SIU

 

Microbiology 421

 

Chapter 2. Biological Systems Used in Molecular Biotechnology

I. Prokaryotic organisms

II. Eukaryotic organisms

III. Viruses


Basic Biological Systems Used in Molecular Biotechnology

I. Prokaryotes (bacteria) See Table 2.1

Escherichia coli

The workhorse for basic research and construction of recombinant DNA molecules

Used for cloning, mutation and expression of foreign genes

Host for bacteriophages (viruses that infect bacteria)

 

Agrobacterium tumefaciens

Transfer of foreign genes into plants

 

Corynebacterium glutamicum & other specialized strains

Industrial production e.g. amino acids

 

II. Eukaryotes

Saccharomyces cerevisiae (yeast)

Uses similar to those of E. coli

Production of eukaryotic proteins that are modified after synthesis (posttranslational modification)

Safe (used for centuries to produce foods)

 

Cultured plant or animal cells (e.g. tobacco, insect, and mammalian)

Production of modified eukaryotic proteins of higher eukaryotes

 

Vectors are used for:

1). cloning foreign gene(s) from a source organism

2). introducing foreign genes into cells

3). maintaining foreign genes in cells via replication

4). expression of foreign genes in cells

I. Viral Vectors

Viruses are obligate intracellular parasites and depend on their host cell for replication of thier genetic material and synthesis of viral proteins

 Virus  Host Cell
 Bacteriophage lambda  Bacterium (E. coli)
 Tobacco mosaic virus  Plant
 Baculovirus  Insect
 Vaccinia virus  Mammal

II. Plasmids

 

-Most vectors have been modified by genetic engineering to make them more useful and some are specialized for specific tasks

Ex. Cloning vectors

Expression vectors


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Last updated: August 11, 2008 /jdh