18. Molecular Genetic Tools

Compare and contrast methods for making transgenic plants and transgenic Drosophila.

The U.S. Department of Justice has established a database that catalogs PCR amplification products from short tandem repeats of the Y chromosome (Y-STRs) in humans. The database contains polymorphisms of five U.S. ethnic groups (African-Americans, European Americans, Hispanics, Native Americans, and Asian-Americans) as well as the worldwide population.

For forensic applications, the probability of a 'match' for a crime scene DNA sample and a suspect's DNA often culminates in a guilty or innocent verdict. How is a 'match' determined, and what are the uses and limitations of such probabilities?

Ligase catalyzes a reaction between the 5′ phosphate and the 3′ hydroxyl groups at the ends of DNA molecules. The enzyme calf intestinal phosphatase catalyzes the removal of the 5′5′ phosphate from DNA molecules. What would be the consequence of treating a cloning vector, before ligation, with calf intestinal phosphatase?

The purpose of polymerase chain reaction is to do what?

Which of the following lists the steps of genetic cloning in the proper order?

How can gene knockouts, transgenic animals, and gene editing techniques be used to explore gene function?

What experimental evidence confirms that we have introduced a useful gene into a transgenic organism and that it performs as we anticipate?

How has DNA-sequencing technology evolved in response to the emerging needs of genome scientists?

What steps make PCR a chain reaction that can produce millions of copies of a specific DNA molecule in a matter of hours without using host cells?

In a recombinant DNA cloning experiment, how can we determine whether DNA fragments of interest have been incorporated into plasmids and, once host cells are transformed, which cells contain recombinant DNA?

What purpose do the bla and lacZ genes serve in the plasmid vector pUC18?

The human genome is 3×10⁹ bp in length.

How many fragments would be predicted to result from the complete digestion of the human genome with the following enzymes: Sau3A (˘GATC), BamHI (G˘GATCC), EcoRI (G˘AATTC), and NotI (GC˘GGCCGC)?

The human genome is 3×10⁹ bp in length.

How would your initial answer change if you knew that the average GC content of the human genome was 40%?

Write a short essay or sketch a diagram that provides an overview of how recombinant DNA techniques help geneticists study genes.

Write a short essay that summarizes the impacts that genomic applications are having on society and discuss which of the ethical issues presented by these applications is the most daunting to society.