Explain how scientists use recombinant DNA technology to produce the drug insulin. 10 points?

3 Comments

1. BB says:

   October 5, 2009 at 8:51 am

   Here’s a rough version:

   The gene known to code for insulin is excised or cut from the chromosomal DNA with a restriction enzyme. Restriction enzymes cut DNA at sequence- specific points.

   A bacterial plasmid is taken and cut with the same restriction enzyme. After a "chunk" is taken out of the circular plasmid, the DNA that was taken out earlier is ligated or joined with the plasmid and it fills in the chunk that was missing in the plasmid.

   This plasmid is transfected into a bacteria (I believe it’s E coli but I could be mistaken) and the plasmids begin to replicate in the bacteria at the same time bacteria themselves are replicating, so that there are many numbers of these plasmids being made. So the bacteria are producing the insulin peptides via their own protein forming machinery.

   This process is done separately for the A and B chains of the insulin. As the newly formed A and B chains are made, they are treated with cyanogen bromide to cleave the peptide chain at a certain methionine amino acid, letting go of the beta galactosidase that was stabilizing each A and B chain. The A and B chains are brough together and insulin lispro (the fast acting insulin) is formed. (I’m not sure if insulin glargine is produced in the same way or not).

   Recombinant DNA can be used to express something from one organism in another one because the bacterial plasmid vectors, carrying the DNA segment of interest, are used as vectors to express a gene taken from something and put into another living thing, like a bacteria or a mammalian cell.
2. Gary says:

   October 5, 2009 at 8:51 am

   Bacteria have circular pieces of DNA called plasmids which they use for making proteins for various functions, like antibiotic resistance and many others. Scientists basically hi-jack a plasmid. They insert the DNA that codes for insulin onto the plasmid and then stick the plasmid in the bacteria. The bacteria tgen make the insulin, which can be extracted from them
3. PB*and*J says:

   October 5, 2009 at 8:51 am

   hi i know i am not answereing ur question lol but i was reading some of ur other ?s about acting and stuff and i was just wondering if you could email me cause urs is blocked and this is the only way to get ahold of you lol thankyou bye