Substances used in genetic engineering Flashcards
List the materials that are used in genetic engineering
4
A source of DNA
A cloning vector
Restriction enzymes
DNA ligase
What is the source of DNA used during genetic engineering?
This is the DNA/gene that is taken from one organism to be placed into the DNA of a second organism
What can the source of DNA be referred to as when it has been inserted in the second organisms cell?
It can be referred to as foreign DNA
What is a cloning vector?
A special kind of DNA that can accept foreign DNA and replicate itself and the foreign DNA
What is the most commonly used cloning vector?
A bacterial plasmid
What is a plasmid?
A small loop of DNA found in bacteria (in addition to the larger loop of DNA that acts as a bacterial chromosome)
What are restriction enzymes?
Enzymes that cut DNA at specific places
Where do restriction enzymes cut DNA?
Only at particular sites on DNA,
What are restriction enzymes specific to?
They are specific to a particular sequence of DNA bases and will only recognise that specific sequence, cutting the DNA at those bases only
What happens when DNA from two different organisms is cut using the same restriction enzyme?
The cut ends from both sources will be complementary and if they are mixed together they will form base pairs and combine to produce recombinant DNA.
What restriction enzymes must be used in order to form complementary base pairs which combine to produce recombinant DNA?
The same restriction enzyme must be used
What is DNA ligase?
An enzyme that is used to combine the foreign DNA with the plasmid DNA (it is the glue that holds the recombinant DNA together)
What exactly does DNA ligase do?
It sticks DNA molecules from different sources firmly together
Why is DNA ligase said to be an anabolic enzyme?
As it combines DNA molecules from different sources together
Is DNA ligase an anabolic or catabolic enzyme?
It is anabolic
