Download Recombinant DNA technology article

Name___________________
Date__________Period____
Creating solutions for health and nutrition
Recombinant DNA technology is another major DNA-based tool that has gained popular attention in the past decade. This
technology allows scientists to find individual genes, cut them out, and insert them into the genome of another organism.
Recombinant DNA technology has applications in health and nutrition. In medicine, it is used to create pharmaceutical
products such as human insulin. In agriculture, it is used to impart favorable characteristics to plant to increase their yield
and improve nutritional content.
Recombinant DNA technology requires the use of molecular scissors called restriction enzymes, which cut DNA at
specific sequences. The cut-out gene is then inserted into a circular piece of bacterial DNA called a plasmid. The plasmid
is then re-introduced into a bacterial cell. When the bacteria multiply, the plasmids multiplies as well, creating many copies
of the gene. Since bacteria multiply very quickly, large numbers of the gene can be produced in the laboratory for further
analysis and application.
Producing Human Insulin
Diabetics are unable to produce satisfactory amounts of insulin, which facilitates the processing of sugars from food into
energy that the body can use. In the past, diabetics needed to take insulin purified from pigs and cows to fulfill their insulin
requirement. However, non-human insulin causes allergic reactions in many diabetics. Recombinant DNA technology
provided a way for scientists to produce human insulin in the laboratory.
The gene for human insulin is isolated from human cells and inserted into plasmids. These plasmids are then introduced
into bacterial cells, which manufacture the insulin protein based on the human code. The purified product is identical in
nature to human insulin and does not cause any allergies.
In addition to bacteria, other biotechnologists use yeast in recombinant DNA technology to make human insulin. Yeast
can perform more of the complicated cellular processes that occur in human cells, making it a more useful organism for
producing human substances.
For more information on using the use of DNA technology in producing insulin, please visit DNA Interactive:
Manipulation.
Producing Genetically Modified Foods
A widely debated application of recombinant DNA technology is in the production of genetically modified foods. Genes
can be derived from plants or even other organisms to give plants characteristics that are beneficial to both producers and
consumers of agricultural products:




Delayed fruit ripening for longer shelf life during transportation
Resistance to insects and plant viruses
Enhanced flavor and nutritional content
Edible vaccines to prevent widespread diseases in developing countries
The technology behind genetic modification of foods is similar to the one used to produce human insulin, with an
additional step. After the bacteria multiply the gene of interest, the gene is then introduced into plant cells so that the plant
will manufacture the gene product: whether it is an insecticide, vaccine, or other plant substance.
Because agriculture is conducted on such a large scale, the use of genetically modified plants poses ecological
implications that must be considered carefully. For a review of these issues and for more information about the use of
recombinant DNA technology in agriculture, please visit http://nabc-cals-
ssl.hosting.cornell.edu/pubs/nabc_16/talks/Swaminathan.pdf
Supplemental information
DNA technology (Information available when you click on the link)
Applications of DNA Technology: A Broad Overview
DNA technology is a powerful set of techniques that allows scientists to examine, change, and create new genetic
material. From probing the mechanisms of cellular functions, identifying criminals, to creating new biological products, the
applications of DNA technology are diverse and usually involve the work of people across different disciplines.
Understanding the mechanisms of life. DNA technology reveals essential biological processes and the diseases that
result when these processes are disturbed.
Solving crimes and mysteries. Individuals have unique patterns in their DNA that can be used to identify them using any
biological material they leave behind.
Creating solutions for health and nutrition. Recombinant DNA technology allows scientists to transfer genes from one
organism to another, producing new traits and products.
Conclusion questions
Implications of this kind of technology in the agricultural world.
http://nabc-cals-ssl.hosting.cornell.edu/pubs/nabc_16/talks/Swaminathan.pdf
1.
Create a t-chart listing at least 10 pros and cons about this topic
DNA Interactive: Manipulation
click on the blue words once you finished reading your article. You should see this….
2.
Fill in the chart below with this section…make sure you are clicking on the tabs at the top of the section.
Manipulation
form
Revolution
Problem
Players
Pieces of
the puzzle
Putting it
together
How do you
study a
gene?
Who were the
principal
investigators?
What methods
were used to
study genes?
rDNA: more risk
than reward?
Production
Making use
of
recombinant
DNA.
Who were the
principal
investigators?
Use these
clues to figure
out how
synthetic
insulin was
made.
Synthetic insulin
was made using
recombinant
DNA.
Techniques
Cutting and
pasting
Transferring and
storing
Large-scale
analysis
Sorting and
sequencing
Amplifying
Model
organisms