Clones are genetically identical organisms that have the exact same DNA as the parent. Cuttings are traditional cloning technique used to grow plants.
Cutting is taken from a stem, leaf, or root
Cutting is dipped in rooting powder and then placed in well watered compost
Bag is placed around the plant and pot to provide humid conditions and decrease transpiration while the cutting is developing roots
A modern version of taking cuttings is tissue culture (micropropagation). This is carried out in a lab and often described as in vitro (in glass)
Tips of stems, roots, or shoots (explants) are taken from the plant and trimmed to 0.5-1mm.
Explants are washed in mild bleach to kill any microorganisms and placed in an agar plate with nutrients and plant hormones for cell division and growth to form a callus
Once the explants have grown shoots and roots (plantlets), they’re transferred to green houses and transplanted into compost, and are slowly acclimatised to normal growing conditions
advantages
large numbers of genetically plants can be produced rapidly
Species that are hard to grow from seeds can be propagated easier
Able to grow seasonal foods all year round
large number of plants can be stored easily (cold storage)
Genetic modifications can be introduced to lots of plants quickly
uses
can produce virus free plants, even from cuttings they can get infected
why?
animals with desirable characteristics can be produced quickly and reliably
helps build up populations of rare animals that are near extinction
process (dolly the sheep 🐑)
haploid nucleus of an unfertilised egg is removed to form an enucleated egg cell (egg cell without a nucleus)
diploid nucleus from donor is placed into the enucleated egg cell and fused with an electric pulse
another electric pulse triggers mitosis to form an embryo
the developing embryo is implanted into the uterus of a surrogate, which gives birth once it’s fully grown
disadvantages
low success rate - Dolly was made after 237 attempts
embryos live shorter lives - because the cells are from animals who have already lived a few years
increased birth size → birth difficulties, breathing and circulation problems
defects in organs
reproductive cloning - producing a new organism
therapeutic cloning - producing an embryo and in its early stages cells are removed to produce new organs