Recombination DNA

The first step to making recombination DNA is finding a plasmid and determining which antibiotic it is resistant to. You also have to identify the gene you want to add, for us we used the insulin gene, and sequencing it and the area around it. You then figure our which restriction enzyme can cut the plasmid in one location, and the DNA in two places, as close to the gene as you can. A restriction enzyme is an enzyme that looks for a specific dna sequence, and then makes a cut there. We used Xma I because it cut the plasmid in one location and the gene in two locations that were the closest to the insulin gene. If we had cut the plasmid in two locations we wold have removed part of the plasmid DNA, which we did not want to do. You then than ad lygase to re-join the plasmid. Finally you re-insert the plasmid into a bacteria, and add the antibiotic you determined the plasmid was resistant to, for us it was tetracyline. This kills all bacteria except the one you modified. Finally, you let the bacteria multiply.

This is important in every day life, because it is used to create many vaccines and medicines, by making bacteria that can produce these products. This technology can also be used to create GMO foods, such as fruits that spoil more slowly.