The process of genetic engineering - Higher
The main steps of Describes a cell or organism that has had its genetic code altered by adding a gene from another organism.:
- Restriction enzymes are used to isolate the required The basic unit of genetic material inherited from our parents. A gene is a section of DNA which controls part of a cell's chemistry - particularly protein production. leaving it with sticky ends. Sticky ends are a short section of unpaired bases
- A The way in which genetic material is transferred from a donor to a recipient e.g. plasmids and artificial chromosomes. , which is usually a bacterial The small circular genetic material present in bacterial cells and used in DNA recombinant technology. or a virus, is cut by the same restriction enzyme leaving it with corresponding sticky ends.
- The vector and the isolated gene are joined together by ligase enzyme.
- The vector inserts the gene into required cells.
- The genes are transferred to animal, plant or microorganism cells, during early development, which allows them to develop with the desired characteristics.
This diagram shows how the genetic engineering of A hormone that regulates the level of sugar in the blood and can be produced by genetically modified bacteria. works:
The process of genetically modifying bacteria to produce human insulin
