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Vectors and DNA
Vectors and DNA
Genetic engineering can introduce new DNA into a vector, such as a plasmid in for example bacteria, or a virus. The vectors can then transfer this DNA into a new cell.
Although there are billions of different cell types, they can be classed as either eukaryotic (animal and plant cells), and which other major classification?
Plants and animals only pass on genes during reproduction.
Which of the following types of organisms can exchange genes with another organism without reproducing? Pick all the option you think are correct.
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Bacteria and viruses have simple structures compared to plant and animal cells.
Their DNA is not contained within a membrane.
Bacteria have two sets of DNA. They have long strands of DNA, not unlike chromosomes, but what do we call the other DNA feature?
A virus is even simpler!
The DNA strands are just contained within the protein shell of the body.
At the base, there is a small tube, like a syringe. What do you think the virus uses this little tube for?
A) To suck up new DNA from other organisms. B) To take in nutrients from their surroundings. C) To inject their DNA into other organisms.
So viruses can inject their DNA into other organisms.
This is how they infect them, for example with the flu.
Plasmids are passed from one bacterium to another to share genes. Viruses naturally transfer their genes when they infect a cell. We can use that to help us place useful genes from one species into another. What do we call that process?
In biology, methods of transfer are known as vectors of transmission.
Imagine that there is an amazing new video game launched, and you really want to try it out. What are all the different ways in which you could hold of the game?
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So in the video game example, we can think of the internet and the disk (for example the DVD) as the "vectors of transmission".
They are the things that bring the game to you. They are the ways in which the game is physically delivered to you.
In genetic engineering the aim is to deliver useful genes from one organism to another. What two vectors can we use to do this, that naturally transfer genes between cells?
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Genetic engineering summary.
A useful gene is cut from a length of DNA from a host organism's genome.
This could be the insulin gene from human chromosome #7.
This gene is merged with the DNA of either a plasmid or a virus, to form the recombinant DNA. **** What are the plasmid and the virus known as?
What does the vector need to do to complete the process?