GENETIC ENGINEERING
AND APPLICATIONS
Louie Jane T. Eleccion
• Define Genetic Engineering.
• Outline the process of genetic engineering involving:
isolation, cutting, transformation, introduction of
base sequence changes and expression.
• Site applications/uses of Genetic Engineering in
different fields (Agriculture and Medicine).
OBJECTIVES
Important Terms
• Plasmid – is a circular bacterial genome which consists a
single DNA, containing non-essential genes but carry
genetic advantages.
• Restriction Enzyme – molecular scissors that cuts DNA
into fragments.
• Recombinant DNA – the term used to describe the
combination of two DNA strands that are constructed
artificially.
GENETIC ENGINEERING
The direct
manipulation of
an organism's genome
using biotechnology.
Biotechnology
• Is any technological application that makes use of
biological systems, living organisms and its
components to create products and other
technological systems with the aim of advancing the
human condition.
GENETIC ENGINEERING
• It is the process by which it artificially copies a piece of
DNA from one organism and joining this copy of DNA
into the DNA of another organism.
Purpose of Genetic Engineering
It allows genes from one organism to be inserted into a cell
of a different organism of a different species.
Genetic Engineering Processes
OVERVIEW
• Alteration in the segment of a DNA molecule (rDNA).
• 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
TRANSGENIC ORGANISMS
• Organisms altered by genetic engineering through
gene transfer—
the movement or insertion of a gene into an
organism that normally does not have a copy
of that gene.
• The organism receives new gene from the other
organism.
Other Examples of Transgenic
Organisms
• GMO – genetically modified organism
• GEO – genetically engineered organism
For example
– Plants that resists a particular type of weed
killer
– Sheep which makes some special substance in
its milk.
Genetic Engineering Process
Stages involved in GE
1. Isolation
2. Cutting
3. Transformation
4. Ligation and Insertion
5. Expression
1. ISOLATION
(a) Isolation of a specific gene from donor e.g. human
• Cells broken open
• Genetic probe added
Donor DNA
Genetic probe
Position of
gene of
interest
Bacterial cell
Plasmi
d
(b) Isolation of plasmid from a bacterial cell
www.sci.sdsu.edu
1. ISOLATION
2. CUTTING
• Restriction enzymes cut DNA at
specific sites called restriction
sites. Restriction site
Restriction
site Restriction
ezymes
2. CUTTING
17
Restriction site Restriction site
Donor DNA
Ā© Biology Support Service 2007
2. CUTTING
Plasmid
Restriction
enzymes
2. CUTTING
Sticky EndsPlasmid
Donor DNA
DNA Ligase
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
3. LIGATION AND INSERTION
4. TRANSFORMATION
Recombinant DNA introduced into bacterial cell.
Bacterial
chromosome
Bacterial
cell
Recombinant DNA
5. EXPRESSION
• Bacterial cell reproduces by Binary Fisson
• Bacterial cell produces the polypeptide
coded for by the donor DNA
• 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
5. EXPRESSION
Summary of Steps
1. Cut with restriction
enzymes
Donor DNA
Plasmid
Donor DNA
Sticky
Ends
2. Ligase bonds
sticky ends
together
Recombinant
DNA
GE in Plants
GE in Animals (Cloning)
Animals used in GE
• 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
Genetic Engineering
APPLICATIONS
AGRICULTURE
MEDICINE
AGRICULTURE
- PRODUCTIVE
- LESS FERTILIZER
- DISEASE
RESISTANT
IMPROVE SEVERAL
AGRICULTURAL CROPS
• TRANSFER OF NITROGEN FIXING GENES
• TRANSFER OF RESISTANCE AGAINST PATHOGENS
• IMPROVEMENT IN QUALITY AND QUANTITY OF
SEED PROTEINS
• TRANSFER OF GENES FOR ANIMAL PROTEINSTO
CROP PLANTS
- GENETIC DISEASES BECOME PREVALENT
- VACCINES
- HORMONES
- GENETHERAPY
- GENE PHARMING
MEDICINE
• VACCINES
- to form protective antibodies
-The use of genetically
modified yeast cells to
produce a vaccine against
the hepatitis B virus has
been a major success story.
MEDICINE
• HORMONES
- Bacterial cells can be factories to
produce
human insulin
MEDICINE
• GENETHERAPY
- It involves modifying
human DNA either to repair
it or to replace a faulty gene.
- Cystic fibrosis is the best
known disease
MEDICINE
- GENE PHARMING
- first mammal engineered (1990)
- Ian Wilmut at RoslinInstitute at
Scotland
- Zygote genetically engr’d through DNA
injection
- produce milk (containing large amount
of human enzyme alpha-1 antitrypsin
- cystic fibrosis
- emphysema TRACY THE SHEEP
MEDICINE
Thank you 

Genetic Engineering and Application