Period 9: Recombinant DNA Lesson

Recombinant DNA

Human Insulin Production:

https://youtu.be/H7FdzpE2GIE

https://youtu.be/y4FEKGOHWLM

​Please watch these 2 videos to review the process of mass producing human insulin

Why do we need insulin?

What if you don’t have
enough? How do you get it?

The Recombinant DNA
technique is used to make
Human Insulin

​To allow glucose into the body cells

​If you don't have enough, then the organism doesn't get enough glucose to do cellular respiration and feels weak. We can get insulin through injections

In many cases, a bacterium called Escherichia coli gets a new gene, so that we
can collect the protein that the new gene produces.

This bacterium has 1 large chromosome and several small plasmids, which are
ring-shaped (circular) pieces of DNA found in the cytoplasm.

E. coli bacterium

Meet E. coli, the bacterium used to make insulin

Notes:

In 1978, the first recombinant DNA human insulin was prepared by David Goeddel and his
colleagues (of Genentech) by utilizing and combining the insulin produced by Escherichia coli.

​Bacteria has 2 forms of DNA: bacterial DNA and plasmid DNA

Production of Insulin music with text (1 min)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5A3K6aCwbCU

rDNA with Insulin (very fast - watch at slower speed)
https://youtu.be/WOsssMvzGzo

Basic Recombinant DNA Technique (2 min)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OpU_CQ0pFyQ

Overview of the Recombinant DNA Technique
View the videos below so that you can complete the diagrams and questions
(The first video is good enough to watch without the rest)

5) How do genetic engineers remove a gene from a
chromosome?

6) Why do scientists only need to create one bacterium with the recombinant plasmid?

7) If a gene is inserted into the DNA of a bacterial cell, every
cell produced by that cell will have

a) a copy of the inserted gene

b) a new type of DNA base

c) a 50% chance of having a copy of the inserted gene

d) DNA that is different from the other cells

8) Identify (name) the organism that is used to create human
insulin for diabetics.

​They use restriction enzymes

Bacteria replicate very often

​a) a copy of the inserted gene

Insulin

​using lab techniques to alter

an organisms DNA

Complete the following questions. Use your notes or go back to previous slides if you need help.

Enzymes cut
(digest)
and paste
(synthesis)

DNA is made of nitrogen bases OR
nucleotides (NOT PROTEIN);
Proteins are made of amino acids