In our laboratory we deal with two types of biomolecules – DNA and proteins. Everything that concerns DNA molecules is called genetic engineering. When we want to obtain some protein, we must first get the gene encoding this protein. We construct artificial genes from short DNA sequences called primers, which are synthesized commercially. After that this gene of interest is cloned to such a structure called plasmid. This is a closed circular DNA molecule, which contains some important regulatory sequences (promoter, terminator), without which the expression of our gene is just impossible. When the gene is cloned, then plasmid is transformed into bacterial cell of Escherichia coli. Then growth culture is inoculated with bacterial colony, and is grown appropriate time in incubator with appropriate temperature. Bacterial cells, containing our plasmid, grow and produce the protein of interest. After that cells are collected
(usually by means of centrifugation) and are destructed to release the protein. This medium is called bacterial lysate.
Another branch of our research concerns proteins – substantially protein purification.