Recombinant DNA

Subject: Science and tech

Context:

Recombinant DNA technology may see enormous growth in post covid-19 as it plays important role in vaccine development

Concept:

• Recombinant DNA involves cutting a piece of original DNA and inserting in its place a different segment of DNA having desired characters. The recombined or recomposed DNA is then copied multifold inside bacterial cells and stored in a gene library for use when required.
• Recombinant DNA technology resulted from the two discoveries made while experimenting with bacteria :

1. presence of plasmids or extra chromosomal DNA fragments in the bacterial cell which replicate along with bacterial DNA and can be used as a vector for carrying foreign DNA.

2. presence of specific restriction enzymes which attack and cut DNA at specific sites.

• Recombinant DNA technology is widely used in Agriculture to produce genetically-modified organisms
• It is used for the production of medicines like insulin

Source: Biology Discussion