There are several methods in which recombinant DNA is made: transformation, phage introduction, and non-bacterial transformation. The first step of transformation is to select a piece of DNA to be inserted into a vector. The second step is to cut the selected piece of DNA with a restriction enzyme and then ligate the DNA insert into the vector with DNA Ligase. The insert contains a selectable marker which allows for identification of recombinant molecules. This marker is often used so a host cell without a vector dies when exposed to a certain antibiotic, and the host with the vector will live because it has now become resistant. The most common example is a possible host cell of E. Coli. The selectable markers can be for antibiotic resistance, or any other characteristic which can distinguish transformed hosts from untransformed hosts. Non-bacterial transformation is another process very similar to transformation, except that it is non-bacterial and does not use bacteria such as E. Coli for the host. In this process, DNA is injected directly into the nucleus of the cell being transformed. The host cells are then bombarded with high velocity microprojectiles, such as particles of gold or tungsten that have been coated with DNA. Recombinant DNA works when the host cell expresses protein from the recombinant genes. Protein expression is solely expressed if there are expression factors that help the newly injected DNA. Problems may occur if the gene contains introns or contains signals which act as terminators to a bacterial host. This would result in premature termination for the cell, and therefore discontinue the protein processing. Recombinant DNA is so important to the future and has been gaining momentum especially in th... ... middle of paper ... ... () The drug that is being tested is called Diferuloylmethane with 500mg of curcumin. The process of this study’s phase 1 clinical trial was a study done over several months. Curcumin was taken once in the morning with an empty stomach. If there was no toxicity, curcumin was taken for three months. The dosage levels were 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 which correlated to 500, 1000, 2000, 4000, 8000, and 12000 mg/day, respectively. Patients would receive regular follow up appointments which included routine physical examination, weekly hemogram, and biweekly blood electrolytes study. Measurement or evaluation of the indicator lesions was done at least every 4 weeks. Tissue samples would be taken before and after the completion of the 3-month treatment. One of the two patients left developed frank malignancies during the treatment period and thus discontinued the use of curcumin.
In this essay, the author
- Explains that recombinant dna is made by a variety of methods, including transformation, phage introduction, and non-bacterial transformation.
- Explains that genetic engineering is one of the more prominent biotechnological uses and applications for such science.
- Explains the difference between biotechnology companies and pharmaceutical companies. biotechnology uses living organisms to make or modify products to improve a number of sectors.
- Explains that drug development can be divided into three phases: the preclinical phase and the investigational new drug process.
- Explains that the company's primary and secondary endpoints are to ensure the safety and dosage of the patients.
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- Ethics of Human Gene Therapyopinion essayAlthough the highly technical aspects of human gene therapy are somewhat complex, the basic concept is very straight forward. The goal of gene therapy is to correct mistakes that have occurred within the genetic material, or DNA, of the living cell. In very simple terms, DNA is often thought of as the "language" of the biological functioning of organisms. This language is organized by letters (nucleotide pairs), words (codons), sentences (genes), and books (genomes). Before being able to repair the damaged or defective genetic material, the location of the gene or genes causing the dysfunction in the individual must be determined.
In this essay, the author
- Explains that gene therapy is a technique which has developed in the wake of recombinant dna (rdna) technology.
- Explains the technical aspects of human gene therapy. the goal is to correct mistakes within the genetic material, or dna, of the living cell.
- Explains how recombinant dna technology allows scientists to analyze functions of genes which are not directly expressed at the phenotypic level.
- Explains that human gene therapy is carried out by removing cells from tissue and introducing a normal copy of the defective gene or genes into these cells. viruses are innately capable of transferring their own genetic material into their host.
- Explains that there are currently two types of gene therapy capable of human implementation: germinal and somatic.
- Analyzes the ethical aspects of gene therapy, stating that it is okay to use it to treat human genetic diseases. the catholic church has taken a stand for it.
