| A | B |
|---|
| cloning | the production of genetically identical copies of DNA, cells, or organisms through some asexual means |
| gene cloning | cloning of DNA to produce many identical copies in genetic engineering |
| gene therapy | cloned genes are used to modify a human |
| transgenic organisms | organisms containing foreign DNA |
| recombinant DNA (rDNA) | contains DNA from two or more different sources |
| vector | a vehicle used to carry the rDNA into host cells |
| plasmids | small accessory rings of DNA found in bacteria that can be modified to be used as vectors |
| restriction enzyme | cleaves or cuts DNA at a specific sequence (recognition site) |
| DNA ligase | seals DNA into an opening caused by the restriction enzyme (seals gaps in DNA) |
| polymerase chain reaction (PCR) | quickly creates many clones of DNA by amplifying a specific sequence located between two primers |
| thermostable DNA polymerase | a special polymerase used in PCR that was isolated from bacteria in hot springs and is very heat stable |
| gel electrophoresis | separates DNA fragments according to their size |
| DNA fingerprinting (DNA profiling) | can identify and distinguish among individuals based on variations in their DNA |
| short tandem repeat sequences (STRs) | short DNA sequences that are repeated many times in a row and found in specific locations in the genomes of all species, the number tends to vary from one individual to the next |
| genetically modified organisms (GMOs) | transgenic organisms containing foreign DNA |
| biotechnology products | produced by transgenic organisms |
| gene pharming | the use of transgenic farm animals to produce pharmaceuticals |
| microinjection | Miuse of a glass micropipette to inject a liquid substance at a microscopic or borderline macroscopic level |
| knockout | elimination (or making nonfunctional) of both copies of a gene, can be used to study the functions of that gene |
| ex vivo gene therapy | cells are modified outside and then transplanted back in again |
| in vivo gene therapy | injection of a virus carrying the therapeutic gene directly into the body |
| genomics | the study of genomes |
| structural genomics | knowing the sequence of bases and how many genes are contained in a genome |
| single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) | small regions of the DNA that vary among individuals |
| intergenic sequences | DNA sequences that occur between genes (noncoding DNA), includes repetitive elements, transposons, and unique noncoding DNA |
| repetitive DNA elements | occur when a sequence of two or more nucleotides is repeated many times along the length of one or more chromosomes |
| tandem repeat | repeated sequences are next to each other on the chromosome |
| interspersed repeat | repetitions may be placed intermittently along a single chromosome (ex. Alu) |
| transposons | specific DNA sequences that have the remarkable ability to move within and between chromosomes (act as regulator genes) |
| unique noncoding DNA | function is unknown but makes up the majority of the chromosome--much of it probably makes RNAs |
| functional genomics | understand the function of the genome |
| DNA microarrays | used in functional genomics, can be used to monitor the expression of thousands of genes simultaneously |
| genetic profile | identification of all the mutations in the genome of an individual |
| comparative genomics | compare the human genome to the genome of other organisms |
| proteome | the entire collection of a species' chromosomes |
| proteomics | the study of the structure, function, and interaction of cellular proteins |
| bioinformatics | the application of computer technologies, specially developed software, and statistical techniques to the study of biology, particularly databases |
| homologous genes | genes that code for the same proteins, although the base sequences may be slightly different (from Mom and Dad) |
