Recombinant DNA Technology

Additional Resources:

1. http://www.dnalc.org/resources/3d/20-mechanism-of-recombination.html
2. http://www.dnalc.org/view/16705-Animation-34-Genes-can-be-moved-between-species-.html

Questions for thought

1. Why do you think that origins of replication are made of A’s and T’s?
2. What is different about the types of bonds holding the double strands together versus phosphodiester bonds of the DNA backbone?
3. Can DNA digested with SmaI be ligated to DNA digested with EcoRV?
4. If so, which enzyme will be able to digest this new DNA?

References:

• Beadle, G. W.; Tatum, E. L. (1941). “Genetic Control of Biochemical Reactions in Neurospora”. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. 27 (11): 499–506. doi:10.1073/pnas.27.11.499. PMC 1078370. PMID 16588492
• Lederberg J, Tatum EL (1946). “Gene recombination in E. coli“. Nature. 158 (4016): 558. doi:10.1038/158558a0