Zusammenfassung der Ressource
Pack 15 -
Recombinant
DNA technology
- Producing DNA fragments
- A gene is a section of DNA on a
chromosome coding for one or
more polypeptides and some
forms of RNA
- Recombinant is the
combining of DNA
together from two
different organisms
- Major ways
fragments of DNA
can be produced:
- 1) conversion of mRNA to
cDNA
- 2) Restriction
endonuclease enzymes
cutting from mRNA
- 3) Created in the "gene
machine"
- Process of
GMO:
- 1) Isolation of the gene of
interest
- 2) Insertion of
gene
- 3) Transformation,
transfer gene and vector
into host
- 4) Identification of the host cells
that have taken up the gene
- 5) Growth/cloning of the host
cells
- It is difficult to transfer genes
from eukaryotes into
prokaryotes due to introns
(non-coding DNA)
- This can be overcome by
using reverse
transcriptase:
- This is the formation of
DNA using RNA
template
- Produces cDNA
(no introns) which
is:
- Complimentary DNA
- Made of DNA
complementary to
original mRNA
- Process of making
cDNA:
- mRNA coding for a particular gene
- mRNA acts as template which single
stranded DNA, cDNA formed with
reverse transcriptase
- DNA is isolated by hydrolysis of RNA
with an enzyme
- Double stranded DNA is formed by
incubating with DNA polymerase
and DNA nucleotides
- Using restriction endonucleases
- These are a group of enzymes
which cut the DNA at certain
specific base sequences.
- Recognition sequences
are often 6 bp long and
are palindromic
- When cut, DNA can
form one of two things:
- sticky end - single
stranded over
hang
- Blunt end - no
single stranded
overhang
- Sticky ends are better
than blunt ends because
blunt end is non-specific
and can go in the wrong
way round
- Making a gene in a gene
machine:
- 1) desired nucleotide sequence inputed into computer
- 2) computer designs series of small overlapping DNA sequences
- 3) Small single stranded sequences assembled by adding a nucleotide at a time
- 3) join together to make gene
- 4) Gene replication by PCR
- 5) Genes are sequenced and those with errors are refected
- 6) Correct genes are transferred to host cell
- Preparing a DNA fragment for
insertion into host cell
- Promoter and terminator
required
- Promoter =
- Located in front
of gene
- Specific sequence for
binding of transcription
factors
- Terminator =
- Location where DNA
polymerase disengages
from DNA
- Place a promoter in front
of the gene and a
terminator behind the
gene
- In vivo cloning -
Use of vectors
- In vivo =
performed or
taking placed in a
living organism
- In vitro = in glass
- A vector is something
which carries DNA into
a cell
- How to add DNA fragment
into a Vector:
- 1) cut vector with sticky
ends using restriction
endonucleases
- 2) Cut the insert with
sticky ends with
restriction
endonucleases
- 3) mix together
- 4) single stranded
DNA overhands
complementary base
pairs
- 5) add DNA ligase to
connect
sugar-phosphate
backbone on both
strands
- Advantages:
- Once DNA is in
vector, it is easy to
transform
- only gene
complementary to
sticky ends cloned
- Clone specific genes
- bacteria make
multiple copes of
gene
- Introduction of
DNA into host
cells
- By inserting the DNA into
the host cell, every time it
replicates it will have the
DNA
- Process of insertion
is called
transformation
- Transformation can
only occur when:
- Host bacterial cell is
mixed with calcium ions
to make them more
permeable
- Chill in ice, then
warmed to 42
degrees C
- After transformation, not
all bacteria take up the
DNA because:
- Some plasmids may
not contain the
insert at all
- Sometimes DNA fragments
join together to form
plasmids
- Screening for
genetically modified
cells
- 1) Antibiotic
resistance Marker
Genes
- Cut plasmid
with same
RE used to
produce
gene
fragment
- Add fragment and
DNA ligase to cut
plasmid
- Everywhere the ampicillin
resistance gene goes, the gene of
interest goes too, as they are joined
together
- Recombinant plasmid
- When diluted and plated onto
agar plates containing ampicillin,
the two plates marked will die
- This leaves only the plate with
the recombinant plasmid in, so
these can be grown and used
- 2) Fluorescence
Marker Genes
- Screening for loss
of fluorescence:
- 1) Original plasmid contains
both antibiotic resistance and
fluorescence protein gene
- 2) Gene of interest is inserted into
centre of fluorescence gene
- 3) diluted bacteria spread onto
agar plate containing Ampicillin
- 4) bacteria that do not glow green are selected
- Screening for gain
of fluorescence:
- 1) Original plasmid contains only
antibiotic resistance gene
(Ampicillin)
- 2) the gene of interest together
with the fluorescence gene is
ligated into a plasmid
- 3) Diluted bacteria are spread onto
agar plate containing Ampicillin
- 4) Bacteria that glow green are selected
- 3) Enzyme
Marker Genes
- Screening for loss of enzyme:
- 1) original plasmid contains both
antibiotic resistance (Ampicillin) and LacZ
enzyme gene
- 2) The gene of interest is
inserted into the centre of
LacZ gene
- 3) Diluted bacteria are
spread onto an agar plate
containing Ampcillin and
substrate
- 4) Bacteria that do not
hydrolyse the substrate are
selected
- Screening for gain of enzyme:
- 1) original plasmid contains
only an antibiotic resistance
gene for Ampicillin
- 2) gene of interest is
inserted together with
LacZ
- 3) Diluted bacteria are
