Transgenic Organisms Ms. Cuthrell

3.3.2 Summarize how transgenic organisms are engineered to benefit society.

Genetic Engineering (Biotechnology) is the science of creating transgenic organisms for the benefit of society. Transgenic organisms contain recombinant DNA which is made by connecting fragments of DNA from different sources.

Transgenic Organisms Scientists can essentially make any living organisms offspring a transgenic organism. Common Purposes Agriculture Medicine Industry

Creating a Recombinant Plasmid Restriction enzymes cut DNA of both DNA strands. They are bacterial proteins that have the ability to cut both strands of the DNA molecule at a specific nucleotide sequence.

A Few Restriction Enzymes

2nd Step The foreign DNA is connected to the plasmid DNA by another enzyme called DNA ligase.

3rd Step Only bacterial plasmids that incorporate the foreign DNA survive when placed on a medium with an antibiotic.

Gene Cloning Using plasmid DNA to replicate human genes such as insulin is very popular. Advantage of using bacteria to clone is that they reproduce quickly. Clones: genetically identical copies.

Gene Expression DNA->RNA-> Protein In this case, the DNA used codes for the protein insulin. Insulin is given to diabetic patients.