Download Genetic Engineering

Genetic Engineering
DNA technology
Palindromes








mom
wow
race car
straw warts
never odd or even
stella won no wallets
was it a car or a cat I saw
eva can I stab bats in a cave
Palindromic DNA sequences


GAATTC
CTTAAG
The complementary strand reads
the same backwards as the original
strand reads forwards
What does this have to do with
genetic engineering?






Restriction Endonucleases = DNA Scissors
These are enzymes that scientists use in genetic
engineering
The enzyme recognizes a site on the DNA which
is made of 4 to 6 bases.
The enzyme will cut DNA at these recognition
sites.
These recognition sites are palindromes.
Cutting DNA at recognition sites is the first step
in many types of DNA technology

These restriction endonucleases
have been used to:



Create recombinant DNA (The
combination of DNA from two or more
organisms)
DNA fingerprinting
Splice genes from one organism into
another
Making a cloning vector
A bacterial plasmid (circular DNA) is
used as one source of DNA and the
second source can be from any other
organism.
2. The 2 DNAs are cut at the palindromes.
Both molecules become linear DNA
with “sticky ends”
2. The two are mixed and the
complementary sticky ends base pair
with each other – creating a circle.
3. This genetically altered plasmid is put
into a bacteria cell where it reproduces
the protein that the DNA sequences
for.
Example: insulin
1.
DNA Fingerprinting
1.
2.
3.
4.
Restriction endonucleases are used to
cut DNA in several places.
The segments are then separated by a
process called electrophoresis
Once the DNA fragments are separated
each person (except identical twins) has
a unique banding pattern and can be
identified.
This technique is also used to determine
how closely related different species
are.
More Genetic Engineering….





Human Genome Project
Gene Therapy
Genetically engineered vaccines
Genetically modified foods
(GMOs)
Cloning organs or whole
organisms
Ethical Considerations


You decide…
Just because we can does it
mean we should?