Genetic engineering/recombinant DNA technology

This is DNA in which genes from two different sources, often different species are combined in vitro
into the same molecule.
Genes from one organism are introduced into the genome of an unrelated organism.
Reminder:
Gene: the basic unit of inheritance; a length of DNA on a chromosome.
Genome: the complement of genes of an organism (or of a cell).
Genotype: the genetic constitution of an organism; genes acting together with environmental factors produce the
organisms appearance (phenotype).
The genetic engineers tool kit of enzymes
Genetic engineering makes use of purified enzymes that enable DNA and RNA to be manipulated in precisely
known ways.
Enzyme
Natural sources
Application in recombinant DNA technology
Restriction enzymes
Cytoplasm of bacteria combats Cuts/cleaves DNA molecules into shorter
(restriction
viral infection by breaking up
segments/fragments, at specific nucleotide
endonucleases)
viral DNA
sequences
DNA ligase
With nucleic acid in nuclei of
Joins together DNA molecules during
cells of all organisms
replication of DNA
Polymerase
With nucleic acid in nuclei of
Synthesises nucleic acid strands from
cells of all organisms
nucleotides, guided by a template strand of
nucleic acid
Reverse transcriptase
Found in particular types of RNA Synthesises a DNA strand complementary to
viruses called retroviruses
an existing RNA strand