Recombinant DNA

• Producing Recombinant DNA (Steps 1-3)

  1. Extract bacterial plasmids from their cells - DNA containing target gene is extracted
  2. Plasmids are cut with a restriction enzyme to produce sticky ends
  3. The same restriction enzyme is used to isolate the gene of interest - sticky ends on plasmid and gene of interest are complementary
• Producing Recombinant DNA (Steps 4-5)

  4. Ligation: DNA ligase splices complementary sticky ends of the plasmids and gene of interest - plasmid is now recombinant DNA as it has foreign DNA

  5. The plasmids are placed with bacterial cells which take up the plasmids into the cells (transformation) - these bacteria are now considered transgenic organisms