Transcript Cloning - My George School

Cloning
Daisy Noe
The Basics...
•CLONING- Producing identical copies of genes, cells,
or organisms
•The products of this process are called “clones,” which
are groups of genetically identical cells derived from a
single parent cell
Why clone?
•When an organism has desirable combination of
characteristics, and more organisms with these traits are
wanted
This is called reproductive cloning
•This process has only been performed on non-human
subjects
•Sometimes cloning is used to produce skin or other
tissues in order to treat someone with an injury
Plant Cloning
•Many plants can be easily cloned from parts of their
roots, stems, or leaves
Two types of plant cloning:
1. Tissue Culture
2. Taking a Cutting
http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/gcsebitesize/science/edexcel_pre_2011/genes/reproductionandcloningrev3.shtml
Plant Cloning Cont.
•Taking a Cutting is far simpler than a Tissue Culture,
and less expensive
http://sdhydroponics.com/resources/articles/gardening/beginner’s-guide-to-cloning-plants
Animal Cloning
•Much more complex, expensive, and controversial
•Sometimes cloning happens naturally in utero, when an
embryo splits, forming identical twins
•Purposeful cloning is difficult, because it is hard to know
which organisms will carry the desirable traits as adults,
and should therefore be cloned.
DOLLY
•The first successful reproductive cloning of an adult
animal produced Dolly the sheep, born in 1996
www.sciencedaily.com/articles/d/dolly_the_sheep.htm
The process
1. Udder cells are taken from sheep to be cloned
2. Unfertilized eggs cells are taken from other sheep
3. The nucleus is removed from egg cells
4. Udder cells are starved of nutrients, put into “dormant
state”
5. Enucleated egg cells are fused with udder cell using
pulse of electricity
6. Fused cells develop into zygotes which become
embryos
7. Embryos implanted into another sheep, surrogate
http://what-when-how.com/aging/rejuvenation-aging/
http://what-when-how.com/aging/rejuvenation-aging/
Therapeutic vs. Reproductive
http://www.nature.com/nrg/journal/v4/n11/box/nrg1205_BX1.html
Therapeutic Controversy
Techniques have been developed that allow the creation
of human embryos from which stem cells can be
obtained.
http://dm5migu4zj3pb.cloudfront.net/manuscripts/23000/23065/medium/JCI0423065.f1.jpg
Arguments
FOR:
1. Embryonic stem cells can be used for therapies that
save lives
2. Cells can be removed from embryos that have
stopped developing, so would have died anyway
3. Cells are removed at a stage when embryos have no
nerve cells, so cannot feel pain
Arguments cont.
AGAINST:
1. Every human embryo is a potential human being, so
should be given the chance to develop
2. More embryos may be produced than are needed, so
some may have to be killed
3. There is a danger of embryonic stem cells developing
into tumor cells
Review
•Two types of cloning
•Cloning can occur naturally
•Dolly was the 1st product of successful cloning
•A lot of controversy surrounding cloning
Human Genome Project
•Human gene consists of 25,000-30,000 genes
•Human Genome Project aims to find the location of all
of them, and the base sequence that makes them up
•International cooperative project, many countries
involved
•If genes are sequenced, makes it easier to see how
genes influence development
•Allow for the production of drugs based on DNA
sequences
Literary Source
Allott, Andrew. Biology for the IB Diploma: Standard and Higher
Level. Oxford: Oxford UP, 2007. Print.