2.5.9 Genetic Engineering

At the end of this lesson you should be able to
1. Define Genetic Engineering

2. Outline the process of genetic engineering
involving some or all of the following:
isolation, cutting, transformation, introduction
of base sequence changes and expression
3. Know three applications: one plant, one
animal, one micro-organism
The simple addition, deletion, or
manipulation of a single trait in an organism
to create a desired change.
 Manipulation and
alteration of genes
 Three applications:
one plant, one animal,
one micro-organism
 Process involving
isolation, transformation,
and expression
Is:
Artificially copying a piece of DNA from one
organism and joining this copy of DNA into the
DNA of another organism
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It allows genes from one organism to be inserted
into a cell of a different organism of a different
species.
Examples:
– Human genes can be inserted into a
bacterium
– Human genes can be inserted into cells from
other animals
– Bacterium genes can be inserted into plant
cells
 Genetic engineering means that DNA from
different organisms can be combined
 Bacteria can be engineered to produce human

proteins
 Human genes can be inserted into other

animals
 The altered DNA is called recombinant DNA
 Recombinant DNA is joined to other

unrelated DNA in the organism
 This is called gene splicing.
- tiny segments of a gene are taken out

and replaced by different genes
1. What is Genetic Engineering?
2. What is the purpose of Genetic Reengineering?
3. Give three examples of Genetic Engineering
4. What is the difference between altered and

recombinant DNA?
5. What is meant by gene splicing?

 Organisms altered by genetic engineering.
 Genetic material changed by other than random

natural breeding
 Gene transfer
-moving a gene from one organism to another.
 'Trans-' means 'crossing from one place to
another‘
 The '-genic' bit means genes
 So it means that bits of genes from different

living things have been bolted together and
spliced into another organism to make a new
one which does something which the scientists
want it to do.
 GMO- genetically modified organism
 GEO-genetically enhanced organism
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For example
Plants that resists a particular type of weed killer
Sheep which makes some special substance in its milk.
1. What the word transgenic mean?
2. What is a transgenic organism?
3. Give examples of transgenic organisms

1. Isolation
2. Cutting
3. Ligation and Insertion
4. Transformation
5. Expression
(a) Isolation of a specific gene from donor e.g. human
• Cells broken open
• Genetic probe added
• Reveals position of the gene of interest
Genetic probe
Position of
gene of
interest
Donor DNA
(b) Isolation of plasmid from a bacterial cell
Bacterial cell
Plasmid
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 DNA can be measure by spectrophotometer
 Visualized in UV light
 Electrophoresis
 Restriction enzymes act as molecular scissors and cut
DNA at specific sites called restriction sites
Restriction site
Restriction
site Restriction
ezymes
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Restriction site Restriction site
Donor DNA
Plasmid
Restriction
enzymes
© Biology Support Service 2007 20
Donor DNA
Plasmid Sticky Ends

 A restriction enzyme: enzyme that cuts the DNA at a specific
code.
 There are thousands of restriction enzymes.
 Each cuts DNA at a different sequence.
 Some look for GGCC and cut in between the G and C.
 Every time GGCC is found in the DNA it is cut by the restriction
enzyme
DNA Code:
 TTATGG CCATACG GCCTT

 AATACC GGTATGC CGGAA
http://www.slic2.wsu.edu:82/hurlbert/micro101/pages/Chap10.html#Sticky_ended_cut
Ligation –rejoining cut fragments of DNA and

forming artificial recombinant molecules
Recombinant DNA introduced into
bacterial cell
Bacterial
cell
Bacterial
chromosome
Recombinant DNA
Bacterial cell reproduces by Binary Fisson
Bacterial cell produces the polypeptide
Coded for by the donor DNA

Donor DNA
Plasmid
1. Cut with restriction

enzymes
Donor DNA
Sticky
Ends
2. Ligase bonds
sticky ends Recombinant DNA
together
 Expression is getting the organism with the
recombinant DNA to produce the desired
protein
 When the protein is produced in large amounts

it is isolated and purified
1. What are the stages involved in GE?
2. Outline what happens in the stage isolation ?
3. What enzyme is used to cut the DNA?
4. Can you explain what happens in

transformation?
5. What is meant by gene expression?

