Recombinant

Recombinant DNA (rDNA) is a form of DNA that has been created artificially. DNA molecules from different sources are combined into one molecule to create a new piece of DNA. The DNA sequences used in the construction of recombinant DNA molecules can originate from any species. For example, plant DNA can be combined with bacterial DNA, or human DNA can be combined with animal DNA.

History

The concept of recombinant DNA was first proposed by Peter Lobban, a graduate student of Dale Kaiser at the Stanford University Medical School. The first successful recombinant DNA experiment was conducted by Herbert Boyer and Stanley Cohen in 1973.

Process

The process of creating recombinant DNA involves several steps. First, the DNA of interest is isolated. This DNA can be from any source, such as a virus, a bacterium, a plant, or an animal. The DNA is then cut into smaller pieces using restriction enzymes. These enzymes recognize specific sequences of DNA and cut the DNA at these sites.

The cut pieces of DNA are then inserted into a vector. A vector is a DNA molecule that can carry foreign DNA into a host cell. The most commonly used vectors are plasmids, which are small, circular pieces of DNA found in bacteria.

The vector with the inserted DNA is then introduced into a host cell. This can be done in several ways, such as by electroporation (using an electric field to increase the permeability of the cell membrane), by chemical transformation (using chemicals to make the cell membrane more permeable), or by biolistic transformation (using high velocity microprojectiles to deliver the DNA into the cell).

Once inside the host cell, the vector can replicate, producing many copies of the inserted DNA. The host cell can also express the inserted DNA, producing the protein that the DNA codes for.

Applications

Recombinant DNA technology has many applications in medicine, agriculture, and industry. In medicine, it is used to produce insulin, human growth hormone, and vaccines. In agriculture, it is used to create genetically modified organisms (GMOs) that are resistant to pests or that have improved nutritional content. In industry, it is used to produce enzymes, such as amylase and lipase, that are used in detergents and in the production of biofuels.

See also

• Genetic engineering
• Molecular cloning
• Polymerase chain reaction

References

Recombinant Resources
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