Transcript DNA technology

DNA technology
•
•
•
•
Gene cloning
Gene therapy
Biopharmaceuticals
Forensics
– DNA fingerprinting, PCR
• Genomics
– Human Genome Project
• Frankenfoods
– Genetically modified crops
Recombinant DNA & Plasmids
Combining genes from different sources and/or species
• Circular DNA
from bacteria
= plasmids
• Target DNA
recombined in
plasmid
• Bacteria rapidly
reproduces
many clones
How is this possible?
• Enzymes
– Used to “cut and paste”
– Restriction enzymes
• Cuts DNA into fragments
– remember DNA lab
– DNA ligase
• Pastes fragments from one
source into another
Biopharmaceuticals
• Use recombinant cells to
mass produce proteins
– Bacteria
– Yeast
– Mammalian
• Insulin
– Hormone required to
properly process
sugars and fats
– Treat diabetes
– Now easily produced
by bacteria
• Growth hormone
deficiency
– Faulty pituitary and
regulation
– Had to rely on cadaver
source
– Now easily produced
by bacteria
Not always used for good...
• High doses of HGH can
cause permanent side
effects
– As adults normal growth
has stopped so excessive
GH can thicken bones and
enlarge organs
Forensics
• DNA profiling or DNA
fingerprinting
• Requires only small
samples (saliva,
blood, semen, etc.)
left at a crime scene
• Probability up to 1 in
a billion
• e.g. O.J. Trial, CSI,
Law & Order…
PCR
• Polymerase chain
reaction
– Used to amplify or
make many DNA
copies of a small
sample
Genetically modified organisms
(GMO)
• Use of recombinant
plasmids in agriculture
– plants with genetically
desirable traits
• herbicide or pesticide resistant
corn & soybean
– Decreases chemical
insecticide use
– Increases production
• “Golden rice” with betacarotene
– Required to make vitamin A,
which in deficiency causes
blindness
Other benefits of GMOs
• Disease resistance
– There are many viruses, fungi, bacteria that cause
plant diseases
– “Super-shrimp”
• Cold tolerance
– Antifreeze gene from cold water fish introduced to
tobacco and potato plants
• Drought tolerance & Salinity tolerance
– As populations expand, potential to grow crops in
otherwise inhospitable environments
Where in the world?
Downsides???
• Introduce allergens?
• Pass trans-genes to wild
populations?
– Pollinator transfer
• R&D is costly
– Patents to insure profits
• Patent infringements
• Lawsuits
• potential for capitalism to
overshadow humanitarian
efforts