Unit 4 Biology
DNA Technology and Genomics Part II
Guiding Questions
1.
2.
3.
4.
What does the term genetic engineering refer to?
Why is the term recombinant DNA technology used?
What is a vector?
What do we mean by a target cell?
5. What is gene cloning?
6. What does gene cloning allow us to do?
7. What properties must all vectors have?
8. How is a gene cloned into a bacterial plasmid vector?
9. How is a gene cloned into a bacterial virus (bacteriophage)?
10. What is transgenesis?
11. What is a transgensic organism?
12. Why is micropropagation used in association with recombinant DNA technology?
13. Why is it valuable to have techniques that allow animal cells to become transformed
with foreign DNA?
14. Why is the plasmid from Agrobacterium tumefaciens an important tool in transforming
plant cells with recombinant DNA?
15. How does protoplast fusion work?
16. What is a gene gun used for?
17. Do all cells express a gene when a gene gun is used for transformation purposes?
18. How do liposomes deliver recombinant DNA to cells?
19. Why might liposomes by used?
20. Why are viral vectors useful for transforming animal cells? (What happens when they
infect?)
21. What is a possible problem with using viral vectors?
22. What are some common viruses used for viral transformation?
23. How does microinjection work?
24. How can we make an artificial gene?
25. Why might RNA be preferable to DNA as a template for an artificial gene?
26. What does gene therapy involve?
27. Why might gene therapy be used in humans?
28. What are some different techniques for in vivo (in body) gene therapy?
29. Name at least two disorders that are currently undergoing gene therapy trials?
30. Is gene therapy completely safe?