Bioteknologi: Rekayasa Genetika | Biologi SMA | Alternatifa

Summary

Genetic engineering, also known as recombinant DNA technology, involves manipulating DNA to create organisms with modified traits. One key application is producing insulin through bacteria. The process starts by isolating a gene from humans, such as the insulin gene, and inserting it into a bacterial vector (like a plasmid). This recombinant DNA is then transferred into bacteria, which are cloned and fermented to produce large quantities of insulin. The final product undergoes purification before being used for medical applications, helping patients with diabetes. This technology allows the mass production of substances that would otherwise be difficult or expensive to obtain.

Takeaways

• 😀 Genetic engineering, also known as recombinant DNA technology, involves manipulating DNA to create organisms with new traits or properties.
• 😀 The goal of genetic engineering is to produce organisms with altered characteristics, often using biotechnology to achieve the desired outcome.
• 😀 A common application of genetic engineering is the production of substances like insulin, which can be harvested in large quantities through genetically modified organisms.
• 😀 Instead of extracting insulin from animals like pigs or cows, scientists can insert the human insulin gene into bacteria, allowing them to produce insulin.
• 😀 The process begins by selecting a target organism (such as a bacterium) and isolating the gene of interest, such as the human insulin gene.
• 😀 This gene is inserted into a vector (often a plasmid), which is a DNA molecule that carries the genetic material into the target organism.
• 😀 Restriction enzymes are used to cut both the plasmid and the gene of interest, and then ligase enzymes are used to join them together, forming recombinant DNA.
• 😀 Once the recombinant DNA is formed, it is introduced into the target organism (e.g., bacteria), where it will be incorporated into the organism's genetic material.
• 😀 After introducing the recombinant DNA into the target organism, the organism is cloned and cultured to produce large quantities of the desired product, like insulin.
• 😀 The final product is purified, removing any unnecessary components, to create a pure form of insulin that can be used for medical purposes, such as treating diabetes.

Q & A

What is genetic engineering?

Genetic engineering is a technique used to manipulate DNA to alter the characteristics or traits of living organisms. It is often used to create organisms with new or enhanced properties.

What is recombinant DNA technology?

Recombinant DNA technology is the process of combining DNA from different organisms to produce new genetic combinations. This allows scientists to transfer specific genes, like the insulin gene, from one organism to another.

Why do we use genetic engineering to produce insulin?

Genetic engineering is used to produce insulin in large quantities because traditional methods, such as extracting insulin from animals like pigs or cows, yield very small amounts. By inserting the insulin gene into bacteria, large amounts of insulin can be produced.

How is the insulin gene transferred into bacteria?

The insulin gene is extracted from humans and inserted into bacteria using vectors, such as plasmids. The plasmid is cut with restriction enzymes, and the insulin gene is then inserted and joined with ligase enzymes to create recombinant DNA.

What is a vector in genetic engineering?

A vector is a carrier used to transfer genetic material into a target organism. In this case, plasmids are used as vectors to carry the insulin gene into bacteria.

What is a plasmid?

A plasmid is a small, circular DNA molecule found in bacteria. It is commonly used as a vector in genetic engineering to carry and introduce foreign DNA into cells.

What happens after the recombinant DNA is inserted into bacteria?

After the recombinant DNA is inserted into bacteria, the bacteria are cultured and multiplied, allowing them to produce large quantities of the desired protein, such as insulin.

What is the process of fermentation in genetic engineering?

Fermentation in genetic engineering involves growing bacteria that have been modified to produce a specific substance, like insulin, in large quantities. The bacteria are placed in a bioreactor to facilitate their growth and production of the desired protein.

What is the purpose of purifying the insulin produced by bacteria?

Purification is necessary to isolate the insulin from other substances produced by the bacteria. The purified insulin can then be used for medical treatments, such as for diabetes.

Why can't we simply use human insulin directly for large-scale production?

Using human insulin directly for large-scale production would be impractical and inefficient. It would require extracting insulin from human sources, which would be limited and not sufficient to meet the demand. Genetic engineering allows for large-scale production by bacteria, making it much more efficient.