- Explains that a special committee of the national academy of science was created to look into the consequences of releasing rdna engineered organisms in the environment.
- Explains that the debate over how to regulate research and development in this area has been ongoing since the advent of rdna technology in the early 1970's.
- Explains that the major concern at the time was the possible health risks to researchers and the public at large. however, there exists today a concern unique to the study of rdna and its related fields.
- Explains that rdna public health concerns no longer need be a major source of concern, as standard recombinant microbial strains have been handled safely and without incident.
- Opines that although the current regulations may not be perfect, they are all that we have. the u.s. department of agriculture responded to dr. miller's proposed steps by admitting that the developments in biotechnology have incredible potential for the enhancement of society.
- Opines that the development and use of gene therapy should be regulated, and who should do the regulating.
- Opines that the collective philosophy of all individuals affected by technological developments dictates the societal integration of those developments.
- Opines that by expressing their personal beliefs on gene therapy, they will contribute to the future of this technology.
- Opines that it is necessary to develop new laws and regulations to prevent industries and individuals from taking advantage of human gene therapy techniques.
- Opines that it is important to be selective and particular when deciding who should receive gene therapy treatments. mother nature has done well on her own for billions of years.
- Cites biotechnology industry organization, "biotechnology's impact on society" and "speaking the language of recombinant dna."
- Explains that kennedy, dr. donald, and leroy hood, eds, the code of codes. cambridge and london: harvard university press, 1993.
2330 wordsRead More - Genetic Manipulationanalytical essayRetroviral infection uses a virus, which contains the desired gene that will be incorporated into the organisms genome, to infect groups of embryos in culture in both prenatal and postnatal life. This method takes a lot of time and effort because the construction of the virus is quite complicated. Another effect of infection is that the information of the viruses may not always be incorporated into all the cultured cells, requiring out breeding of selected organisms to isolate those with the desired gene (Macer). Pronuclear microinjection is another method of genetic manipulation. Linear DNA fragments containing the desired gene are injected into the nucleus of a fertilized egg, where they will be incorporated at random locations. The desired gene will eventually be expressed in a percentage of resulting organisms. While relatively simple, there is still control over the expression rate of the genes or the disruption of genes vital to the organisms survival (Macer).
In this essay, the author
- Explains that in david brin's "the uplift war", humans have made dolphins and chimpanzees into thinking, sentient creatures through breeding and genetic engineering.
- Explains that retroviral infection uses a virus, which contains the desired gene, to infect groups of embryos in culture in both prenatal and postnatal life. nuclear transfer is the most efficient method of genetic manipulation
- Argues that the ethics of genetic manipulation in animals is not whether the methods are sound, but whether it is moral to do so in the first place.
- Explains that if genetically altered organisms were released into the wild, it could dramatically affect the ecosystem. reduction of diversity is another way in which the natural order would be affected.
- Analyzes brin's analysis of the consequences of genetic manipulation in raising a species into sentience.
- Cites brin, david, and brungs, robert, on the uplift war.
- Cites macer, darryl, and yep, philip tung. shaping genes, eubios ethics institute, 1990.
1442 wordsRead More - An Analysis of Human Immunodeficiency Virusexplanatory essay· When the viral DNA is inserted into the host's cell's DNA it forms a
In this essay, the author
- Explains the origin of the human immunodeficiency virus.
- Explains that aids originated in sub-saharan africa during the twentieth century. by the end of 2004, it was estimated that 40 million people were currently living with hiv.
- Explains that more than 6,000 people become infected with hiv every day. causative organisms hiv is a retrovirus.
- Explains that retroviruses are characterised as being responsible for long duration illnesses associated with a long period of incubation.
- Explains that the recognition of hiv coreceptors and progress in understanding how hiv fuses with the cell has opened up new possibilities for antiviral drugs.
- Explains that hiv enters the cell after fusion of the virus with the host cell. the rna is released and undergoes reverse transcription into dna.
- Explains that the enzyme integrase catalyzes this process, once the viral dna is integrated into the genetic material of the host.
