Mod 6: Genetic technologies Flashcards
Does artificial manipulation of DNA have the potential to change populations forever? (55 cards)
1
Q
What is artificial insemination?
A
Introducing male sperm into the female reproductive tract by a method other than sexual intercourse
2
Q
What is artificial pollination?
A
Manually facilitating the natural plant pollination process by transferring pollen from the stamen one flower to the stigma of another flower
3
Q
What are the two methods of artificial pollination?
A
- Mechanical -> Large amounts of pollen released from aeroplanes or blowers. Relatively quick but inaccurate
- Hand pollination -> Small brush is used to trans pollen. More accurate
4
Q
What are the positive outcomes of reproductive technologies?
A
- Producing offspring with desirable traits
- Overcoming geographical barriers between organisms
- Improving rate of reproductive success
5
Q
What are the negative outcomes of reproductive technologies?
A
- Reduced biodiversity -> Less likely to survive sudden environmental chances & more likely to suffer from inbreeding
- ‘Desirable traits’ more common. ‘Undesirable’ bred out
- Inbreeding can increase likelihood of less favourable genes
6
Q
What is Whole organism cloning?
A
Process of making an exact genetic copy of a whole organism
7
Q
What are the types of cloning whole plants?
A
- Cutting
- Grafting
- Tissue culture
8
Q
What steps are involved in cuttings?
A
- Section is removed from parent plant & place in soil/water
- Cutting develops roots, stems & leaves
- Cuttings develop into full-sized version of original plant
9
Q
What steps are involved in grafting?
A
- Cutting from stem of plant is bound to cut stem of another plant with developed roots
- Stem fuses
- Grafting grows as a part of original plant
10
Q
What are the steps involved in tissue culture?
A
- Section of parent plant is pulverised, releasing individual plant cells
- Cells grown on a nutrient & hormone containing medium
- Cells grow to form small sprouts
- Sprouts moved onto another medium to grow further or re-introduced to natural growing environment
11
Q
What are the types of cloning whole animals?
A
- Artificial embryo twinning
- Somatic cell nuclear transfer
12
Q
What are the steps involved in artificial embryo twinning?
A
- Egg is fertilised by sperm, cell formed
- Cell develops, forming clumps of identical, unspecialised cells
- Identical cells split, forming embryos
- Embryos transplanted into new mother (surrogate)
- Surrogate mum give birth to genetically identical offspring
13
Q
What are the steps involved in somatic cell nuclear transfer?
A
- Donor cell taken from the organism to be cloned & unfertilised egg is taken from a female organism
- DNA from egg is removed & replaced with DNA from donor cell
- Egg cell is triggered to divide by an electrical impulses, developing into an embryo
- Embryo translated to surrogate mother
- Surrogate mother gives birth to genetically identical copy of organism
14
Q
What are the applications of whole organism cloning?
A
- Scientific research
- Agricultural
- Wildlife conservation
15
Q
What is gene cloning?
A
Process of making an exact copy of a particular gene
16
Q
What are the methods of gene cloning?
A
PCR and Recombinant DNA
17
Q
What is PCR?
A
A technique used to make a lot of copies of a specific region of DNA
18
Q
What is recombinant DNA?
A
DNA which contains gene from two or more sources
19
Q
What are the applications of gene cloning?
A
- Direct: DNA of the gene
- Indirect: Cloned gene inserted into organism
20
Q
What is Recombinant DNA?
A
DNA which contains genes from 2 or more different sources
21
Q
What are the steps in creating recombinant DNA?
A
- Isolation
- Digestion
- Insertion
- Ligation
22
Q
What happen during ISOLATION of recombinant DNA
A
DNA fragments are extracted from their natural sources
23
Q
What happen during DIGESTION of recombinant DNA
A
DNA fragments are cut using the SAME restriction enzyme
24
Q
What happen during INSERTION of recombinant DNA
A
Sticky ends bind, so that target gene is inserted into scaffold DNA
(Target gene + Open plasmid = Recombinant DNA)
25
What happen during LIGATION of recombinant DNA
DNA ligase seals the backbone to produce a recombinant DNA molecule
26
What is a target gene?
Interested gene due to the protein it produces
27
What is scaffold DNA?
