Biotechnology Study Guide
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What is a restriction enzyme?
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Restriction enzymes cut DNA molecules at specific nucleotide sequences.
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How does the restriction enzyme work?
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They act as \"molecular scissors\" and they cut DNA. they restrict, or decrease, the effect of the virus on the bacterial cell.
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Where do restriction enzymes come from?
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various types of bacteria
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What is gel electrophoresis?
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Gel electrophoresis is used to separate DNA fragments by size.
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What is a restriction map?
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Pattern of DNA bands on a gel
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What does a restriction map show?
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the length of DNA fragments between restriction sites
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What is PCR and how does it work?
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Polymerase Chain Reaction. PCR makes copies of DNA segments. It uses polymerases to copy DNA segments.
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What are the steps of PCR?
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1. Separating (DNA is separated into single strands) 2. Binding (2 Primers bind the DNA) 3. Copying (new strands of DNA are built)
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What does PCR produce?
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new strands of DNA each PCR cycle doubles the number of DNA molecules
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What is a primer?
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short segments of DNA that initiate replication by DNA polymerase
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What is a DNA fingerprint?
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a representation of parts of an individual's DNA that can be used to identify a person at the molecular level. Shows differences in the number of repeats of certain DNA sequences.
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How is a DNA fingerprint made?
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It is a type of restriction map. A sample of DNA is cut with a restriction enzyme and then run through a gel and then the pattern of bands on the gel is analyzed.
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What are the uses of a DNA fingerprint?
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Identifying people
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What is a clone?
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a genetically identical copy of a gene or of an organism
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What are some examples of nature's clones?
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1. plants cloning themselves from roots 2. bacteria producing identical copies of themselves through binary fission 3. human identical twins
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What is recombinant DNA?
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DNA that contains genes from more than one organism
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What is genetic engineering?
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when an organism's DNA is changed to give it new traits
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What is the purpose of genetic engineering?
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to produce organisms with new traits
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Why do scientists use Bacteria in genetic engineering?
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because they have tiny rings of DNA called plasmids
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What is a plasmid?
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closed loops of DNA that are separate from the bacterial chromosome and that replicate of their own within the cell
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Plants that contain recombinant DNA are referred to as what?
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genetically modified
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What is Proteomics?
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the study and comparison of proteins
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What is DNA Microarrays?
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tools that allow scientists to study many genes and their expression at once
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What is Bioinformatics?
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the use of computer databases to organize and analyze biological data
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What is Genetic screening?
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the process of testing DNA to determine a person's risk of having or passing on a genetic disorder
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What does Genetic screening include?
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involves the testing of DNA
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What is Gene Therapy?
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replaces defective, faulty, or missing genes, or adds new genes, to treat a disease
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What are some problems with Gene Therapy?
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the correct gene has to be added to the correct cells, the gene's expression has to be regulated, may have a bad effect on other genes
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Why is genetic engineering possible?
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the genetic code is shared by all organisms
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What is a Gene Knockout?
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when the function of a gene has been disrupted or turned off to study gene function
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What is Genomics?
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the study of genomes
