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4: Genetic Engineering and Recombinant DNA Technology

  • Page ID
    135667
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    • 4.1: Principles of Genetic Engineering
      Genetic engineering is at the heart of biotechnology. Through the manipulation of an organism's DNA in the laboratory, researchers can add, remove, or change specific genes in an organism, producing highly desired traits. This page summarizes the major principles and tools of genetic engineering, in addition to outlining the foundational technique of cloning genes into plasmids and the production of recombinant plasmids.
    • 4.2: Creating Recombinant DNA
      Genetic engineering starts with the production of recombinant DNA. This page explains how recombinant DNA is created through molecular cloning and then introduced into bacteria for expression. Links to several laboratory techniques, such as PCR amplification of DNA, ligation into plasmids, and bacterial transformation are included in this page.
    • 4.3: Applications of Recombinant DNA Technology
      Recombinant DNA (rDNA) technology allows scientists to manipulate DNA in order to create genetic combinations that do not occur naturally.  This page highlights a few examples of recombinant DNA technology being used today, including the creation of genetically-modified crops, the production of therapeutic proteins, and the use of engineered microbes in industry and the environment.


    4: Genetic Engineering and Recombinant DNA Technology is shared under a CC BY 4.0 license and was authored, remixed, and/or curated by LibreTexts.

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