Biotechnology What are clones good for? as a tool to study the genes function can be used as a probe use southern blotting to count genes fingerprinting locate genes in chromosomes measure gene activity (northern blotting) determine the base sequence - can then predict the amino acid sequence of the protein and identify mutations can alter the sequence of the gene (site-directed mutagenesis) to create specific mutations produce and purify large quantities of specific proteins create transgenic organisms to improve agriculture modified animals modified plants cure human genetic diseases Practical benefits of understanding gene function Agricultural improved strains Medical understanding how bacteria, viruses and parasites work leads to better disease control understanding how the body functions will lead to cures for cancer heart disease diabetes autoimmune diseases aging many mental disorders genetic diseases Creating transgenic eukaryotes (genetic engineering) yeast 2u plasmid YAC's plants Ti plasmid (dicots only) glyphosate resistant tobacco plants electroporate or "shotgun" animals invertebrate p element injection into Drosophila virus microinjection of embryos (sea urchins) vertebrate microinjection of embryos homologous recombination (using cultured embryonic cells) virus (retrovirus or adenovirus) liposome Knockouts Use homologous recombination of cultured embryonic stem cells (ES cells) to get cells where the normal gene has been replaced Inject the modified ES cells into a blastocyst Implant blastocyst in foster mother Cross hybrid progeny to get true-breeding line Very important in functional studies Can use the phenotype when the gene is inactivated to get clues about it's function Can create animal models of human diseases The combination of transgenics and mammalian cloning open up many new possiblities Bell CSU Chico Library This document is copyright of Jeff Bell Last Update: Wednesday, April 12, 2000