Biotechnology: Difference between revisions

 

The fluorescent DNA provided can sometimes be used in building the strand instead of the normal liquid DNA. When this happens, the building of the particular that strand will stop. Later, a laser can read the DNA, which will shine a different color depending on which nucleic acid (A, T, C, or G) is at the end of the strand. Over many cycles, the letter at every position in the gene is read, eventually building up the whole sequence in the computer.

 

=== Plasmid Synthesis ===

The Plasmid Synthesis Module allows Gene Data to be written onto a blank plasmid. Plasmids are small loops of DNA separate from a bacteria's main chromosome that can hold genes the bacteria wouldn't normally have. By artificially including genes from different species in a custom plasmid, the plain, easy-to-grow ''E coli'' bacteria the plasmid is given to can create all kinds of products. This process requires liquid DNA and enzyme solution to create the custom piece of DNA and insert it into the plasmid. The Gene Data for the ''beta lactamase'' gene is also required to make a plasmid that can be reliably given to the bacteria, which is more important for the Transformation Module

 

=== Transformation ===

The Transformation Module allows a Sample Flask containing plasmids with a custom gene to be inserted into a bacterial culture, giving that culture the custom gene. The module generates a rapid electromagnetic pulse that opens small holes in the cell membrane, allowing the plasmids to enter. However, this process is not 100% efficient and some individual cells in the culture will end up with no plasmid. A cell of penicillin is included to kill all the cells that were not successfully transformed, leaving only the cells with the custom gene. The surviving cells are not killed because the beta-lactamase gene included in the plasmid allows the bacteria to create an enzyme that destroys the penicillin before it can kill the cell.

 

=== Clonal Cellular Synthesis ===