Biotechnology and Recombinant DNA

Biotechnology Foods Vaccines Antibiotics Vitamins Biodegradation The use of microorganisms, cells, or cell components to make a product Foods Vaccines Antibiotics Vitamins Biodegradation Selective breeding

What Subjects Are Involved With Biotechnology? Multidisciplinary- involving a number of disciplines that are coordinated for a desired outcome Science Life sciences Physical sciences Social sciences

What Subjects Are Involved With Biotechnology? Mathematics Applied sciences Computer applications Engineering Agriculture

What Are Genetic Engineering Organisms? Genetic engineering- artificially changing the genetic information in the cells of organisms Transgenic- an organism that has been genetically modified GMO- a genetically modified organism GEO- a genetically enhanced organism

Other Uses of Genetic Technology Genetic technologies also used to identify individuals - UA part of Shoah Project to ID Holocaust victims (Wildcat, October 4, 2006) UA project to trace ancestry Diagnosis and epidemiology of disease

Genetically Modified Organisms Herbicide-resistant plants Bt cotton/corn (toxin gene from Bacillus thuringiensis that kills insects) Flavr-Savr tomatoes Golden rice (beta-carotene) Plant-based vaccines

Transgenic Animals “Knock-out” and transgenic mice: used to study immune system and genetic diseases Pigs: blood clotting Factor VIII, organs for transplantation Others: Human IL-2 (cancer), albumin (blood volume), growth hormone, tPA (dissolves clots)

Recombinant DNA Combining DNA from two different organisms

Useful Properties of DNA Restriction endonucleases can cut DNA at specific sites, leaving sticky ends for insertion of new DNA

Gel Electrophoresis Gel Electrophoresis

What is Gel Electrophoresis? Gel electrophoresis separates molecules on the basis of their charge and size. The charged macromolecules migrate across a span of gel because they are placed in an electrical field. The gel acts as a sieve to retard the passage of molecules according to their size and shape.

Crime Scene a wallet was stolen from a locker near the classroom. A small drop of blood was found on the locker, assumed to be left by the guilty party. Someone in the room is suspected of taking the wallet, and that the police gave you a sample of the blood to run a DNA fingerprint on, using gel electrophoresis.

LAB Gel LAB worksheet imagine that their DNA is only 20 base pairs long, and that they all have the restriction site AATT at least once somewhere along their DNA.  In the grid provided on the worksheet, fill in a row of 20 base pairs and include the AATT restriction site as many times as they wish.

Part 2 use a pencil to lightly shade in the AATT restriction site on the template strand wherever it occurs in their DNA sequence.  count the number of times the restriction site occurs in their sequence and write in the number on their worksheet.  The, for each restriction site, have them draw a thick line between the two A’s.  Explain that this indicates where the restriction enzyme will cut the DNA.   cut out their entire DNA sequence from the middle of the worksheet so that it is one long rectangle.  Then, following the lines you drew in for each restriction site, have them cut their DNA into the fragments created by the restriction enzyme.  write their name on the back of each fragment, along with the total number of base pairs it has

Part 3 Simulated Gel Results Discussion Questions

Difficulties in Genetically Engineering Humans Inserting gene in correct cells Inserting gene so it is expressed correctly Orientation Regulation Controlling virus vector Ethical issues

Other Issues How will genetically engineered organisms affect environment? Spread of genes to other organisms? Who will decide?

What Are Bioethics? Ethics- knowing right from wrong, and then doing the right idea Bio- living organisms Bioethics- knowing right from wrong with living organisms, and then doing the right idea