Unit 6 Biotechnology Test

Question 1

What organisms make restriction enzymes?

Answer 1

Bacteria.

Question 2

What purpose do restriction enzymes serve in original organisms?

Answer 2

They cut DNA at specific places to be able to remove and/or replace them with others.

Question 3

What enzyme is needed to seal together pieces of DNA after they have been cut by restriction enzymes?

Answer 3

Taq polymerase.

Question 4

What is recombinant DNA?

Answer 4

DNA produced by combining DNA from different sources.

Question 5

What is a plasmid?

Answer 5

Small circular piece of DNA.

Question 6

What is a Genetic Marker?

Answer 6

Gene that makes it possible to distinguish bacteria that carry a plasmid with foreign DNA from those that don’t.

Question 7

What is Transgenic?

Answer 7

Term used to refer to an organism that contains genes from other organisms.

Question 8

What is the purpose of the first and second stop of a micropipette?

Answer 8

First Stop: Used to fill the micropipette tip.

Second Stop: Use to dispense the contents of the tip.

Question 9

What does PCR do? Why is this a useful technique?

Answer 9

PCR is a way to make an exact copy of a DNA/gene. This can be helpful to allow scientists to study specific DNA/genes, such ones in viruses and diseases.

Question 10

What is the goal of a transformation experiment?

Answer 10

To understand and perform the process of bacterial transformation.

Question 11

Where does the DNA travel during Gel Electrophoresis?

Answer 11

From the - to the +, since the DNA is negatively charged.

Question 12

What are the 4 important genes located on the plasmid pGLO and their functions?

Answer 12

ori = (origin of replication) tells the DNA polymerase where to start replicating
bla = beta-lactamase (ampicillin resistance gene)
araC = turns on GFP transcription if arabinose is present
GFP = Green Fluorescent Protein (from bioluminescent jellyfish)

Question 13

What is the point of arabinose?

Answer 13

They turn on GFP transcription in the araC by reshaping it to help fit the RNA Polymerase and removing the repressor created by the araC to allow the RNA Polymerase through.

Question 14

Describe the process of Transformation.

Answer 14

Transformation is the process in which genetic info of bacteria is altered by adding a plasmid with DNA from a different source with the process of making the membrane more permeable with heat shock and calcium chloride to insert the plasmid into the bacteria.

Question 15

What does CaCI2 do to bacterial cells?

Answer 15

It makes the bacteria membrane more permeable to allow us to insert the plasmid.

Question 16

What things happen to bacterial cells when you heat shock them? Why were cells immediately put on ice after heat shock?

Answer 16

It makes the membrane more permeable and opens the gaps to let the plasmid in. The cells are then placed on ice to seal in the plasmids.

Question 17

How do we select for cells that have been transformed?

Answer 17

We use ampicillin as it’s an antibody that can kill bacteria, although the cells transformed won’t die as they possess bla, the ampicillin-resistant gene.

Question 18

List two reasons we use standard DNA in Gel Electrophoresis.

Answer 18

We use the DNA standard to roughly know the length of each band and it also allows us to check if our equipment is working as we know where the standard bands would be on the gel.

Question 19

How does cloning work?

Answer 19

A somatic cell is extracted from a cell from the animal/sheep we’re trying to clone. Then the egg cell is removed from another animal of the same type/another sheep and remove the nucleus from said egg cell. Extract the nucleus from the somatic cell and transfer it to the egg cell and then simulate the egg cell to begin cell division (mitosis). Then place the egg cells in a surrogate animal to allow it to grow and eventually be born into a copy of the somatic cell extracted animal.

Question 20

What is the purpose of LB agar?

Answer 20

To help the bacteria grow after the heat shock.

Question 21

What part of the Arabinose operon is the operator?

Answer 21

The araC.

Question 22

When an arabinose is used to remove the repressor, it’s call a ___

Answer 22

inducer.

Question 23

What is the Promoter?

Answer 23

where the RNA Polymerase binds

Question 24

In a DNA fingerprint, the DNA samples are made up of ___

Answer 24

non-coding segments found between genes called RFLP’s.

Question 25

What are Short Tandem Repeats (STRs)?

Answer 25

Short Tandem Repeats: Within our introns, there are lengths of DNA that are repeated in tandem. Each person has a different number of repeats.

Question 26

What is Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism (RFLP)?

Answer 26

Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism: Restriction enzymes are used to cut DNA into fragments containing genes and repeats. The different STRs will lead to fragments of different lengths for each person. (used to distinguish individuals, populations, or species or to pinpoint the locations of genes within a sequence.)