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General Biology: DNA Tools and Biotechnology

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Termini in questo insieme (29)

  • What is recombinant DNA?
    DNA molecules formed when segments of DNA from two different sources, often different species, are combined in vitro.
  • What is gene cloning?
    The production of multiple identical copies of a single gene, often by inserting a foreign gene into a bacterial plasmid and replicating it in bacteria.
  • What are restriction enzymes?
    Restriction endonucleases that cut DNA molecules at specific nucleotide sequences called restriction sites, often producing sticky ends.
  • What is gel electrophoresis used for?
    Separating DNA or protein molecules based on size and charge by moving them through a polymer gel in an electric field.
  • What is PCR (Polymerase Chain Reaction)?
    A technique to amplify specific DNA segments in vitro using cycles of heating, cooling, and replication with primers and heat-stable DNA polymerase.
  • Why is Taq polymerase important in PCR?
    It is a heat-stable DNA polymerase from Thermus aquaticus that withstands high temperatures during PCR denaturation steps.
  • What is a cloning vector?
    A DNA molecule, such as a bacterial plasmid, that can carry foreign DNA into a cell and replicate there.
  • What is an expression vector?
    A cloning vector containing a highly active bacterial promoter to enable expression of a foreign gene in bacterial host cells.
  • Why are cDNA clones used to express eukaryotic genes in bacteria?
    Because cDNA contains only exons and lacks introns, allowing proper expression in bacteria which lack RNA splicing machinery.
  • What is DNA microarray assay?
    A technique using a grid of DNA fragments fixed on a slide to detect and compare gene expression by hybridization with fluorescently labeled cDNA.
  • What is RNA interference (RNAi)?
    A method using synthetic double-stranded RNA to silence gene expression by triggering degradation of the gene's mRNA or blocking its translation.
  • What are SNPs (Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms)?
    Single base-pair variations in the genome found in at least 1% of the population, used as genetic markers in disease studies.
  • What is organismal cloning?
    Cloning of a whole multicellular organism from a single cell, distinct from gene or cell cloning.
  • What is nuclear transplantation?
    Replacing the nucleus of an unfertilized egg with the nucleus from a differentiated cell to test if it can direct development.
  • What are stem cells?
    Unspecialized cells that can reproduce indefinitely and differentiate into specialized cell types.
  • What is the difference between embryonic stem cells and adult stem cells?
    Embryonic stem cells are pluripotent and can become many cell types; adult stem cells are multipotent and give rise to fewer cell types.
  • What are induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells?
    Fully differentiated cells reprogrammed to act like embryonic stem cells by introducing master regulatory genes.
  • What is gene therapy?
    Introducing normal alleles into somatic cells of patients to treat genetic disorders caused by single defective genes.
  • What is a transgenic animal?
    An animal genetically engineered to carry and express a gene from another species.
  • What are short tandem repeats (STRs)?
    Regions in the genome with repeated short DNA sequences that vary in length among individuals, used in forensic DNA profiling.
  • How does PCR assist forensic DNA analysis?
    PCR amplifies STR regions from minute or degraded DNA samples, enabling identification through electrophoresis.
  • What is the Ti plasmid?
    A plasmid from Agrobacterium tumefaciens used as a vector to introduce foreign genes into plant cells.
  • What are genetically modified (GM) organisms?
    Organisms that have acquired one or more genes artificially from another species or variety.
  • What are some ethical concerns about GM crops?
    Potential gene transfer to wild relatives creating 'super weeds' and possible allergic reactions to transgene products.
  • What is personalized medicine?
    Medical treatment tailored to an individual's genetic profile to predict disease risk and optimize therapy.
  • What is the significance of the Human Genome Project?
    It provided the first complete sequence of the human genome, enabling advances in genetics and biotechnology.
  • What is the dideoxy chain termination method?
    A DNA sequencing technique using dideoxyribonucleotides to terminate DNA synthesis at specific bases for sequence determination.
  • What is in situ hybridization?
    A technique using labeled probes to detect specific mRNAs within intact tissues or organisms.
  • What is the Central Dogma of molecular biology?
    The flow of genetic information from DNA to RNA to protein.