Recombinant Dna Technology Flashcards, test questions and answers

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What is Recombinant Dna Technology?

Recombinant DNA technology, also known as genetic engineering, is a powerful tool that has revolutionized the field of biotechnology. It is the process of combining DNA molecules from two different sources and inserting it into a single organism’s genome. It has been used to produce new varieties of plants and animals with desired characteristics, develop vaccines for illnesses such as hepatitis B and C, create transgenic organisms to study gene function, develop treatments for genetic disorders like cystic fibrosis and even create synthetic proteins for use in medical research. The applications of this technology are vast and continue to be developed.Recombinant DNA technology works by isolating a gene or genes from one organismsuch as bacteria or virusesand inserting them into another organism’s genome. This can be done through a variety of techniques including cloning, restriction enzymes and polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Once inserted into an organism’s genome, the gene(s) can express its traits or functions within that organism. For example, if a plant gene was inserted into an animal’s genomea process called transgenesisthe resulting animal would have certain characteristics of the plant in its own phenotype (physical appearance). The benefits provided by recombinant DNA technology are numerous. For example, it can be used to create drought-resistant crops which require less water than traditional varieties; create new materials with improved properties; modify existing organisms such as bacteria or viruses to treat diseases; produce synthetic proteins for use in medical research; generate novel vaccines against illnesses like HIV/AIDS; increase food production on limited land resources; improve nutrition content in foods; reduce reliance on fossil fuels through biofuels production; clean up toxic waste sites using genetically modified microorganisms that can degrade pollutants quickly; produce tailor-made drugs or therapeutic agents targeting specific diseases more effectively than existing medicines available today. Additionally, this technology could potentially enable us to modify our own physical characteristics such as height or eye color through careful manipulation of our genomes during conceptionalthough this remains largely unexplored territory due to ethical considerations surrounding it.