- Explains that viruses assemble at the cell membrane into a new virus. hiv protease is required to process other hiv proteins into their functional forms.
- Explains the sexual behaviours that can transmit hiv: vaginal sex without a condom, infected fluid can pass into the woman's blood stream.
- Explains that some people have been infected through blood transfusions, blood products, vaginal secretion, breast milk, injecting drugs, mother to child transmission, and tattoos/piercing.
- Explains the most common clinical problems that hiv sufferers have, including weight loss, fungal nail infections, oral ulcers, herpes and chronic diarrhoea.
- Explains that opportunistic infections take advantage of the opportunity offered by a weakened immune system.
- Explains that the first symptoms of hiv infection can resemble common cold or flu viruses, and early infections can be similar to those of other sexually transmitted diseases.
- Explains that symptoms can occur within days or weeks of the initial exposure to the virus during a period called primary or acute hiv infection.
- Explains that the main type of treatment for hiv or aids is antiretroviral therapy.
- Explains that antiretroviral treatment is not a cure, but it can stop people from becomming ill for many years.
- Explains that antiretrovirals work against hiv infection by slowing down the replication of hiv in the body.
- Explains that when hiv replicates, there are many different strains of virus. occasionally, a new strain is produced that happens to be resistant to the effects of atr.
- Explains that there are four main groups of anti-hiv drugs. they are: nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors and non-nucleolar reverse transcriptionors inhibitor.
- Explains that protease inhibits the production of mature viral particles by preventing a special type of hiv protein from carrying out this process.
- Explains that entry inhibitors interfere with these proeins. they attach themselves to the cells surface and then fuse their envelope with the cell's membrane.
- Explains that hiv is a very dangerous virus that once infected, you will live with it for the rest of your life. however, there are medicines available that can help to extend your lives.
- Explains that hiv makes the immune system weak. hiv is increasing in number of infected people.
1309 wordsRead More - Genetic Manipulationopinion essayinto cells in order to provide a new set of instructions to those cells (Encarta). Gene therapy is
In this essay, the author
- Opines that the ethical and social questions that are raised by this procedure are likely to stem from it.
- Opines that it can do a great many good things for people, if used properly.
- Opines that "virtually every disease will have gene therapy as one of its treatments."
- Opines that predictive medicine is also a good thing.
- Opines that predispositions to certain diseases should not lead to the establishment of a genetic
- Opines that whether this should be regulated as public or private information is also an important topic.
- Opines that this information should not be transmitted through casual contact.
- Describes the applications of the right to tread on god's domain.
- Explains that genes, being part of the basic building blocks of man, control all aspects of one's life.
- Explains that genetic engineering is the scientific alteration of the structure of genetic material in living organisms. gene therapy is a form of gene manipulation in itself.
- Explains that genetic testing can be divided into two categories. the first is to look for characteristics of genetic diseases which are hereditary, and the second is used to show a person's "predisposition to certain diseases."
- Explains that medicine is start treatment for a disease that the patient does not have, but that he/she will possibly get in the future.
- Opines that genetic testing is a good thing to treat or cure people with certain diseases, but it should not be used to change the entire genetic make-up of an unborn child.
- Opines that all countries, including the least advanced ones, must be ensured of reaping the benefits from this process so that they can help to cure or find ways to treat.
- Opines that a limit should be put on genetic testing to ensure equal opportunities. the final stop on this "genetic manipulation bus" will be the abandonment of sex for procreation.
- Opines that there are no easy answers to these questions. nobel laureate james watson said, "we used to think our fate was in our stars.
