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AP Biology Chapter 13

Terms in this set (18)

recombinant DNA
a DNA molecule made in the laboratory that is derived from two or more genetic sources
restriction enzymes
any of a type of enzyme that cleaves double-stranded DNA at specific sites; extensively used in recombinant DNA technology. Also called a restriction endonuclease.
gel electrophoresis
a technique for separating nucleic acids or proteins on the basis of their size and electrical charge, both of which affect their rate of movement through an electric field in a gel made of agarose or another polymer
DNA ligase
enzyme that unites broken DNA strands during replication and recombination
transformation
a mechanism for transfer of genetic information in bacteria in which pure DNA from a bacterium of one genotype is taken in through the cell surface of a bacterium of a different genotype and incorperated into the chromosome of the recipient cell; insertion of recombinant DNA into a host cell
transfection
insertion of recombinant DNA into animal cells
transgenic
containing recombinant DNA incorporated into the genetic material
selectable marker
a gene, such as one encoding resistance to an antibiotic, that can be used to identify (select) cells that contain recombinant DNA from among a large population of untransformed cells
reporter gene
a genetic marker included in recombinant DNA to indicate the presence of the recombinant DNA in a host cell
genomic library
all of the cloned DNA fragments generated by the breakdown of genomic DNA into smaller segments
complementary DNA (cDNA)
DNA formed by reverse transcriptase acting with an RNA template; essential intermediate in the reproduction of retroviruses; used as a tool in recombinant DNA technology; lacks introns
cDNA library
a collection of complementary DNAs derived from mRNAs of a particular tissue at a particular time in the life cycle of an organism
RT-PCR
determination of the quantity of an RNA by first converting to it to DNA by reverse transcriptase, and then amplifying the DNA by the polymerase chain reaction
homologous recombination
Exchange of segments between two DNA molecules based on sequence similarity between the two molecules. The similar sequences align and crossover. Used to create knockout mutants in mice and other organisms.
stem cell
in animals, an undifferentiated cell that is capable of continuous proliferation
RNA interference (RNAi)
a mechanism for reducing mRNA translation whereby a double-stranded RNA, made by the cell or synthetically, is processed into a small, single-stranded RNA, whose binding to a target mRNA results in the latter's breakdown
antisense RNA
a single-stranded RNA molecule complementary to, and thus targeted against, an mRNA of interest to block its translation
expression vectors
a DNA vector, such as a plasmid, that carries a DNA sequence for the expression of an inserted gene into mRNA and protein in a host cell
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