 The human gene to clot blood has been
inserted into the DNA of sheep
 Sheep produce human clotting factor needed

for Haemophiliacs in their milk
 Goats produce a protein to treat emphysema

Production of humulin
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Used by diabetics
32
Golden Rice – a
possible solution to
Vitamin A
deficiency.
33
 Pharming
 Gene pharming is a technology that scientists use
to alter an animal's own DNA, or to splice in new
DNA, called a transgene, from another species.
 In pharming, these genetically modified
(transgenic) animals are mostly used to make
human proteins that have medicinal value. The
protein encoded by the transgene is secreted into
the animal's milk, eggs or blood, and then
collected and purified.
 One of the first mammals engineered
successfully for the purpose of pharming was a
sheep named Tracy, born in 1990 and created
by scientists led by British developmental
biologist Ian Wilmut at Roslin Institute in
Scotland. Tracy was created from a zygote
genetically engineered through DNA injection
to produce milk containing large quantities of
the human enzyme alpha-1 antitrypsin, a
substance used to treat cystic fibrosis and
emphysema
 Xenotransplantation is the transplantation of
living cells, tissues or organs from one species
to another.
 However there are ethical issues and issues
with rejection
 There are also issues with virus transmission
from one species to another
 Porcine islet transplants are being investigated
for use in type 1 diabetes due to the shortage of
human islet cells
 It involves modifying
human DNA either to
repair it or to replace a
faulty gene.
 The idea of gene therapy is

to overcome the effects of a
mutation which causes a
genetic disease.
 Cystic fibrosis is the best

known disease where gene
therapy has been tried.
Genetic engineering can produce very
specific and sensitive diagnostic tests for
many diseases, using engineered proteins.
This new technology is also opening up

novel ways of delivering medicines to
specific targets.
 Genetically engineered
microbes can be used to
produce the antigens
needed in a safe and
controllable way.
 The use of genetically
modified yeast cells to
produce a vaccine
against the hepatitis B
virus has been a major
success story.
 Weedkiller resistant crops
- Weeds die but the crops survive
 Vitamin A in Rice
- The gene which produces vitamin A was taken

from daffodils and put into rice to help prevent
blindness
 Bacteria can make human insulin
 This prevented many diabetics from getting an

allergic reaction to animal insulin
 Bacteria make interferon which can fight virus

infections and some cancers
1. Can you outline 3 uses of Genetic Engineering?
2. What is the purpose of Pharming?
3. Outline a use for Gene Therapy
4. What have GE modified yeast cells been used to

produce?
5. What do you feel are the ethical issues associated

with GE?
Can you…………
1. Define Genetic Engineering

2. Understand that GE alters DNA
3. Understand the function of restriction enzymes
4. Be able to explain isolation, cutting , insertion ,
transformation and expression
5. Discuss three applications of GE
6. Discuss the ethical issues of genetic
engineering

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At the end of this lesson you should be able to

1. Define Genetic Engineering

 Bacteria can be engineered to produce human

 Human genes can be inserted into other

 Recombinant DNA is joined to other

 This is called gene splicing.

- tiny segments of a gene are taken out

2. What is the purpose of Genetic Reengineering?

3. Give three examples of Genetic Engineering

4. What is the difference between altered and

5. What is meant by gene splicing?

 Genetic material changed by other than random

 The '-genic' bit means genes

 So it means that bits of genes from different

2. What is a transgenic organism?

3. Give examples of transgenic organisms

3. Ligation and Insertion

• Cells broken open

• Genetic probe added

• Reveals position of the gene of interest

Plasmid Sticky Ends

 TTATGG CCATACG GCCTT

Ligation –rejoining cut fragments of DNA and

Bacterial cell produces the polypeptide

Coded for by the donor DNA

1. Cut with restriction

 When the protein is produced in large amounts

2. Outline what happens in the stage isolation ?

3. What enzyme is used to cut the DNA?

4. Can you explain what happens in

5. What is meant by gene expression?

 Sheep produce human clotting factor needed

 Goats produce a protein to treat emphysema

 The idea of gene therapy is

 Cystic fibrosis is the best

This new technology is also opening up

- The gene which produces vitamin A was taken

 This prevented many diabetics from getting an

 Bacteria make interferon which can fight virus

2. What is the purpose of Pharming?

3. Outline a use for Gene Therapy

4. What have GE modified yeast cells been used to

5. What do you feel are the ethical issues associated

1. Define Genetic Engineering

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