1136 wordsRead More - Genetic Manipulation or Genetic Engineeringcomparative essayThe process of recombinant DNA technology (recDNA) manipulates DNA by the use of restriction enzymes, ligases and PCR (polymerase chain reaction). Sections of DNA are cut using restriction enzymes with the ‘desirable’ genes of species inserted into DNA of another species. Once inserted, the gene becomes part of the genetic material of that organism, but foreign gene will behave in the same way as it would in its own species. Some examples of transgenic animals include: genetically engineered salmon that possess gene coding for GH (growth hormone) and sheep with cysteine to enhance premium wool production or injected with gene responsible for producing a clotting factor (which administers to humans that suffer from haemophilia) in their milk etc.
In this essay, the author
- Explains that transgenic organisms boost certain characteristics beneficial to the human population and increase genetic variation in the short term.
- Explains that recombinant dna and transgenic organisms are expensive, time-consuming, and ethically harmful. genetically engineered salmon, for example, may be eliminated from the gene pool overtime.
- Concludes that the technology of transgenic organisms, animals in particular, has both advantages and disadvantages. when used appropriately, it has great potential to benefit society and environment.
- Explains the various forms of genetic manipulation, including transgenic organisms, cloning, and gene therapy.
944 wordsRead More - Is Sleeping Beauty Our Solution?explanatory essayAs stated by the Lister Hill National Center for Biomedical Communications (2014, Para 1), the three gene therapy approaches currently under investigation are the removal of a mutated gene causing impairment, replacement of a dysfunctional gene with a functioning copy and the introduction of a completely separate gene that may be capable of aiding the body in its fight against the disease.
In this essay, the author
- Explains that gene therapy is a procedure that applies genes to treat disorders, which have hereditary, viral or cancerous origin.
- Explains the three gene therapy approaches currently under investigation by the lister hill national center for biomedical communications.
- Explains that gene therapy is considered a risk and is trialed primarily on patients with incurable diseases.
- Explains how a four-year-old girl with ada was the first successful recipient of gene therapy. her treatment included the removal of white blood cells, insertion of genes into those cells and reinjection of the altered cells back into her body.
- Opines that if safe and effective non-viral delivery techniques were further developed, the range of medical diseases and conditions targeted by gene therapy would be significantly increased.
- Explains the mechanism of gene therapy necessitates gene delivery to the correct target cells, with minimal side effects and enduring expression of the inserted gene.
- Explains that transposons, discovered by barbara mcclintock in 1983, can be described as distinct components of dna, which are capable of movement between various chromosomal locations.
- Explains that dna transposons transpose via a cut and paste method that makes their participation in gene therapy particularly viable.
- Describes sleeping beauty as a dna transposon that was the first to be applied to vertebrate species inclusive of humans.
- Explains that the transposon would have easily moved around the chromosome causing many mutations. this undesirable property was negated by the development of the ‘sb transponon system’ in 1997.
- Explains that the transposition of sleeping beauty allows the duplication of the thymine-adenine (ta) dinucleotide upon cutting.
- Explains that the sleeping beauty transposable element and its transposition are depicted in figure 1.
- Explains that statistically significant studies were conducted with the aim of creating permanent expression in human cord blood stem cells, but many problems were encountered.
- Explains that vandendriessche et al. reported the possibility of utilizing non-viral genes with transposons and pluripotent stem cells.
- Explains that the efficiency of transposon arrangements like sleeping beauty and piggybac were being studied in ex vivo adult hematopoietic, mesenchymal and pluripotent stem cells, with significant results.
- Explains that transposons must be deposited into cells via gene delivery, whether it is a viral or non-viral approach. electroporation appears to have overcome the difficulty of transfecting human primary cells.
- Opines that non-viral vectors are easier to manufacture, do not provoke immune sensitivity, and store well over time, but it is essential for gene repair to undergo exact reduplication and integrate efficiently before the technology is applied to our medical capabilities.
- Explains that sleeping beauty has established itself as a possible substitute for viral gene therapy, but we are yet to account for the mechanism of divergent cells displaying different rates of dna repair and the formation of indiscriminate mutations within the genome.
- Describes the recent developments in transposon-mediated gene therapy.
- Explains that lister hill national center for biomedical communications (2014). genetics home reference – gene therapy.
