Green Fluorescent Protein Lab Report

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In the “Transformation with Green Fluorescent Protein (GFP)” lab there were two samples of bacteria. One of which had been exposed to the GFP (+DNA) and one that was not (-DNA). The two DNA samples were subjected to a heat shock process. Both tubes incubate on ice for 10 minutes and are then are placed in a 42* C water bath for 90 seconds. Immediately after that transfer the tubes back to the ice for 2 minutes after that the tubes are put into a 37* C water bath. The heat shock process facilitates the entry of the plasmid into the bacteria. The plasmid carries the GFP and the antibiotic resistance genes. The samples were placed on one of four petri dishes labeled; -DNA, -DNA/AMP, +DNA/AMP, and +DNA/+AMP/+IPTG. AMP or ampicillin is an antibiotic …show more content…

The growth on the -DNA petri dish was more than 300 colonies of bacteria, the -DNA/+AMP had no growth, the +DNA/+AMP had a total of 3 colonies, and the +DNA/+AMP/+IPTG had 2 fluorescent green colonies. The results obtained were expected. The -DNA dish was expected to have a lot of growth due to the lack of the AMP. The -DNA/+AMP dish was expected to have no growth due to the -DNA not being exposed to the plasmid so it could not have developed a defence against the AMP. The +DNA/+AMP was expected to have some growth due to +DNA being transformed with the antibiotic resistance genes. The +DNA/+AMP/+IPTG was expected to have very little growth due to both genes, GFP and the antibiotic resistance genes, having to be transformed. One experimental error that could have caused the results to be unexpected is the amount of time the petri dishes were incubated for. Some groups were not able to complete the full 30 minutes. The technology demonstrated in the lab is used in genetic engineering. Scientists use this in gene therapy.Gene therapy is used to change a broken gene. Many organisms are subjected to gene therapy including humans. The inserted gene comes from a donor with the normal gene. The gene is inserted to a plasmid and then into the patient. The plasmid replicates along with normal gene. The patient could have a cancer causing gene. Gene therapy would be able to insert a normal gene and prevent the

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