spread onto agar plate
containing Ampicillin and
substrate
- 4) Bacteria that hydrolyse the
substrate are selected
- RE = restriction
endonuclease
- In Vitro gene
cloning PCR
- To replicate DNA in vitro
you need:
- DNA fragment
- pair of primers
- Nucleotides
- DNA polymerase
- Thermocycler
- How PCR works:
- 1) Strand separation - DNA heated
to 95 degrees to break H bonds
- 2) Primer binding - cooled 55
degrees to allow primer to
anneal
- 3) Strand synthesis - heat it to 72 degrees
DNA polymerase, two strands of DNA
complementary to original DNA
- Advantages:
- make a lot of DNA
- Fast
- can be used for
forensic analysis
- No need for
culture cells
- Disadvantages:
- Risk of contamination
- Risk of mutation
- Relating recombinant DNA
technology to gene therapy
- Somatic cells =
non-repoductive
- Germ cells =
reproductive cells
- Somatic cell therapy targets tissue
- Germ cell therapy occurs in fertilised eggs
- Cystic Fibrosis
- Caused by
deletion
mutation
- Chlorine ions are kept inside
the cell so osmosis cannot
occur as well, less water will
leave the cell
- Therefore, mucus builds up
so infections cannot be
removed
- Gene therapy can
replace the defective
gene with healthy
gene
- Gene supplementation,
several healthy genes
are placed alongside the
defective gene and the
dominant healthy gene
will be expressed
- Delivering healthy genes to sufferers:
- 1) Use of an adenovirus
- a) Virus rendered harmless by
removal of some genes
- b) Virus grown in an epithelial cell
culture together with plasmids and
healthy gene
- c) Plasmids enter the adenovirus DNA
- d) Virus are extracted
from the cell culture and
inserted into the noses
of patients
- e) The virus injects its DNA
into the epithelial cells of
the lungs
- Effects are short lived,
can cause infections,
patients can develop
immunity to
adenovirus, genes not
always expressed
- Viruses can target
specific cells and can
adept their own methods
of inserting into DNA
- With more treatments, there is a
better immune response, so it is
less likely to be taken up
- Antibodies may attack the virus
- 2) Use of a liposome
- Liposome aerosol may not
be fine enough to pass
through bronchioles
- CFTR gene
- Gene in vector
- Multiple copies
are made of
vector and insert
- Cloned copies of
the vector placed
into liposome
- Liposomes passed
into lungs via an
aerosol
- This makes the
plasmid lipid
soluble
- Very few of the
genes are expressed
- DNA probes
- This is a:
- Short
sequence of
DNA
- Complementary
nucleotide
sequence of gene
of interest
- Radioactive or
fluorescence label
added
- Radioactive probe causes film
to have a dark shadow where
the radioactive label has
been
- Process of locating a
specific allele of a gene:
- Sequence of nucleotides on mutated
gene is determined by DNA sequencing
- Fragment of DNA with complementary
bases to the mutant allele of the gene is
produced
- DNA probe is formed by fluorescently
labelling the DNA fragment
- PCR techniques are used to produce
multiple copes of DNA probe
- Probe is added to single stranded DNA
fragments from the person being screened
- If the donor has a mutated gene, some donor
DNA fragments will be complementary to the
probe, so the probe will bind
- These DNA fragments will now be labelled
with the probe and can be distinguished
- If complementary fragments are present,
the DNA probe will be taken up and the
dye will fluoresce.
- The more binding with the probe and
the DNA (so hence more fluorescence)
shows that more of that gene is present
- e.g.
- Where the probe is
complementary to cystic
fibrosis (allele = a)
- Aa
- aa
- AA
- Aa = carrier aa =
disease AA =
healthy
- Screening for tumour
suppressor gene is important
because:
- Mutations of both
alleles will result in
inactive tumour
suppressor
- Screening may identify
hereozygous individuals for
gene, so higher chance
- This allows for
personalised
medicines:
- Medicinal treatments
can be based on
genotype
- Some patients genotype means
drugs may be more/less
effective
- Tailer drug selection and
dosage to each individual
- Genetic counselling is the process by
which patients at risk of an inherited
disorder are advised of the consequences
and probability of having children
- DNA fingerprinting
- Some parts of non-coding DNA contain
short sequences of repeated DNA
- The technique:
- Extraction - DNA extracted from sample
- Digestion - restriction endonucleases
cut the DNA into fragments
- Separation - Fragments separated with
electrophoresis
- Separation - DNA fragments
transferred from gel to nylon
membrane
- Hybridisation - DNA probes added to
label fragments
- Development - Membrane with radioactive
labelled DNA fragments placed onto film
- Development - Reveals dark bands
where DNA probes attached
- Red blood cells cannot be used for
DNA fingerprinting because they
have no nucleus
- DNA must be washed
with dilute acid after the
fragments are on the
nylon membrane to make
it single stranded
- This is because it must be
single stranded to allow the
probe to bind
- Describing how genetic
fingerprinting works in
an exam:
- 1) DNA is cut
- 2) Using restriction enzyme
- 3) Electrophoresis
- 4) Separates according to size
- 5) DNA made single stranded
- 6) Transfer to nylon membrane
- 7) apply probe
- 8) radioactivity detected on film
- 9) Pattern is unique to every individual