Exam 12: Biotechnology and Synthetic Biology

The enzyme that covalently links both strands of a vector and inserted DNA in molecular cloning is

A polymerase chain reaction (PCR) copies an individual gene segment in vitro with a(n) ________ primer(s).

A poorly immunogenic vaccine often suggests the foreign proteins were not properly recognized by the immune system due to a lack of ________ necessary, which can also be engineered to occur with additional molecular manipulations.

Explain why DNA fragments migrate toward the positive electrode and why some fragments migrate more rapidly than others during gel electrophoresis. How does this electronegativity influence observations and conclusions drawn from DNA migrated through an agarose gel?

Regardless of the DNA polymerase used in PCR, such as Taq or Pfu, they all have an inherent inability to perfectly copy the template strand, which means the polymerases themselves occasionally make mutations in the sequences they copy.

Which of the following sequences is a palindrome, characteristic of many recognition sequences for restriction endonucleases?

One challenge in cloning human somatotropin is that

Compare and contrast operon and protein fusions.

Inserting a kanamycin resistance cassette into a catabolic operon to confirm the gene is essential in degradation of a particular compound would involve all of the following EXCEPT

Due to well-developed molecular tools and careful screening designs, functional genes can be isolated directly by isolation from the environment rather than cultivating the diverse species in a microbial community.

What are some advantages and limitations of using biofuels, and why are genetically engineered microbes more useful for their production than naturally occurring microbes?

High expression levels of a eukaryotic gene in a bacterium such as Escherichia coli cannot be accomplished due to the presence of introns.

Which objective would be best to use a Southern blot rather than a Northern blot?

One method to circumvent issues with introns when expressing a eukaryotic gene in a bacterium is to simply clone the mature transcript.

One fundamental technique of genetic engineering includes the ability to cut DNA into random fragments.

The lacZ gene is commonly used as a reporter gene, because its substrate lactose is well known and easily measured.

To verify a gene was cloned into a vector successfully, sequencing the vector as well as ________ are commonly performed.

Compare how the process of cloning differs when a vector with sticky ends is used and when a vector with blunt ends is used.

After digesting a DNA sequence, a restriction endonuclease can generate

If vaccinia viruses would not both be immunogenic and relatively benign, they would likely not be a favored vehicle for vaccinations.