Genetic Technologies

• a restriction enzyme is an enzyme that cuts DNA at specific sequences
• a recognition site is the base sequence on DNA that the restriction enzyme binds to
• a restriction fragment is a fragment of DNA that has been cut by the restriction enzyme
• sticky ends are the ends of DNA that cut on a zigzag across the DNA strand and can form hydrogen bonds with complementary sticky ends cut by the same enzyme
• blunt ends are the ends of DNA that cut straight across the DNA strand and is more difficult to recombine with another strand
• gel electrophoresis is a method of separating DNA fragments based on size and charge
• PCR stands for polymerase chain reaction, it allows us to make many copies of a small piece of DNA quickly
• smaller nucleotides in gel electrophoresis move more quickly than larger nucleotides
• in gel electrophoresis, DNA moves from the negative to the positive end due to attraction