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Genetic Engineering: History, Techniques, and Applications

Explore the history, techniques, and applications of genetic engineering, including selective breeding, GMOs, and DNA manipulation. Discover how scientists genetically engineer mice and grow human ears on them. Learn about PCR and DNA fingerprinting for forensic analysis.

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Genetic Engineering: History, Techniques, and Applications

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  1. In a way, humans have been genetically engineering foods and animals for thousands of years… Selective Breeding: Crossing two parents who are dominant for desirable traits such as high crop yield, resistance to disease, long life, “sociableness” (in animals like dogs and cats), or high milk production (in cows, etc.). May lead to low genetic variability…

  2. Genetic Engineering: Moving the DNA of one organism to another organism, not necessarily of the same species. crossings.tcd.ie/ gallery/Kac/Eighth_Day/ These mice have been inserted with a jellyfish gene which allows them to fluoresce under special light sources. Normal mice appear black under the same light. National Geographic article about glowing mice

  3. The mouse on the right has been genetically engineered.

  4. GMO= Genetically Modified Organism Any organism that has had their DNA changed with biotechnology is considered a GMO. We eat many GMOs:http://www.truefoodnow.org/shoppersguide/guide_printable.html

  5. Genetic Engineering??? Not really… Mouse and Human Ear Looking more like the handiwork of a mad scientist, this mouse actually served as a host for growing a human ear. Dr. Charles Vacanti of the University of Massachusetts implanted a scaffold, or mold, in the shape of a human ear on the back of the mouse. The scaffold was made of fine strands of a new kind of biodegradable plastic and seeded with living cells. The living cells adhered to the plastic fibers as they grew and took on the shape of the mold. In time the plastic mold dissolved, and the living cells took over and generated new tissue; the new tissue in this case being a three-dimensional, contoured ear. Where does the mouse come in? ... The mouse provided the warmth and nourishment for the growing cells. http://tlc.discovery.com/convergence/superhuman/photo/zoom_03.html

  6. So how is Genetic Engineering done? • First, scientists have to isolate (separate it from other DNA) the gene or genes of interest • This may take years of research • Then, copies of the gene are made to make scientific study easier… • PCR: Polymerase Chain Reaction

  7. PCR can also be used with a very different scenario… • A tiny drop of blood that may belong to a suspect is found at a crime scene. There is not enough of the sample for forensic scientists accurately analyze. What can they do? http://newmiller.com/CrimeScene/images/b10.JPG

  8. What is PCR? -Polymerase Chain Reaction A way of producing large amounts of a gene to be studied

  9. PCR Simulations American Museum of Natural History http://www.amnh.org/learn/pd/genetics/pcr/ Howard Hughes Medical Institute: Bacterial ID Lab http://www.biointeractive.org/vlabs/

  10. It’s always a little more complicated than we make it seem… Remember that eukaryotic genes contain introns that need to be spliced out. Bacteria can’t splice mRNA, so… •Scientists isolate the mature mRNA (introns taken out; exons put back together) and then add an enzyme called reverse transcriptase. •Reverse Transcriptase reads mRNA and makes DNA •This new DNA is called cDNA (“copy”) cDNA is then used for these experiments.

  11. DNA Fingerprinting (a.k.a. Electrophoresis) Collect sample which contains DNA (white blood cells, skin cells, semen, vaginal swabs, hair follicles, etc.) Add restriction enzymes that cut DNA (preferably at RFLPs) Place DNA fragments on a bed of gel that has electrodes at either end. Electrical current draws negatively charged fragments across the gel. (Shorter fragments travel further…) Place nylon membrane on top of gel (sucks up fragments) and add radioactive probes (stick to fragments) Place x-ray film on membrane. Develop. + Charge - Charge

  12. Electrophoresis Sites NOVA: Create a DNA Fingerprint http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/sheppard/analyze.html DNA Fingerprint (Southern Blot) Tutorial http://www.biology.arizona.edu/human_bio/problem_sets/DNA_forensics_1/01t.html DNA Forensics Problem Set 1 http://www.biology.arizona.edu/human_bio/problem_sets/DNA_forensics_1/DNA_forensics.html DNA Forensics Problem Set 2 http://www.biology.arizona.edu/human_bio/problem_sets/DNA_forensics_2/DNA_forensics.html

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