- Explains the potential of transposons for gene therapy and generation of induced pluripotent stem cells.
1374 wordsRead More - Genetic Cloningcomparative essay...y into a cell it usually will not function the desired way. Instead, a carrier called a vector is genetically engineered to deliver the gene. Certain viruses are often used as vectors because they can deliver the new gene by infecting the cell. The viruses are modified so they can’t cause disease and will not be fought off by the patient’s immune system. The vector can be injected or given by IV directly into a specific place in the patient’s body. The vector can also be introduced after , a sample of the patient’s cells are removed and exposed to the vector in a lab. The cells with the vector are then returned to the patient.
In this essay, the author
- Explains that cloning is a process that creates exact genetic copies of an existing cell.
- Describes how gene cloning works by isolating the desired gene and 'cutting' it from the original chromosome using restriction enzymes.
- Explains reproductive cloning, which is performed for the purpose of creating a duplicate copy of another organism.
- Explains the advantages and disadvantages of cloning in the medical field. animal models are genetically engineered to carry disease-causing mutations in their genes.
- Explains that cloning can be different from what the public perceives it to be. many believe that an organism is a carbon copy of the original with the same personality, traits and even genes expressed.
- Explains that stem cells are specialized cells that are distinguished from other cell types by two important characteristics. they are unspecialized and can divide themselves through mitosis, even after long periods of inactivity.
- Explains that stem cells live in specialized microenvironments called niches, which provide support and signals to the stem cell to self-renew and differentiate.
- Compares embryonic stem cells and induced pluripotent stem (ips) cells. both offer the same possiblities for medical advancement but both suffer ethical controversy.
- Explains that gene therapy is the practice of adding genes into cells in place of a missing or defective gene to correct genetic disorders or to create beneficail proteins.
- Explains that gene therapy is the only currently feasible way of curing the disease, by replacing the defective gene with a healthy copy. gene therapy also offers the possiblity of countering genetic disorders.
- Describes the process of gene therapy, which involves identifying the desired gene, duplicating it, and inserting it into the human genome.
- Concludes that all three practices offer the opportunity for great medical advancement but struggle with ethical issues and possible risks as well as questions of their viablity as legitimate treatments to benefit medical problems.
1547 wordsRead More - Gene Therapy Focusing on Hemophiliaexplanatory essayEither transduction or transfection can be used to get the therapeutic genes into the patients system. Transfection is when the genes are introduced physically or chemically in a way that allows the cell membrane to be temporarily permeable to a foreign DNA. In the second method used for gene therapy, transduction, there is a beneficial gene added into the genetic material of the virus, which then is allowed to infect the target cell which is the indirect transfer method for gene therapy.
In this essay, the author
- Explains the three basic forms of gene therapy: gene inactivation therapy, gene augmentation therapy, and gene replacement therapy.
- Explains that transduction and transfection can be used to get therapeutic genes into the patient's system. transfection allows the cell membrane to be temporarily permeable to a foreign dna.
- Describes four successful gene therapy treatments, including correcting hemophilia, bone marrow transplants, skin cancer, and vessel growth.
- Explains that gene therapy began in the late 1980's, which was unsuccessful. the death of university of pennsylvania trial participant, jesse gelsinger was followed by public outcry and legal problems that put an immediate halt on all gene therapy research.
- Explains that each of these gene therapy procedures was first tested on animals. the results showed that the blood-clotting times decreased from more than an hour down to about 15-20 minutes.
- Explains that gene therapy that treats hemophilia has been an increasingly popular method to cure the disease.
- Explains the basic steps used in gene therapy. the desired gene must first be isolated and then transferred into the cell. fusion, chemical injections, physical methods, and vector viral use are available.
- Opines that there are concerns in gene therapy when added to other forms of technology that the world may end up all in the same.
- Cites henahan, sean, maltin, liza jane, friedman, yali, and levine, louis.
