Biotechnology Flashcards
What is recombinant DNA?
Recombinant DNA (rDNA) molecules are DNA molecules formed by laboratory methods of genetic recombination (such as molecular cloning) to bring together genetic material from multiple sources, creating sequences that would not otherwise be found in the genome.
What is organismal cloning?
Organism cloning (also called reproductive cloning) refers to the procedure of creating a new multicellular organism, genetically identical to another. In essence this form of cloning is an asexual method of reproduction, where fertilization or inter-gamete contact does not take place.
What is DNA cloning?
DNA cloning is a molecular biology technique that makes many identical copies of a piece of DNA, such as a gene. In a typical cloning experiment, a target gene is inserted into a circular piece of DNA called a plasmid.
What is vector?
In molecular cloning, a vector is a DNA molecule used as a vehicle to artificially carry foreign genetic material into another cell, where it can be replicated and/or expressed (e.g., plasmid, cosmid, Lambda phages). A vector containing foreign DNA is termed recombinant DNA.
What are restriction enzymes?
A restriction enzyme is a protein that recognizes a specific, short nucleotide sequence and cuts the DNA only at that specific site, which is known as restriction site or target sequence. More than 400 restriction enzymes have been isolated from the bacteria that manufacture them.
What is a plasmid?
A plasmid is a small, extrachromosomal DNA molecule within a cell that is physically separated from chromosomal DNA and can replicate independently. They are most commonly found as small circular, double-stranded DNA molecules in bacteria; however, plasmids are sometimes present in archaea and eukaryotic organisms.
What is a DNA ligase?
DNA ligase is an enzyme which can connect two strands of DNA together by forming a bond between the phosphate group of one strand and the deoxyribose group on another. It is used in cells to join together the Okazaki fragments which are formed on the lagging strand during DNA replication.
What is a stem cell?
Stem cells are the body’s raw materials — cells from which all other cells with specialized functions are generated. Under the right conditions in the body or a laboratory, stem cells divide to form more cells called daughter cells.
What is an embryonic stem cell?
Embryonic stem cells (ESCs) are stem cells derived from the undifferentiated inner mass cells of a human embryo. Embryonic stem cells are pluripotent, meaning they are able to grow (i.e. differentiate) into all derivatives of the three primary germ layers: ectoderm, endoderm and mesoderm.
What is an induced pluripotent stem cell?
iPSC are derived from skin or blood cells that have been reprogrammed back into an embryonic-like pluripotent state that enables the development of an unlimited source of any type of human cell needed for therapeutic purposes.
