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AP Biology - Chapter 20: Biotechnology Flashcards

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8583265620recombinant DNAA DNA molecule made in vitro with segments from different sources.0
8583265621genetic engineeringThe direct manipulation of genes for practical purposes.1
8583265622biotechnologyThe manipulation of living organisms or their components to produce useful products.2
8583265623plasmidA small ring of DNA that carries accessory genes separate from those of a bacterial chromosome; also found in some eukaryotes, such as yeast.3
8583265624gene cloningThe production of multiple copies of a gene.4
8583265625restriction enzymesA degradative enzyme that recognizes and cuts up DNA (including that of certain phages) that is foreign to a bacterium; an important tool in biotechnology5
8583265626restriction sitesA specific sequence on a DNA strand that is recognized as a cut site by a restriction enzyme.6
8583265627sticky endA single-stranded end of a double-stranded DNA restriction fragment.7
8583265628DNA ligaseA linking enzyme essential for DNA replication; catalyzes the covalent bonding of the 3' end of a new DNA fragment to the 5' end of a growing chain; useful in forming recombinant DNA8
8583265629cloning vectorAn agent used to transfer DNA in genetic engineering. A plasmid that moves recombinant DNA from a test tube back into a cell is an example of a cloning vector, as is a virus that transfers recombinant DNA by infection.9
8583265630complementary DNAA DNA molecule made in vitro using mRNA as a template and the enzyme reverse transcriptase. this DNA molecule therefore corresponds to a gene, but lacks the introns present in the DNA of the genome.10
8583265631nucleic acid probeIn DNA technology, a labeled single-stranded nucleic acid molecule used to tag a specific nucleotide sequence in a nucleic acid sample. Molecules of the probe hydrogen-bond to the complementary sequence wherever it occurs; radioactive or other labeling of the probe allows its location to be detected.11
8583265632nucleic acid hybridizationBase pairing between a gene and a complementary sequence on another nucleic acid molecule.12
8583265633electroporationA technique to introduce recombinant DNA into cells by applying a brief electrical pulse to a solution containing cells. The electricity creates temporary holes in the cells' plasma membranes, through which DNA can enter.13
8583265634polymerase chain reaction (PCR)A technique for amplifying DNA in vitro by incubating with special primers, taq polymerase molecules, and nucleotides.14
8583265635gel electrophoresisThe separation of nucleic acids on the basis of their size and electrical charge, due to their different rate of movement through an electrical field in a gel.15
8583265636restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP)Differences in DNA sequence on homologous chromosomes that result in different patterns of restriction fragment lengths (DNA segments resulting from treatment with restriction enzymes); .16
8583265637Southern BlottingA hybridization technique that enables researchers to determine the presence of certain nucleotide sequences in a sample of DNA.17
8583265638dideoxy chain termination methoda DNA sequencing method in which target DNA is denatured and annealed to an oligonucleotide primer, which is then extended by DNA polymerase using a mixture of deoxynucleotide triphosphates (normal dNTPs) and chain-terminating dideoxynucleotide triphosphates (ddNTPs)18
8583265639reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR)a variant of polymerase chain reaction (PCR), is a technique commonly used in molecular biology to detect mRNA expression; useful for studying gene expression during development19
8583265640northern blottingan adaptation of the Southern blot procedure used to detect specific sequences of RNA by hybridization with complementary DNA.20
8583265641DNA microarray assayA method to detect and measure the expression of thousands of genes at one time. Tiny amounts of a large number of single-stranded DNA fragments representing different genes are fixed to a glass slide. These fragments, ideally representing all the genes of an organism, are tested for hybridization with various samples of cDNA molecules.21
8583265642in vitro mutagenesisThe creation of mutations in genes; used to knock out genes and then determine their function22
8583265643RNA interferenceA technique to silence the expression of selected genes in nonmammalian organisms. The method uses synthetic double-stranded RNA molecules matching the sequence of a particular gene to trigger the breakdown of the gene's messenger RNA or block its translation;useful for determining gene function23
8583265644single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP)One base-pair variation in the genome sequence; useful as markers for diseases in the human population24
8583265645reverse transcriptaseAn enzyme encoded by some certain viruses (retroviruses) that uses RNA as a template for DNA synthesis.25
8583265646CRISPR-cas 9a system used by bacteria to defend against bacteriophage infections; used in genetic engineering to target and disable genes and thereby determine their function26
8583265647totipotenta cell that can give rise to all specialized cell types; in animals that includes the placenta27
8583265648pluripotentembryonic stem cells from the blastocyst that can give rise to all specialized cell types but not the placenta28
8583265649induced pluripotent cellsiPS differentiated cells that are reprogrammed to become pluripotent that can be used to study and treat disease29
8583265650somatic cell nuclear transferused in organismal cloning; nucleus of a somatic cell replaces the nucleus of an enucleated egg30
8583265651epigenetic changesmethylation of DNA and histones and other types of chromatin modification that need to be reversed in reprogramming of a differentiated cell for organismal cloning to be successful31

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