Applications of Recombinant DNA

WHAT IS GENETICS?
Genetics is a field of biology that studies how traits are passed from parents to their offspring. It is the study of how
living things receive common traits from previous generations. These traits are described by the genetic information
carried by a molecule called DNA. The instructions for constructing and operating an organism are contained in the
organism’s DNA

WHAT IS DNA?
Every living organism on earth has DNA in its cells. Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) is a molecule that
contains the biological instructions that make each species unique. DNA, along with the instructions it
contains, is passed from adult organisms to their offspring during reproduction.
WHAT IS GENETIC ENGINEERING?
Genetic engineering is artificially copying a piece of DNA from one organism and joining this copy of
DNA into the DNA of another organism. It is defined as the direct manipulation of an organism’s
genes including heritable and nonheritable recombinant DNA constructs. Genetic engineering
involves the use of molecular techniques to modify the traits of a target organism.
WHAT IS RECOMBINANT DNA TECHNOLOGY?
Recombinant DNA Technology is one technique wherein a gene of interest from one organism is inserted
into the genome of another. This involves gene cloning using a bacterial plasmid as a vector
WHAT IS RECOMBINANT DNA?
The altered DNA is called recombinant DNA.
WHAT IS TRANSGENIC ORGANISM?
These are organisms altered by genetic engineering. The genetic material can be changed by other than
random natural breeding or by gene transfer which is the moving of a gene from one organism to another.

WHAT IS GENETICALLY MODIFIED ORGANISM?

Genetically modified organisms (GMOs) are living organisms whose genetic material has been artificially
manipulated in a laboratory through genetic engineering. This creates combinations of plant, animal, bacteria,
and virus genes that do not occur in nature or through traditional crossbreeding methods.

WHAT IS RECOMBINANT DNA?

The altered DNA is called recombinant DNA.
GENERAL OUTLINE ON THE FORMATION OF RECOMBINANT DNA
1.Isolation of a specific gene from donor
The first step involves breaking open the cells of the donor to release the DNA and isolate the gene of
interest.
 a. Cells are broken open using chemicals and enzymes. Donor DNA is extracted
b. Genetic probe is added. A DNA probe consists of a small fragment of DNA
labelled with an enzyme, a radioactive tag or a fluorescent dye tag. The probe will bind to a
complementary DNA sequence by base pairing
c. Reveal position of the gene of inter

2. Cutting or cleavage of DNA by restriction enzymes (REs)

IT IS PUT THIS WAY!
The donor DNA and plasmid DNA are
cut using enzymes called restriction
enzymes.
Restriction enzymes recognise specific
sequence of bases
It acts as a molecular scissor to cut the
DNA strand within the recognition
sequence.
The donor DNA and plasmid DNA are
cut using the same restriction enzymes.

 Restriction enzymes cut the DNA

from the donor at specific points
 The cut ends have sticky ends
 The same restriction enzymes cut the
DNA from the plasmid also
revealing sticky ends.
 As a result of cutting by the
restriction enzymes the donor DNA
and the plasmid are left with
unpaired bases known as sticky ends.

3.
Ligation is re-joining cut fragments of DNA and
forming artificial recombinant molecules
Joining together of the gene of interest (eg. from
animal) with the vector (cut bacterial plasmid)

4. Transformation- the transfer of the recombinant plasmid into a host cell that would carry
out replication to make huge copies of the recombined plasmid Recombinant DNA
introduced into bacterial cell.
 5. Expression. Plasmid will produce the polypeptide coded for by the donor DNA.

 Bacterial cell reproduces by Binary

Fission
 Bacterial cell produces the polypeptide
coded for by the donor DNA

WHAT ARE THE APPLICATIONS OF RECOMBINANT DNA?

1. Medicine Application
Genetic engineering has been used to mass-produce insulin, human growth hormones, follistim (for treating
infertility), human albumin, monoclonal antibodies, antihemophilic factors vaccines, and many other drugs

2. Industrial Applications
Genetically designed bacteria are put into use for generating industrial chemicals. A variety of organic
chemicals can be synthesized at large scale with the help of genetically engineered microorganisms. Glucose
can be synthesized from sucrose with the help of enzymes obtained from genetically modified organisms.
Bacteria that metabolize petroleum and other toxic materials have been developed.
Scorpion toxin gene has been inserted into autographa California multicapsid nuclear polyhedrosis virus
(AcMNPV) which kills cabbage looper and reduce crop damages.
Development of new strains for additional bioprocesses

3. Agricultural Applications
An important application of recombinant DNA technology is to alter the genotype of
crop plants to make them more productive, nutritious, rich in proteins, disease resistant, and
less fertilizer consuming. Recombinant DNA technology and tissue culture techniques can
produce high yielding cereals, pulses and vegetable crops. Some plants have been genetically programmed to
yield high protein grains that could show resistance to heat, moisture and diseases. Scientists have developed
transgenic potato, tobacco, cotton, corn, strawberry, grapeseeds that are resistant to insect pests and certain
weedicides.

Genes of interest is inserted into plant with Ti plasmid obtained from Agrobacterium
tumefaciens.
Pseudomonas syringae that protects plants from frost damage is used against plant frost
damage because they lack the protein that induce the formation of ice-crystals.
Insertion of Bacillus thuringiensis that produces a protein which is toxic to insects but
not to humans.

4. Energy Production
Recombinant DNA technology has tremendous scope in energy production. Through
this technology Ii is now possible to bioengineer energy crops or biofuels that grow rapidly to
yield huge biomass that used as fuel or can be processed into oils, alcohols, diesels, or other
energy products.
 The waste from these can be converted into methane. Genetic engineers are trying to
transfer gene for cellulase to proper organisms which can be used to convert wastes like
sawdust and cornstalks first to sugar and then to alcohol.

BENEFITS AND RISKS OF GENETICALLY MODIFIED ORGANISMS

Medicine Industry/ Agriculture

NAME : _______________________________ Block: __________________
ACTIVITY 1: “ MAKE YOUR OWN GMO”
Of the different applications of recombinant DNA, think of something that you can create that can
address present problems. Choose organisms who will become the donor and recipient of DNA. Make
sure to follow the steps/ processes involved in Genetic Engineering. Present it in either drawing or
making a 3D model.
Guide Questions:

1. On what organism/s did you get your DNA? What specific trait/s did you get? Why?

2. How this Genetically Modified Organism that you have created will help in
addressing present problems?

3. If you will give a name to your GMO, what is it? Why?

ACTIVITY 2: “EXPRESS YOURSELF” (Separate sheet

of paper)
In 300-500 words, make a reaction paper that will persuade the reader on
your side. Make sure you have an introduction, body and conclusion. (See
attached rubric)

TOPIC: “Scientists be allowed to develop organisms that express a novel trait

not normally found in humans”