Biotechnology: Principle & Processes Test - 1

The first recombinant DNA was constructed by Stanley Cohen and Herbert Boyer in 1972. They cut the piece of DNA from a plasmid carrying antibiotic resistance gene in the bacterium Salmonella typhimurium and linked it to the plasmid of Escherichia coil.

The restriction endonuclease enzyme inspects the length of a DNA sequence. Once it recongnises specific sequence, it binds to the DNA and cuts each of the two strands of the double helix at specific points in their sugar phosphate back bone. Special sequence in the DNA recongnised by restriction endonuclease is called palindromic nucleotide sequence. Restriction endonuclease enzymes are also known as molecular scissors or biological scissors or chemical knives or chemical scalpels.

After cutting the source DNA and the vector DNA with a specific restriction enzyme, the cut out 'gene of interest' from the source DNA and the cut vector with space are mixed and ligase enzyme is added. This results in the formation of rDNA or hybrid DNA or chimeric DNA.

Log phase shows rapid increase in number of cells whereas lag phase shows no significant increase in number of cells.

In 1972, genetic engineering was started by Paul Berg. He was able to introduce a gene of the SV-40 virus into a bacterium with the help of lambda phage. Berg is often considered as "Father of genetic engineering". He was awarded Nobel Prize in 1980.

The restriction endonuclease enzyme inspects the length of a DNA sequence. Once it recognises specific sequence, it binds to the DNA and cuts each of the two strands of the double helix at specific points in their sugar phosphate back bone. Special sequence in the DNA recognised by restriction endonuclease is called palindromic nucleotide sequence. Restriction endonuclease enzymes are also known as molecular scissors or biological scissors or chemical knives or chemical scalpels.

Plasmids are extra-chromosomal, self-replicating, usually circular, double-stranded DNA molecules found naturally in many bacteria and also in some yeasts. Plasmids are usually not essential for normal cell growth and division, they often confer some traits to the host organism e.g., resistance to certain antibiotics. The plasmid that is used as a carrier for transferring a fragment of foreign DNA into a suitable host is called vehicle DNA or cloning vector or gene carrier.

Genetic engineering is the artificail synthesis, isolation modification, cimbination, addition and repaor of the genetic material (DNA) to alter the phenotype of the host organism to suit human needs. It is the manipulation of genes by man in vitro. Restriction endonucleases play major role in gentic engineering as they can cut DNA at specific sites.

Biotechnology deals with techniques of using live micro-organisms, plant or animal cells or their components or enzymes from organisms to produce products and processes (service) useful to human beings. In vitro fertilisation, synthesis of recombinant gene, correcting a defective gene and developing a DNA vaccine are all parts of biotechnology.

• The father of genetic engineering is Paul Berg. He creates the recombinant DNA technology in 1972.
• Kary Mullis invents the polymerase chain reaction in 1993. Arber, Smith and Nathan discovered the restriction endonuclease enzymes in 1978.
• Stanley Cohen and Herbert Boyer constructed artificial recombinant DNA for the first time. They got the idea of linking a gene encoding for antibiotic resistance with a native plasmid of Salmonella typhinurium.