19. Gene technology

Virtual Labs:

19.1 Principles of genetic technology

 Learning outcomes

 Candidates should be able to:

1. define the term recombinant DNA 

2. explain that genetic engineering is the deliberate manipulation of genetic material to modify specific characteristics of an organism and that this may involve transferring a gene into an organism so that the gene is expressed 

3. explain that genes to be transferred into an organism may be: 

• extracted from the DNA of a donor organism 

• synthesised from the mRNA of a donor organism 

• synthesised chemically from nucleotides 

4. explain the roles of restriction endonucleases, DNA ligase, plasmids, DNA polymerase and reverse transcriptase in the transfer of a gene into an organism 

5. explain why a promoter may have to be transferred into an organism as well as the desired gene 

6. explain how gene expression may be confirmed by the use of marker genes coding for fluorescent products 

7. explain that gene editing is a form of genetic engineering involving the insertion, deletion or replacement of DNA at specific sites in the genome 

8. describe and explain the steps involved in the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) to clone and amplify DNA, including the role of Taq polymerase 

9. describe and explain how gel electrophoresis is used to separate DNA fragments of different lengths 

10. outline how microarrays are used in the analysis of genomes and in detecting mRNA in studies of gene expression 

11. outline the benefits of using databases that provide information about nucleotide sequences of genes and genomes, and amino acid sequences of proteins and protein structures 

19.2 Genetic technology applied to medicine

Learning outcomes

Candidates should be able to: 

1. explain the advantages of using recombinant human proteins to treat disease, using the examples insulin, factor VIII and adenosine deaminase 

2. outline the advantages of genetic screening, using the examples of breast cancer (BRCA1 and BRCA2), Huntington’s disease and cystic fibrosis 

3. outline how genetic diseases can be treated with gene therapy, using the examples severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID) and inherited eye diseases 

4. discuss the social and ethical considerations of using genetic screening and gene therapy in medicine.

19.3 Genetically modified organisms in agriculture

Learning outcomes

 Candidates should be able to:

1. explain that genetic engineering may help to solve the global demand for food by improving the quality and productivity of farmed animals and crop plants, using the examples of GM salmon, herbicide resistance in soybean and insect resistance in cotton 

2. discuss the ethical and social implications of using genetically modified organisms (GMOs) in food production .