Recombinant DNA

• Blunt ends


  The ends produced by a straight cut of a sequence of nucleotide bases
• DNA ligase


  An enzyme capable of combining two small components of single-stranded DNA into one single structure
• Phage


  Or bacteriophage; a virus that infects bacteria
• Plasmid


  A small circular strand of DNA distinct from the main bacterial genome; it is composed of only a few genes and is able to replicate independently within a cell
• Restriction enzyme


  An enzyme that cuts a strand of DNA at a specific sequence of nucleotides called the recognition site
• Staggered cut


  Produced when a restriction enzyme creates fragments of DNA with unpaired nucleotides that overhang at the break in the strands; called sticky ends
• Straight cut


  Produced when a restriction enzyme makes a clean break across the two strands of DNA

  so that the ends terminate in a base pair; called blunt ends
• Sticky ends


  The overhanging ends produced by a staggered cut of a sequence of nucleotide bases; can be called cohesive ends
• Vector


  A bacterial plasmid, viral phage or other such agent used to transfer genetic material from one cell to another
• DNA vaccine


  A vaccine that stimulates an immune response by introducing antigen DNA, which causes the host cells to produce the antigen