Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering - Term Paper Example

In the field of biotechnology, modern techniques enable the genes to be removed from one organism and inserted into another in order to produce a desired substance, for example, Insulin. Another example is of fire fly. When a gene of fire fly is introduced into tobacco protoplast, the gene produces an enzyme, luciferase. When adult plant is sprayed with substrate luciferin, it glows. Many of human diseases are cured by means of this technology. Biotechnology has produced multiple drugs and vaccines.

Bacteria naturally clean up the environment by killing and engulfing the pollutants, but genetic engineers have produced much more improved types of bacteria that can finish the environmental pollutants, increase soil fertility and function as pesticides in a much more efficient manner as compared to naturally occurring bacteria. Similarly, by using the knowledge of biotechnology, the scientists have altered the genotype and phenotype of plants and animals for the benefit of mankind. Sometimes natural mutation of genes in humans cause malfunctioning in their bodies, the biotechnologists replaces the faulty genes by healthy ones.

The gene therapy in which genes are inserted into the cell outside the body is called Ex Vivo gene therapy and within the body is called In Vivo gene therapy. . The DNA which contains DNA from two different sources is called recombinant DNA. The following bacterial is required for producing recombinant DNA. Isolation of gene from the chromosome The chromosomes are cut on the flanking sites to isolate the genes from them. The enzymes restriction endonucleases are used for this purpose. The genes can also be chemically synthesized in the laboratory or synthesized from messenger RNA by an enzyme named reverse transcriptase.

The obtained DNA is termed as complimentary DNA. (Peacock,2010) Molecular Scissor Endoneucleases (restriction enzymes) cut down the viral DNA and restrict their growth. Hamilton O Smith at Johns Hopkins University was the person who isolated the first restriction Enzyme. The specific sites in DNA show specific sequence of four to six nucleotides arranged symmetrically in the reverse order. These sequences are known as Palindromic sequence. Restriction enzymes cut the DNA at the specific sites.

Out of four hundred isolated enzymes, twenty are frequently used in recombinant technology. ECORI (a restriction enzyme) cuts double stranded DNA at the cleavage site so that a gap is formed to fit the foreign DNA with its complimentary ends into the gap. (Yount, 2008) Vector (the molecular carrier) Vector is a method by which recombinant DNA is inserted into a host cell. In this method, plasmids (natural extra chromosomal circular DNA) are used as vectors. They carry genes. DNA of bacterial virus is also used as vector.

Lambdaphage (vector) attaches to a host bacterium. The recombinant DNA releasing from the virus enters the bacterium and replicates to produce many copies of virus each containing a copy of the gene of choice. Plasmids are cut with enzymes to