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DNA: DNA Technology Lesson

Will We Ever Clone Humans?

Imagine a world where we are able to manipulate DNA to create hybrid organisms, clones, cure the disease at the nucleotide level and personalize medicine, just as we see in the movies. In many ways, that world is already at our doorstep with advancing DNA technology.

What is DNA Technology?

Watch the video below to learn about DNA Technology

Genetic Engineering

Genetic engineering, in a general sense, is any modification of an organism's DNA by using biotechnology. It may involve knocking out genes, inserting genes, or even targeting specific genes with an intended mutation within an organism.

There are a variety of ways in which genetic engineering may be used. One of its uses is for molecular cloning. This involves using an organism, such as bacteria, as a protein factory. This is how we are able to manufacture enzymes for use in detergents, as well as produce large amounts of insulin or human growth hormone for human medical uses.

Watch the short movie clip below to learn more about how genes are recombined (to create recombinant DNA) to make products, such as insulin:

Some of you may be thinking “What about Cloning”?

The term cloning can refer to any of a number of biotechnologies that aim to reproduce a genetic copy of an entire organism. Take care not to confuse this with DNA cloning, which we discussed above.

Learn more about cloning in this interactive activity from the Dolan DNA Learning Center. Ask yourself the following questions while progressing through this activity:

  1. What types of clones exist?
  2. What technique makes the cloning of organisms possible?
  3. Which animals have scientists successfully cloned?

DNA Technology Challenge and Before You Go

Practice Time! Use the knowledge you learned from the lesson to complete the practice activities below.

Before You Go - You Need To Know

The following key points are from the explore section of the lesson. You must know the following information before moving to the next lesson. This is just a summary of the key points.

 

 

    1. What is biotechnology?
      • Making useful products by using living systems and organisms
    2. What is DNA Technology?
      • An area of biotechnology that is centered around the use of DNA.
    3. What are some types of DNA Technology?
      • Human Genome Project, DNA Fingerprinting, Genetic Engineering, Gene Therapy

IMAGES CREATED BY GAVS (SHUTTERSTOCK)