Genetics - Chapter 21: Molecular
Technologies ) UPDATED Questions and
CORRECT Answers
recombinant DNA technology - CORRECT ANSWER - the use of in vitro molecular
techniques to isolate and manipulate different pieces of DNA to produce new arrangements
recombinant DNA molecules - CORRECT ANSWER - molecules that are produced in a
test tube by covalently linking DNA fragments from two different sources
gene cloning - CORRECT ANSWER - the production of many copies of a gene using
molecular methods, such as PCR or the introduction of a gene into a vector that replicates in a
host cell
vector - CORRECT ANSWER - a small segment of DNA that is used as a carrier of
another segment of DNA. These are used in DNA cloning experiments
plasmid - CORRECT ANSWER - a general name used to describe circular pieces of DNA
that exist independently of the chromosomal DNA. Some of these are used as vectors in cloning
experiments
R factor - CORRECT ANSWER - a type of plasmid found commonly in bacteria that
confers resistance to a toxic substance, such as an antibiotic
origin of replication - CORRECT ANSWER - a site on a chromosome that functions as an
initiation site for the assembly of several proteins that begin the process of DNA replication
selectable marker - CORRECT ANSWER - a gene that provides a selectable phenotype in
a cloning experiment. Many of these are genes that confer antibiotic resistance
, shuttle vector - CORRECT ANSWER - a cloning vector that can propagate in two or more
different species, such as E. coli and yeast
expression vector - CORRECT ANSWER - a cloning vector that contains a promoter so
that the gene of interest is transcribed into RNA when the vector is introduced into a host cell
restriction endonuclease (restriction enzyme) - CORRECT ANSWER - an endonuclease
that cleaves DNA. the restriction enzymes used in cloning experiments bind to specific base
sequences and then cleave the DNA backbone at two defined locations, one in each strand
DNA ligase - CORRECT ANSWER - an enzyme that catalyzes formation of a covalent
bond within the sugar-phosphate backbones of two DNA strands
palindromic - CORRECT ANSWER - describes sequences in the two strands of DNA that
are identical when read in opposite directions
recombinant vector - CORRECT ANSWER - a vector that contains an inserted fragment of
DNA, such as a gene from a chromosome
competent cells - CORRECT ANSWER - cells that can take up DNA from an extracellular
medium
transformation - CORRECT ANSWER - 1) when a plasmid vector or segment of
chromosomal DNA is introduced into a bacterial cell
2) when a normal cell is converted into a malignant cell
reverse transcriptase - CORRECT ANSWER - an enzyme that uses an RNA template to
make a double-stranded DNA molecule
complementary DNA (cDNA) - CORRECT ANSWER - DNA that is made from an RNA
template by the action of reverse transcription
Technologies ) UPDATED Questions and
CORRECT Answers
recombinant DNA technology - CORRECT ANSWER - the use of in vitro molecular
techniques to isolate and manipulate different pieces of DNA to produce new arrangements
recombinant DNA molecules - CORRECT ANSWER - molecules that are produced in a
test tube by covalently linking DNA fragments from two different sources
gene cloning - CORRECT ANSWER - the production of many copies of a gene using
molecular methods, such as PCR or the introduction of a gene into a vector that replicates in a
host cell
vector - CORRECT ANSWER - a small segment of DNA that is used as a carrier of
another segment of DNA. These are used in DNA cloning experiments
plasmid - CORRECT ANSWER - a general name used to describe circular pieces of DNA
that exist independently of the chromosomal DNA. Some of these are used as vectors in cloning
experiments
R factor - CORRECT ANSWER - a type of plasmid found commonly in bacteria that
confers resistance to a toxic substance, such as an antibiotic
origin of replication - CORRECT ANSWER - a site on a chromosome that functions as an
initiation site for the assembly of several proteins that begin the process of DNA replication
selectable marker - CORRECT ANSWER - a gene that provides a selectable phenotype in
a cloning experiment. Many of these are genes that confer antibiotic resistance
, shuttle vector - CORRECT ANSWER - a cloning vector that can propagate in two or more
different species, such as E. coli and yeast
expression vector - CORRECT ANSWER - a cloning vector that contains a promoter so
that the gene of interest is transcribed into RNA when the vector is introduced into a host cell
restriction endonuclease (restriction enzyme) - CORRECT ANSWER - an endonuclease
that cleaves DNA. the restriction enzymes used in cloning experiments bind to specific base
sequences and then cleave the DNA backbone at two defined locations, one in each strand
DNA ligase - CORRECT ANSWER - an enzyme that catalyzes formation of a covalent
bond within the sugar-phosphate backbones of two DNA strands
palindromic - CORRECT ANSWER - describes sequences in the two strands of DNA that
are identical when read in opposite directions
recombinant vector - CORRECT ANSWER - a vector that contains an inserted fragment of
DNA, such as a gene from a chromosome
competent cells - CORRECT ANSWER - cells that can take up DNA from an extracellular
medium
transformation - CORRECT ANSWER - 1) when a plasmid vector or segment of
chromosomal DNA is introduced into a bacterial cell
2) when a normal cell is converted into a malignant cell
reverse transcriptase - CORRECT ANSWER - an enzyme that uses an RNA template to
make a double-stranded DNA molecule
complementary DNA (cDNA) - CORRECT ANSWER - DNA that is made from an RNA
template by the action of reverse transcription