DNA molecule that the target gene is going to be inserted into
28
Define plasmids
Naturally transferred between bacterial species (vector)
29
What is an application of recombinant DNA?
Used to produce human insulin by inserting a human gene for insulin & suitable gene regulatory sequence into an E.coli bacterium. Used for medical use
30
What is bacterial transformation?
Introducing recombinant plasmid into a bacterial cell to amplify target gene
31
What are the steps involved in bacterial transformation?
1. Combine plasmids with bacteria: Add to solution with Ca2+ ions to disrupt cell membrane
2. Heat shock the bacteria: Forces recombinant DNA into cell
3. Allow the bacteria to recover: Bacteria transferred into nutrient-rich broth at optimal temp.
32
How do scientists select transformants?
Use plasmids with a selectable marker (antibiotic resistance gene)
33
What is a transformant?
Has plasmid (antibiotic resistance) and grows on plate
34
What is a non-transformant?
Doesn’t have plasmid (no antibiotic resistance) and doesn’t grow on plate
35
What are the uses of transformants?
1. 'Protein Factory’
Make protein encoded by the target gene.
2. ‘Plasmid Factory’
Recombinant DNA extracted from transformed bacteria.
Copies of target gene used for other things
36
What is genetic engineering?
Modifying the genome of living organisms
37
What are genetically modified organisms (GMOs)?
An organism that had it genome altered by genetic engineering
38
What are transgenic organisms?
GMOs which have been modified to contain gene from another species
39
What are transgenes?
Gene that’s transferred from one species to another
40
What are the techniques for making transgenic organisms
1. Bacterial plasmids
2. Microinjection
3. Biolistics
4. Electroporation
5. Viruses
41
How can viruses make transgenic organisms
Introducing a target gene into viral genome
42
What is microinjection?
DNA from one species is inserted into a cell from another species using a micropipette
43
What is biolistics
Gene gun shoots small metal bullets coated in DNA into nucleus
44
What is electroporation
Cells quickly exposed to a series of short electrical impulses, creating a hole in cell membranes allowing DNA to move into cell
45
What is an example of bacterial plasmids?
Agrobacterium tumefaciens:
- Recombinant plasmid with desired gene has tumour-inducing genes removed
- Plasmid inserted bacterium
- Transformed bacteria culture with plant cells, injecting plasmid into plant cells
- Plasmid enters plant’s genome, forms transgenic adult plants
46
What is the use of transgenic organisms?
1. Increase cop + livestock resistance against pests, disease & environment
2. Increase productivity + quality of crops & livestock
3. Produce therapeutic products
4. Study human diseases & predict certain drugs + treat certain condition
4. Create new products
47
How can biotechnology increase biodiversity?
- Artificial insemination & pollination -> Cross organisms from same species that would otherwise be unable to breed due to geographical barriers
- Recombinant DNA -> Move genes between species
48
How can biotechnology decrease biodiversity?
- Intensive farming practices -> Promote growth of crops & animals with ‘desirable traits’ can reduce biodiversity in a pop.
- GMOs escape into wild & may out-compete non-GMOs
- GMOs interbreed th closely related species to produce hybrids -> May out-compete other organisms
49
What are the social considerations of biotechnology?
Implications of biotechnology on human society & rights that societies protect such as:
Equity in cost & accessibility
Health & safety
Privacy
50
What are the implications of social status & financial status of biotechnology?
- Impact access to biological products & services due to high costs
- Social inequity -> Those who benefit are those who can afford them, not those in need
51
What are the considerations on human health for biotechnology?
- Negatively impacted by applications of biotechnology (e.g, genetically modified foods & gene therapy)
- Risks must be evaluated & well-advertised
52
What are the considerations on privacy for biotechnology?
- Many biotechnology applications require storage of people’s genetic data info in databases
- Without proper legislations, genetic info could be misused
53
What are ethical considerations?
- A sensitive issue of what is morally right & wrong, which people can interpret differently
- Ethical views can be shaped by their philosophical, cultural & religious views
54
What are the considerations of consent for biotechnology?
- Informed consent needed for all medical treatments
- Before proceedings with genetic screening, parents must be informed on potential risk & impact on decision-making process
55
What are the considerations of Animal welfare for biotechnology?
- Reduced dependence on animals
- People perceive other applications violate animals rights by contributing to their pain & suffering for our benefit
