific sites, creating “sticky ends”.

DNA ligase

Used to join pieces of DNA together.

Polymerase chain reaction (PCR)

Amplifies specific DNA sequences.

DNA polymerase

Makes DNA, often sourced from Thermus aquaticus to tolerate high temperatures.

Primers

Specific DNA segments to be amplified during PCR.

DNA analysis/fingerprinting

Makes use of repeating noncoding DNA segments to identify individuals.

Electrophoresis

Separates DNA samples by size, where longer strands migrate less on the gel.

Biotechnology

The use of natural biological systems to create a product.

Reproductive cloning

The desired end is an individual exactly like the original.

Therapeutic cloning

The desired end is mature cells for learning about cell specialization or treating human illnesses.