IMPORTANT TERMS:
· Amplification of Gene: The process of making many copies of a gene.
· Bioreactors: Large vessels employed to obtain biological products in large quantities in commercial scale.
· Biotechnology:The use of living organisms or a substance obtained from them for human welfare.
· Competent Host: The cell which is capable of taking up alien DNA.
· Cosmid:DNA vector constructed by combining certain features of plasmid and ‘Cos’ sites of phage lambda.
· Genetic Engineering: The techniques which alter the chemistry of genetic material (DNA and RNA) to introduce these into host organisms and thus change the phenotype of the host organism.
· Palindromic Nucleotide Sequences: Sequence of base pairs in DNA that reads same forward and backwards.
· Electrophoresis:A technique of separation of charged molecules under the influence of an electric field.
· Elution:The process of separation and extraction of DNA fragments from agarose gel during isolation of DNA.
· Phagemid:A composite structure made of bacteriophage and plasmid.
· Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR): A technique of making multiple copies of a gene or DNA.
· Restriction Enzymes: Enzymes which can cut DNA molecule to specific locations.
· Restriction Modification System: A defence system in bacteria consisting of restriction endonucleases and modification system.
· Selectable Marker: Gene that helps in identifying and eliminating non-transformants by selectively permitting the growth of the transformants.
· Transformant:The bacterium that has modified due to introduction of a piece of foreign DNA.
· Vector DNA:DNA used as carrier for transferring a fragment of foreign DNA into a host cell.
· Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs): Plant, bacteria, fungi and animals whose genes have been altered by manipulation.
· Gene Therapy: Is the treatment of hereditary disorders by replacing a faulty gene by a normal healthy functional gene.
· Transgenic Animals: Animals that have their DNA manipulated to possess and express an extra (foreign) gene.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
· Sir Edward Sharpy- Shafer (1916) discovered insulin while studying the islets of Langerhans in pancreas.
· Eli Lily has started selling Himulin (the commercially produced human insulin) since July 5, 1983.
· Eli Lilyand Ranbaxy launched diabetic drugs like Humapen, Humalog and Protein Kinasec.
· Paul Berg: For the first time transferred gene of SV 40 virus into E.coli. He is called ‘Father of Genetic Engineering’.
· Daniel Nathans, Hamilton Smith and Werner Aber were awarded Noble Prize in 1978 for restriction endonuclease technology and its role in genetic engineering.
· Brazzein is a protein obtained from a West African plant, Pentadiplandra brazzeana, which is approximately 2000 times as sweet as sugar. It is used as low calorie sweetener.
· DNA is bigger than enzyme.
· Eukaryotic cells have restriction endonuclease occasionally.
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