AOHS Biotechnology Unit 3 Lesson 7 Recombinant DNA

DNA contains instructions for making proteins, which enable the growth and maintenance of cells and organisms DNA divided into genes Genes code for proteins Proteins determine traits

Scientists use recombinant DNA technology to make a protein used in medical therapies Example: Insulin that is ineffective or missing in the human body leads to high blood sugar or diabetes. Creates biosynthesized insulin to treat diabetes Protein made by recombinant DNA technology

The process of making a protein with recombinant DNA technology has multiple steps

Recombinant DNA technology uses biological tools and mechanisms • Plasmids—circular DNA from bacteria that can hold a foreign gene • Restriction enzymes—proteins that act as DNA scissors • Ligase—enzymatic protein that acts as DNA glue • Protein expression—a complicated series of steps that make proteins from coded instructions in DNA

A gene and a plasmid are the starting point for recombinant DNA technology

The plasmid and gene are cut with restriction enzymes

The cut pieces of DNA are joined with ligase to make recombinant DNA plasmids

Although ligase joins DNA to make a recombinant plasmid, the pieces line up because of sticky ends shows the places ligase joins DNA; these joins are on the DNA strand backbone.

Recombinant DNA plasmids are inserted into bacteria Do you think it would be easy or difficult to insert the plasmid into the bacteria through the cell walls? Explain your answer.

The bacteria and recombinant DNA plasmids multiply and produce the protein coded by the gene E. coli bacteria is often used for this process. What is an advantage of using E. coli bacteria to produce proteins?

The bacteria are broken open in order to collect and purify the protein

Recombinant DNA technology enables large-scale production of proteins