Download Genetics Name: ____ Unit 4: Genetic Engineering Date: :_____

Genetics
Unit 4: Genetic Engineering
Name: __________________________
Date: ___________________Per:_____
Restriction Enzyme Worksheet #1
(From City Lab’s Case of the Missing Crown Jewels. Trustees of Boston University)
Background Info:
A natural enemy of bacteria is a virus. To defend themselves when attacked by a virus, bacteria use chemical
weapons (enzymes in this case) that break up the DNA of the virus. The action of the enzymes on the viral DNA
is shown in the diagram below:
DNA from virus
cut site
cut site
TACCGGGAATTCATCCGGTGAATTCTAGCGTAC
ATGGCCCTTAAGTAGGCCACTTAAGATCGCATG
TACCGGG
ATGGCCCTTAA
AATTCATCCGGTG
GTAGGCCACTTAA
AATTCTAGCGTAC
GATCGCATG
Use the diagram above to answer the following questions:
1. The macromolecule that cuts the DNA is called a __________________________________.
2. These enzymes cut the DNA, which creates different sized _______________________.
3. The restriction enzyme used above is called EcoRI. EcoRI cuts DNA everywhere the base pattern is
_______________.
4. Another restriction enzyme is called HaeIII. It cuts DNA at the following base sequence:
CCGG
GGCC
a. Show the DNA fragments that would result if HaeIII was used to cut the DNA fragment shown in
the first diagram above. Use your pencil to draw the cut sites in.
5.
Explain why the same restriction enzymes can be used to cut DNA from any organism.
6. The words BOB and MADAM are called palindromes. What are palindromes?
7. Explain how palindromes are used by restriction enzymes to cut double stranded DNA.