Introduction
Today there is a small
permanent exhibit in the Smithsonian Institute that commemorates the beginning
of the "Biotechnology Revolution". The exhibit simply contains a lucite box, a power supply, a few
pipettes, and several test tubes. These items were used by Paul Berg to
artificially make the first recombinant DNA molecule. In this web hunt, you
will begin to research the story behind the biotechnology revolution.
Guiding Question
Why are we now in a
biotechnology revolution?
Questions
1. What is DNA?
2. How does DNA replicate?
3. The "central
dogma" in biology can be briefly described as follows: "DNA is
transcribed to RNA and RNA is translated to a protein." What happens
during transcription? What happens during translation?
4. Before Paul Berg did his
recombinant DNA, he needed two important molecular tools: plasmids and
restriction enzymes. What is a plasmid? What is a restriction enzyme?
5. How was Paul Berg able to
make a recombinant DNA?
6. What is cloning? And how
did recombinant DNA make cloning possible?
7. What is a recombinant DNA
organism?
8. What is a transgenic
organism?
9. What is gene therapy?
10. What was the purpose of
the human genome project?
Internet Resources
DNA
DNA Replication
Transcription
of DNA
Translation of DNA
Plasmids
The Restriction
Enzyme
More on the Restriction
Enzyme
Making
Recombinant DNA
More
About Making Recombinant DNA
Cloning
and Recombinant DNA
Recombinant DNA
Transgenic
Gene
Therapy
The
Human Genome Project
Activities
1. Make a diagram of the
structure of DNA and in your diagram illustrate the process of DNA replication.
2. Research how the first recombinant DNA organism was made. Who did it? When?
How?
3. In a paragraph describe the guidelines for DNA splicing that were developed in 1974. In your description you should
include reasons for the guidelines.
4. List five drugs that are on the market that are
from transgenic organisms. In your list include the name of the drug, the
company that makes it, and a sentence that describes its purpose.
5. Research a profitable biotechnology company such as AMGEN or GENENTECH. How
do they make a profit? What are their successful products? What types of
scientists do these companies hire? And what do these different scientists do?
6. Gene therapy is still in its infancy. Find two cases of gene therapy, one
successful and one unsuccessful. Write two paragraphs showing similarities and
differences between the two cases.
7. Make a time line listing the important accomplishments of the Human Genome
Project.
David Lauter,
Teacher, and Mitchell Yang, AP student, collaborated
to develop this web hunt.
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