What is Genetic Engineering? – Definition
Recombinant DNA technology or genetic engineering is a technique that alters genes or gene combinations in living organisms by cutting apart and splicing together different pieces of DNA. This results in organism with a new genotype, a genetically modified organism (GMO).
Basics or Basic Idea of Genetic Engineering
Basic idea behind genetic engineering is just to isolate or take out the gene of interest from source DNA and insertion of this cut piece into target DNA, to achieve desired function.
Steps in Genetic Engineering
Basic steps in genetic engineering are as listed below
- Search, look for – gene of interest
- Isolation of – source DNA and vector DNA
- Cutting of – source DNA into small pieces, with restriction enzymes
- Cutting of – host DNA again with restriction enzymes
- Splicing together – host DNA and source DNA piece with enzyme DNA ligase
- Selection of – vector
- Insertion of – ligated DNA into a host cell with the use of vector
- Testing to – identify and isolate GMO
For the information on techniques used in recombinant DNA technology visit Genetic Engineering Techniques.