Hannah+Jensen

=Part 1- DNA Cloning/Recomninant DNA/Genetic Engineering=

** __G__ **** __ene Cloning with Bacterial Plasmids__ **
__Desribe it:__ Gene cloning is the replication of DNA done in vitro (in a test tube) by adding recombinent DNA. **__Analyze it:__** Plasmids are small circular DNA molecules that replicate seperately from the bacterial chromosome.To clone pieces of DNA researchers first isolate a plasmid from a bacterial cell and insert DNA from another source into it. The result is now a recombinant DNA molecule. The plasmid is then retrurned to a bacterial cell, this produces recombinant bacterium. The cell then goes through cell divisions and clones the cell.All of the DNA including the recombinant plasmid is passd on. Mechanism of Recombination __**Apply it:**__ Gene cloning can be useful to either 1) make many copies of a particular gene or 2) produce a protein product. They can use these two results to do more research to come up wiht a product or genetically mutate another to see if a positive outcome will result. **__Synthesize:__** One thing that this will remind me of is cooking. Sometimes chefs will take a little bit of one thing and add it to another, the same happens here when a little bit of this DNA is added to another from the gene of interest. **__Argument:__** I would argue that this is a positive thing. I can see that this could be used in the future to discover new methods for doing things in a different way.This could maybe even lead to cures for certain diseases that have not been found yet.

Sources: Text book(p. 397-399) and Google for animations and pictures.

Nucleic Acid Hybridization **__Describe it:__** This looks like something being pulled apart and then combined with something else to make something new. __** Analyze it: **__ Nucleic Acid Hybridization includes a complementary molecule, a short, single-stranded nucleic acid that can be either RNA or DNA, this is called a nucleic acid probe. If at least part of the necleotide sequence of the gene of interest is known we can synthesize a probe complementary to it. Each probe molecule, which will hydrogen-bond specifically to a complementary sequence in the desired gene, is labeled with a radioactive isotope or a fluorescent tag so we can track it.

__** Apply It: **__ This can be used to pin point a gene's DNA, using its ability to base-pair with a complementary sequence on another nucleic acid molecule.

__** Synthesize it: **__ This reminds me of the sand sifters we used in the sand box during recess in elementary school. If you had an idea of what you were looking for you could kind of shake your way though all the other rocks/sand and find what you needed. Looking at the picture on page 402 in our textbooks reminds me of this.

__** Arguement: **__ I believe that this is a positive thing. It may take a lot of time to finish this process, but if we are able to directly pin a gene we need that is the main thing. :) [|Nucleic Acid Hybridization Animation]

(Sources: Textbook page 401-402 and Google for animations and link)

=__**Genomic Library**__= __**Describe it:**__ A genomic library is just a way of organizing a set of information (clones of plasmid-containing cells). [|Genomic Library Tutorial] __**Analyze It:**__ These libraries are made of many different copies of plasmid clones. Each contains specific information.

Geonomic libraries can be used in many different ways. Scientists may useit to look at information from the past clones. They can also be used to be compared to other clones with different projects of research. They can even be used at a sequencing center for other clones.
 * __Apply It:__**

To me this kind of reminds me of a blood rack full of samples of blood. It is very well organized and withouth this just like the plasmids, it would not work if it was not unorganized.
 * __Synthesize It:__**

I think that this is a good thing. Becuase it can be used in the future to help with other experiments. Being organized in science is also a good thing.
 * __Arugement:__**

Sources: Textbook pg. 400-401 and google for my animations and picture.

=Polymerase Chain Reaction (PRC)= Describe It: Using polymerase chain reaction is a more quick and selective technique of cloning DNA in cells used when the source of DNA is scanty or impure. Analyze It: This is a three-step cycle that brings about a chain reaction that produces an exponentially growing population of identical DNA molecules. The reaction is heated to separate the DNA strands and then cooled to alllow hydrogen bonding of short, single-stranded DNA primers complementary to sequences on opposite strands at each end of the target sequence. Finally, a heat-stable DNA polymerase extends the primers in the 5'-3' direction.

Apply It: PRC is used a lot in today's society to amplify DNA from a wide variety of sources. It helps in crime scenes to use even the littlest piece of DNA to get a match to either a victim or criminal.

Synthesize It: By combining this with the FBI's list of criminals from past years this can be used to get a match if there is multiple offenses on the on person. It can be used to get a lot more information that we would not be able to know without this process.

Arguement: I think that this is a great thing. It may not be able to sub in for gene cloning but it it a very speedy and specific procedure that can provide us very important information. [|Click on amplification to view :)]

(Sources: Textbook pg. 403-404 and google for my animations and pictures.)

=Part Two: Studying Expression and Function of Gene=

**__Describe It:__**
This looks something like the inside of the copy machine. If you lift up the lid you will see after hitting copy" the scanner will move to the opposite end of the machine, this is what DNA does during the process of gel electroporesis.

Analyze It: This is one of the more complex biotech procedures. The technique uses a gel made of a polymer. The gel actsas a molecular sieve to seperate nucleic acids or proteins on the basis of size, electricical charge, and other physical properties. Becuase nucleic acid molecules carry negative charges on thier phosphate groups, they all travel toward the positive pole in an electric field. As they move, the thicket of the polymer fibers impedes longer molecules more than it does shorter ones, seperating by length. Thus, gel electrophoresis seperates a mixture of linear DNA molecules into bands, each consisting of DNA molecules of the same length. [|Virtual Lab] Apply It: One application that this technique is used for is restriction fragment analysis. DNA fragments produced by restriction enzyme digestion of a DNA molecule are sorted by gel electropoesis. Then the mixture of restriction fragments undergoes electroporesis, it yields a band pattern characteristic of the starting molecule and the restiction enzyme used.

Synthesize It: One thing that this reminds me of is when we were little kids, playing in the sandbox at school. Sometimes we had the sand sifters that we used to sift through the sand. My old ag teacher had this thing that we used for grinding up flour. The bigger the pieces of the grain the farther up it stayed in the sifter (shorter distance travelled.). This is how the DNA travels, the bigger the piece of DNA the farther from the positive end the DNa stayed.

Arguement: I think this is a good thing. It helps show relationships of DNA.

(Sources: Textbook pages 405-406 and Google for animations and pictures).

=Part 3- Cloning Organisms=