Genetic engineering

Question 1

What is genetic engineering and what does it involve?

Answer 1

Genetic engineering involves the altering of the genomes of organisms. Genetic engineering has both moral and environmental issues however it is very beneficial for different fields such as agriculture, biotechnology and medicine.

Question 2

What does genetic engineering depend on?

Answer 2

It depends on it’s vector, which transfers foreign genetic material into a different cell ( viruses of plasmids are generally used)

Question 3

What is a plasmid?

Answer 3

A plasmid is a circular double stranded DNA molecule which is found in bacterial cells

Question 4

What are the two enzymes which are found in genetic engineering?

Answer 4

• Restriction enzyme: allows for the cutting in specific areas of DNA molecules in order to isolate specific genes
• Ligase enzymes: it acts as a glue that joins together two single strands of DNA

Question 5

Why is genetic engineering so important?

Answer 5

because it allows for the production of important pharmaceutical products and because it allows for the modification of genetically modified crop plants

Question 6

What is recombinant DNA technology ?

Answer 6

It is a form of DNA that doesn’t exist naturally . It is created by combining DNA sequences that would not normally occur together

Question 7

What does recombinant DNA involve?

Answer 7

1 A desirable gene that codes for the needed protein is isolated and then moved into the cell of another organism
2 The new organisms will follow the instruction of the new inserted gene and make the protein desired
3 If the genes are placed into a bacteria, the bacteria can be cultured to make many new copies

Question 8

How is insulin made through the technique of recombinant technology?

Answer 8

1 DNA , (with the gene that codes for insulin production) is removed from an healthy pancreatic cell
2restriction enzymes cut up the DNA strands isolating the gene that codes for insulin
3 The E.Coli bacteria, found in the human digestive trait, removes the plasmid, which is then cut by restriction enzymes The ends of the plasmids are called restriction enzymes
4 The enzyme ligase joins the pieces of DNA together into the bacterial plasmid to form recombinant DNA
5 The plasmid acts as a vector and is re-inserted in the host cell ( E.Coli)
6 The bacterias are kept in tanks which allow for fast reproduction