You should be able to explain the uses of each of the follow

You should be able to explain the use(s) of each of the following in recombinant DNA technology: a) plasmids b) expression vector c) restriction endonucleases d) reverse transcriptase e) DNA ligase f) polynucleotide kinase g) probe oligonucleotides h) thermostable DNA polymerase

Solution

A) Plasmids are used in genetic engineering to reproduce recombinant genetic material when a plasmid is inserted in to a bacterium, the bacterium is encouraged to multiply, creating more copies of the recombinant DNA.

B) Vector is a DNA molecule used as a vehicle to artificially carry foreign genetic material into another cell, where it can be replicated and /or expressed.

C) Restriction endonuclease is an enzyme that cuts DNA at or near specific recognition nucleotide sequence known as restriction sites.

D) Reverse transcriptase is an enzyme used to generate complementary DNA from RNA template, aprocess termed reverse transcription.

)E) DNA ligase is a specific type of enzyme that facilitate the joining of DNA strands together by catalizing the formation of a phosphodiester bond.

F) Polynucleotide kinase is an enzyme that catalyzes the teansfer of phosphate from ATP to the 5\' end of either DNA or RNA.

G) Probe oligonucleotide is a short sequence of nucleotides that are synthesized to match a specific region of DNA or RNA then used as a molecular probe to detect specific DNA or RNA sequence.

H) Thermostable DNA polymerase used in PCR worked at high temperature and can replicate 1000 base pair strand of DNA in less than 10 seconds at 72 degree C.