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Genetic Engineering
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Genetic engineering
can be done by transferring a
desirable
gene
from a
donor
organism into the
genome
of a
recipient
organism.
Genetic engineering
can be carried out on
plants
and
animals.
Usually the recipient organism is a
bacterial cell
because:
Bacterial DNA
is
easily manipulated.
Bacteria can
reproduce
very
rapidly.
The
bacteria
then have the
ability
to
make
whatever the
desirable gene codes
for, like
insulin
for example.
Before genetic engineering,
insulin
was obtained from
pigs
and
cattle.
Due to an
increase
in the number of diabetics, more
insulin
is required than ever before.
The human insulin gene is removed using a
restriction enzyme.
A
bacterial plasmid
is cut open using the same
restriction enzyme.
Restriction enzymes
leave
'sticky ends'
, where one of the two DNA strands is
longer
than the other.
Using the same
restriction enzyme
to cut both the human
DNA
and
bacterial plasmid
results in
complementary sticky ends
that join by
base pairing.
A different
enzyme
is used to join the
insulin
gene and the
bacterial plasmid.
The
bacterial plasmid
containing the
insulin gene
is placed into a
bacterial
cell.
The
bacterial cell
is placed in a
fermenter
to allow
reproduction
under perfect conditions (
warmth
,
moisture
and
oxygen
).
Downstreaming
occurs – this is when
insulin
is
extracted
,
purified
and
packaged.
The
pure insulin
produced can be used to
treat diabetes.
Advantages of genetically engineered insulin:
Not limited by the slaughter of animals.
Large quantities can be made quickly.
No risk of transferring infections.
More effective at treating diabetes as animal insulin is different to human insulin.
No ethical issues concerning the use of animals