RECOMBINANT DNA

Which headlines are true?

1. Insects bred to carry a new gene that may wipe
out malaria.
2. Designer baby cures his brother.
3. Andi, the first genetically modified primate. Will
humans be next?
4. Genetically modified pigs produce a new wonder
“green” poop – no more stinky mess
5. Feed the World opportunity for a genetically
modified salmon.
6. Genetically modified answer to cat problem – no
more allergies.
7. Day-glow potatoes will use a gene from jellyfish
– night farming a reality.
8. Your next birthday cake could be a glowing hit.
9. Spiderman goats – produce silk as strong as
steel in their milk.
10. Almost extinct animal, guar, born to a buffalo.
11. Family spends million to clone their cat.
12. Scientists make healthier pork by genetically
modifying a pig with spinach genes. Meat and
vegetable at the same time.
13. Save time and money – purchase a glowing
Christmas tree.
14. FlavrSavr tomato ripens on vine and is still
fresh at the grocery store.
15. Forget painful shots-eat a banana and receive
your vaccinations.
16. Hate taking antibiotic pills? Cure infections with
your morning omelet.
17. Orange rice might be the answer to the world
food shortage. Could save millions of lives.
18. Forget the wax paper – cover your broccoli
with new cheese plastic, store and microwave
later for a tasty dish.
DID YOU GUESS
CORRECTLY?

They are ALL

TRUE!!
Definitions
 Recombinant DNA - Any DNA
molecule made by combining
DNA from various organism.

 Transgenic organism – any

organism that has incorporated
foreign DNA into its genome.
Plant Applications
 Resist disease  Resist frost
 Have pesticides –  Transportation and
resist insects storage easier
 Contain minerals,  Plants that glow
vitamins – more when water level is
nutritious low
 Increase nitrogen  Foods that contains
fixation vaccines – bananas
 Better taste – and potatoes
prevent from (hepatitis, cholera
rotting before and E.coli)
purchase
Animal Applications
 Greater milk production
 More nutritious milk
 Fish that grow quicker
 Leaner meat
 More vitamins in food
 Chymosin from yeast (rather than
calf stomach – used to make cheese,
ice cream, dairy products)
Medical Applications
 Produce human medications or
supplements in milk of organisms
• Human insulin produced by Ecoli
• Human growth hormone
• Dissolve blood clots
• Human clotting factor
• Vaccines
• Other drugs (chemo, bone marrow)

 Produce proteins in chicken eggs

Industry Applications
 Cotton that doesn’t
twist – doesn’t  Blue cotton –
need ironing doesn’t need dyed
 Biodegradable  Potatoes that don’t
plastic wrap, paper absorb as much oil
products from  Plants that turn
wheat colors when they
 Trees that produce are exposed to by
plastics products of
 Silk in goat’s milk landmines
 Make fuels
Caterpillars that glow in
the dark. The light is
emitted by a bacteria
that they have been
infected with.
Scientists in Taiwan created green pigs.
To create them, DNA from jellyfish was added to pig
embryos
In daylight the researchers say the pigs' eyes and teeth look
green. Their skin has a greenish tinge. Their internal organs
are green too. In the dark, shine a light on them and they
glow bright.
The scientists will use the transgenic pigs to study human
disease. Because the pig's genetic material is green, it is
easy to spot.
So if, for instance, some of its stem cells are injected into
another animal, scientists can track how they develop
without the need for a biopsy or invasive test.
The researchers say they hope the new, green pigs will mate
with ordinary female pigs to create a new generation - much
greater numbers of transgenic pigs for use in research.
 South Korean Experts Claim to Have
Cloned Glowing Dogs
How do they
do all these
things?
You have to use
restriction enzymes!
Restriction Enzymes
 Found in bacteria
 Used to cut DNA into pieces–
“molecular scissors”
 Cut DNA after a certain sequence
 Each enzyme cuts after a different
sequence
 Usually cut palindromic sequences
 Leaves “sticky ends” – single
stranded DNA that is eager to rejoin
its complement
Restriction Enzyme
Steps in making recombinant DNA
1. Determine what you want to make (example rice
that has beta carotene)
2. Find a suitable carrier to get gene into plant –
usually use plasmids (extra piece of DNA found
in bacteria). This carrier is called a vector.
3. Cut each of the DNA molecules with the same
restriction enzyme
4. Mix the DNA molecules together – add ligase to
encourage them to join sticky ends
5. Once the desired gene is in the vector,
introduce the vector into the organism.
6. Cells now have the desired gene
7. When the cells divide each new copy will
have the desired gene
8. Hopefully the gene will be expressed
9. Result: “Orange rice”
 http://www.iptv.org/exploremore/ge/what/re
combinant.cfm
Considerations:
 Is this process safe?
• What if organisms escaped?
• What if the organisms bred with normal
organisms?
• How could these organisms affect humans?
• Possible allergies?
• Cause unknown diseases?