molecular cloning

(noun)

a biological method that creates many identical DNA molecules and directs their replication within a host organism

Related Terms

  • recombinant DNA
  • plasmid

Examples of molecular cloning in the following topics:

  • Molecular and Cellular Cloning

    • Molecular cloning reproduces the desired regions or fragments of a genome, enabling the manipulation and study of genes.
    • In general, the word "cloning" means the creation of a perfect replica; however, in biology, the re-creation of a whole organism is referred to as "reproductive cloning."
    • Long before attempts were made to clone an entire organism, researchers learned how to reproduce desired regions or fragments of the genome, a process that is referred to as molecular cloning.
    • Plasmids have been repurposed and engineered as vectors for molecular cloning and the large-scale production of important reagents such as insulin and human growth hormone.
    • This diagram shows the steps involved in molecular cloning, where regions or fragments of a genome are reproduced to allow the study or manipulation of genes and their protein products.
  • Genetic Engineering

    • In genetic engineering, an organism's genotype is altered using recombinant DNA, created by molecular cloning, to modify an organism's DNA.
    • Recombinant DNA technology, or DNA cloning, is the process of transferring a DNA fragment of interest from one organism to a self-replicating genetic element, such as a bacteria plasmid, which is called a vector.
    • The addition of foreign DNA in the form of recombinant DNA vectors generated by molecular cloning is the most common method of genetic engineering.
  • Reproductive Cloning

    • Reproductive cloning, possible through artificially-induced asexual reproduction, is a method used to make a clone of an entire organism.
    • Reproductive cloning is a method used to make a clone or an identical copy of an entire multicellular organism.
    • This idea forms the basis for reproductive cloning.
    • It can be used for either therapeutic cloning or reproductive cloning.
    • Dolly the sheep was the first mammal to be cloned.
  • Modern Applications of DNA

    • Reproductive cloning is a method used to make a clone or an identical copy of an entire multicellular organism.
    • In cloning both the original organism and the clone have identical DNA.
    • Cloning became an issue in scientific ethics when a sheep became the first mammal cloned from an adult cell in 1996.
    • There have been attempts at producing cloned human embryos as sources of embryonic stem cells, sometimes referred to as 'cloning for therapeutic purposes'.
    • Dolly the sheep was the first large mammal to be cloned.
  • Production of Vaccines, Antibiotics, and Hormones

    • Modern techniques use the genes of microorganisms cloned into vectors to mass produce the desired antigen.
    • Genes cloned from the influenza virus have been used to combat the constantly-changing strains of this virus.
    • The HGH gene was cloned from a cDNA library and inserted into E. coli cells by cloning it into a bacterial vector.
  • Gene Expression in Stem Cells

    • Embryonic cell lines and autologous embryonic stem cells generated through therapeutic cloning have also been proposed as promising candidates for future therapies.
    • It is possible that the molecular distinction between symmetric and asymmetric division lies in differential segregation of cell membrane proteins between the daughter cells.
  • Basic Techniques to Manipulate Genetic Material (DNA and RNA)

    • There are molecular-weight standard samples that can be run alongside the molecules to provide a size comparison.
    • PCR is used for many purposes in laboratories, such as the cloning of gene fragments to analyze genetic diseases, identification of contaminant foreign DNA in a sample, and the amplification of DNA for sequencing.
  • Molecular Analyses and Modern Phylogenetic Trees

    • The process of establishing relationships between organisms is increasingly becoming more accurate due to advances in molecular analysis.
    • Previously, phylogenetic trees were constructed based on homologous and analogous morphology; however, with the advances in molecular biology, construction of phylogenetic trees is increasingly performed using data derived from molecular analyses.
    • Many evolutionary relationships in the modern tree have only recently been determined due to molecular evidence.
    • Molecular data have also shed light on some differences within the lophotrochozoan group.
    • Distinguish between morphological and molecular data in creating phylogenetic trees of animals
  • Types of Sexual and Asexual Reproduction

    • Asexual and sexual reproduction, two methods of reproduction among animals, produce offspring that are clones or genetically unique.
    • Asexual reproduction produces offspring that are genetically identical to the parent because the offspring are all clones of the original parent.
  • Prokaryotic Reproduction

    • The prokaryote, now enlarged, is pinched inward at its equator and the two resulting cells, which are clones, separate.
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