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Recombinant DNA, PCR, sequencing and bioinformatics

Gene expression and biotechnology · Lesson 2 of 3

Lesson 2 of 3

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Lesson 2 of 3 · Gene expression and biotechnology

Recombinant DNA, PCR, sequencing and bioinformatics

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Describe how DNA fragments or genes are obtained using reverse transcriptase, restriction endonucleases, gene machines or complementary DNA from mRNA, using correct terminology for recognition sites and sticky or blunt ends.
Explain how recombinant DNA is produced using vectors such as plasmids or viruses, DNA ligase, marker genes and host cells, and apply this to the production of transformed organisms.

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Describe the principles and stages of the polymerase chain reaction, including the roles of primers, thermostable DNA polymerase, nucleotides and thermal cycling, and calculate amplification over repeated cycles where required.

Interpret the use of gel electrophoresis to separate DNA fragments by size and charge, including analysis of DNA profiles, restriction fragment patterns or PCR products.

Explain the principles of DNA sequencing, including chain-termination methods and automated sequencing, and interpret simple sequence data or chromatogram-style outputs where provided.

Use bioinformatics to compare DNA or amino acid sequences, identify genes and proteins, assess evolutionary relationships, and explain the significance of genome projects and sequence databases in modern biology.

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