814 wordsRead More - Gene Therapy: the Danger of Enhancementanalytical essayGene therapy involves the transfer of genetic material into the cells of an organism in order to cause a specific protein to be produced or in order to cease the production of a specific protein. This procedure usually involves transferring a specific gene into host cells to be incorporated into the chromosomal DNA of the host and later to be expressed. However, according to Dorothy Bonn, the future of gene therapy may also include the use of antisense DNA strands to disrupt expression of a gene or the use of homologous recombination to alter host DNA (1996). In medical terms Jeffrey Leiden, M.D. (1995) defines gene therapy as, "the introduction and expression of recombinant genes in...
In this essay, the author
- Opines that gene therapy has the potential to revolutionize modern medicine, but there are still many problems which must be solved before it will live up to its potential.
- Explains that gene therapy is an extremely hot field in medical technology right now with nih spending $200 million per year on research and clinical trials and private industry spending about the same amount.
- Argues that germ-line gene therapy could be put under positive control and thus be inducible rather than permanent.
- Argues that in order to promote a more educated culture ready to accept medical gene therapy, we must prevent applied research which has enhancement technology as its goal.
- Argues that the use of gene therapy affects not only the individual, but all of society. fletcher points out that meaningful moral lines between acceptable and unacceptable research and clinical practices have emerged.
- Argues that drawing ethical lines at germ-line therapy avoids questioning ethically dubious possibilities for gene therapy — uses of the technology for human enhancement.
- Explains that human gene therapy: why draw a line? journal of medicine and philosophy.
- Explains that gene therapy involves the transfer of genetic material into the cells of an organism in order to cause a specific protein to be produced or to cease the production of the protein.
- Opines that gene therapy will be a reality in the not-so-distant future. it could cure inherited genetic disorders such as huntington's disease and cystic fibrosis.
- Explains that the majority of the ethical consideration surrounding gene therapy has centered on germ-line therapy.
- Argues that the rac should be more concerned with defining the use of gene therapy for enhancement as unethical and detrimental to the medical possibilities.
- Explains the definition of 'enhancement', which includes obesity, myopia, color-blindness, and left-handedness. modern medicine is awakening to the fact that everyone has some genetic anomaly.
- Cites bonn, dorothy, and coghlan, andy, for their articles on antisense therapy and the hidden costs of a clean inheritance.
- Analyzes donegan, craig, fletcher, john c., leiden, jeffrey m, marshall, eliot, and marshall.
- Analyzes voelker, rebecca, wivel, nelson a., and walters. the genetic revolution: despite perfection of elegant techniques, ethical answers still elusive.
3909 wordsRead More - Genetic Engineeringexplanatory essayGenetic engineering and stem cell technology are important aspects of biotechnology. Genetic engineering is the manipulation of a gene by means other than natural reproduction. Stem cell technology uses stem cells that won’t be rejected by the immune system, can divide almost indefinitely, and can differentiate easily into other cells for various purposes. These branches of biotechnology can be applied to the field of medicine to make advancements in the treatment of diseases and the repair of injuries. For example, genetic engineering and stem cell technology are being used in the treatment of spinal cord injuries in rats to find a procedure that can be further applied to the treatment of human spinal cord damages. Two particularly imperative and useful categories of biotechnology include genetic engineering and stem cell technology.
In this essay, the author
- Explains that genetic engineering and stem cell technology are important aspects of biotechnology. genetic engineering is the manipulation of a gene by means other than natural reproduction.
- Explains that genetic engineering involves the manipulation of genes by methods other than standard reproduction.
- Explains that stem cell technology requires the use of stem cells that can divide nearly indefinitely and yield specialized cells.
- Explains how genetic engineering and stem cell technology can aid in the discovery of cures for diseases and other bodily damages. neural stem cells were collected from the spinal cord tissue of aborted human fetuses and implanted in test rats.
- Explains that both genetic engineering and stem cell technology are essential branches of biotechnology.
948 wordsRead More