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Chapter 9 Vocab
Chapter 9: Frontiers of Biotechnology
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| Restriction Enzyme | enzymes that cut DNA molecules when they identify specific nucleotide sequences |
| Gel electrophoresis | electrical current is used to separate a mixture of DNA fragments from each other |
| Restriction map | show the lengths of DNA fragments between restriction sites in a strand of DNA |
| polymerase chain reaction (PCR) | a technique that produces millions- or even billions- of copies of a specific DNA sequence in just a few hours |
| Primer | a short segment of DNA that acts as the starting point for a new strand |
| DNA Fingerprinting | a representation of parts of an individual’s DNA that can be used to identify a person at the molecular level |
| Clone | a genetically identical copy of a gene or of an organism |
| Genetic Engineering | changing of an organism’s DNA to give the organism new traits |
| Recombinant DNA | DNA that contains genes from more than one organism |
| Plasmid | closed loops of DNA that are separate from the bacterial chromosomes and that replicate on their own within the cell. |
| Transgenic | organism that has one or more genes from another organism inserted into its genome. |
| Gene knockout | made by disrupting the function of a gene |
| Genomics | the study of genomes, which can include the sequencing of all an organism’s DNA |
| Gene sequencing | determining the order of DNA nucleotides in gens or in genomes |
| Human Genome Project | has goals to map the sequence of all the DNA base pairs of the human chromosomes and identify all the genes within the sequence |
| Bioinformatics | the use of computer databases to organize and analyze biological data |
| DNA microarray | tools that allow scientists to study many genes, and their expression, at once. |
| Proteomics | the study and comparison of all the proteins that result from an organism’s genome |
| Genetic Screening | the process of testing DNA to determine a person's risk of having or passing on a genetic disorder |
| Gene therapy | the replacement of a defective or missing gene, or the addition of a new gene, into a person’s genome to treat a disease. |