Methods and Techniques which Make it All Possible!
But there are certain methods and techniques which can make it all possible such as recombinant, microinjection, electro and chemical poration, biobalistics, transformations and etc. There are many techniques but they fight under one of 3 main categories. Plasmid, Vector and Biolistic. I will discuss these categories and techniques later.
Plasmid Method
This is probably the most known technique out of the 3 I mentioned. It is generally used for altering different microorganisms like bacteria. In this method, a small ring of DNA called a plasmid which is normally found in bacteria is placed in a container with special restriction enzymes. These enzymes cut the DNA to a small sequence of the whole. The same enzyme is then prepares the DNA sequence to be fused with another strand and creates "sticky ends" that will fuse together if given the opportunity.
The two separate cut-up DNA sequences are then put into the same container and then sticky ends begin to fuse resulting in a new ring of DNA. Failed ones are separated and discarded then new enzymes are then added to help fortify the new connections.
Next, the successfully altered bacteria are allowed to grow and reproduce. They can be used in experiments or even in the industry. Also, the bacteria can be allowed to grow on their own, with an intention to producing more protein and with the power of natural selection, the bacteria produced after many generations will actually perform the better than of their parents and etc.
Many people oppose this method of genetic engineering because they are scared that these engineered plasmids will be transferred into other bacteria and would cause problems if they expressed the gene. This is quite common in bacteria, but normally a genetically engineered bacteria are not allowed to come in contact with natural bacteria unless controlled by scientists. Bacteria that can be used in the wild are carefully supervised and are controlled. For example, those that could clean up oil spills which I mentioned before are only released for a particular purpose and in a specific area.
An example of this is in the production of insulin. The picture is present below from the BBC website.
The two separate cut-up DNA sequences are then put into the same container and then sticky ends begin to fuse resulting in a new ring of DNA. Failed ones are separated and discarded then new enzymes are then added to help fortify the new connections.
Next, the successfully altered bacteria are allowed to grow and reproduce. They can be used in experiments or even in the industry. Also, the bacteria can be allowed to grow on their own, with an intention to producing more protein and with the power of natural selection, the bacteria produced after many generations will actually perform the better than of their parents and etc.
Many people oppose this method of genetic engineering because they are scared that these engineered plasmids will be transferred into other bacteria and would cause problems if they expressed the gene. This is quite common in bacteria, but normally a genetically engineered bacteria are not allowed to come in contact with natural bacteria unless controlled by scientists. Bacteria that can be used in the wild are carefully supervised and are controlled. For example, those that could clean up oil spills which I mentioned before are only released for a particular purpose and in a specific area.
An example of this is in the production of insulin. The picture is present below from the BBC website.
