30 Questions
What were the primary gasses enveloping Earth during its transformation from a ball of gas and dust to liquid rock?
Carbon dioxide, nitrogen, and sulfur
What event is known for causing a drastic change in the chemical composition of Earth's atmosphere?
Great Oxygenation Event
During which eon did the Earth cool down to form its crust?
Hadean Eon
Which era was greatly impacted by the movement of tectonic plates forming the supercontinent Rodinia?
Proterozoic Era
What caused the Earth to become more conducive to life and allowed single-celled cyanobacteria to exist?
Cooling down of molten rock and changing gasses
What caused a higher concentration of oxygen that led to the killing of many species of bacteria and protists?
Production of oxygen by primitive cyanobacteria
What is the primary purpose of recombinant DNA technology?
To create DNA molecules by combining genetic material from different sources
What is the role of ligation in the process of creating recombinant DNA?
Ligation is the process of joining the gene of interest with the vector
Which technique is used to insert the recombinant DNA into the host cell?
Heat shock or electroporation
What is the purpose of using antibiotic resistance genes in the recombinant DNA process?
To provide visible proof of the presence of the desired gene in transformed cells
What is the purpose of sequencing the gene in the recombinant DNA process?
To determine the primary structure of the protein encoded by the gene
Which technique is used to distinguish DNA fragments of different lengths?
Electrophoresis
What is the primary purpose of DNA cloning?
To create multiple copies of a specific gene
Which of the following is NOT a component used in the formation of recombinant DNA?
DNA polymerase
What is the role of a plasmid in DNA cloning?
To serve as a vector for inserting the gene of interest
What is the function of a restriction enzyme in the formation of recombinant DNA?
To cut the plasmid vector at specific sites
What is the purpose of transferring the recombinant plasmid into a host cell?
To replicate the recombinant plasmid and produce multiple copies
What is the difference between a plasmid and a recombinant plasmid?
A recombinant plasmid contains foreign DNA inserted into a plasmid vector
What is the purpose of choosing an appropriate vector in genetic engineering?
To ferry the desired DNA sequence into a host cell
What is the role of restriction enzymes in genetic engineering?
To cut the gene of interest leaving sticky ends
What is meant by a vector in the context of genetic engineering?
A vehicle used to ferry DNA sequence into a host cell
How does the bacterium assist in the production of identical cells with the recombinant plasmid?
By dividing multiple times
What is the function of a restriction endonuclease (REase) in genetic engineering?
To cleave out the vector for gene insertion
Why are complementary sticky ends left on either side of the DNA fragment after cutting by restriction enzymes?
To facilitate insertion of the gene back into the bacterial cell
What is the significance of Proterozoic Rocks in relation to the evolution of life?
They are believed to be the first rocks to contain multicellular organisms.
What distinguishes the Ediacaran Period from previous beliefs about early life forms?
It was believed to have only simple animal species but recent evidence suggests more complex species.
In relation to early chordates, what is significant about Pikaia gracilens?
It is the earliest known fossil chordate.
What do researchers suggest about a 1 billion-year-old fossil found in the Canadian Arctic?
It was of an ancient microscopic fungus.
What sets Coronacollina acula apart from other organisms of its time?
It was a multicellular organism with a skeleton.
Why is Arandaspis notable in the context of early fish evolution?
It marks the earliest appearance of fish in the Ordovician Period.
Study Notes
Genetic Engineering and Recombinant DNA Technology
- Genetic engineering involves isolating a desired gene, inserting it into a vector, and transferring it to a host cell.
- The goal is to confer a desired trait to the host organism.
- Examples include inserting genes for pest resistance into plants or producing proteins in bacteria.
Steps in Genetic Engineering
- Choose the desired gene of interest and isolate it.
- Cut the gene of interest using restriction enzymes, leaving complementary sticky ends.
- Select an appropriate vector (e.g., plasmid or virus) and cut it with the same restriction enzyme.
- Join the gene of interest to the vector using DNA ligase, creating a recombinant DNA molecule.
- Transfer the recombinant DNA molecule into a host cell.
- Select transformed cells that contain the desired trait.
- Sequence the gene to determine the primary structure of the protein.
Formation of Recombinant DNA
- Recombinant DNA is constructed by mixing DNA from two different sources.
- A bacterial plasmid is typically used as a vector.
- A restriction enzyme is used to cut the plasmid at specific sites.
- The gene of interest is isolated, and DNA ligase joins the sticky ends of the vector and the gene of interest.
Plasmids
- A plasmid is a small, circular DNA strand found in bacteria.
- Plasmids are used in laboratory manipulation of genes.
History of Life on Earth
- The Earth's age is divided into four eons: Hadean, Archean, Proterozoic, and Phanerozoic.
- The Hadean Eon (4.5-4.0 billion years ago) was characterized by a partially molten surface, volcanism, and asteroid impacts.
- The Archean Eon (4,000-2,500 million years ago) saw the emergence of single-celled cyanobacteria.
- The Proterozoic Eon (2.5 billion-542 million years ago) was marked by the "Great Oxygenation Event" and the production of oxygen by cyanobacteria.
Evolution of Life
- The production of oxygen led to the death of many species of bacteria and protists.
- New types of organisms evolved using biochemical adaptations to survive the presence of oxygen.
- The first multicellular organisms, aerobic eukaryotes, dominated.
- Fossil records show evidence of primitive life-forms, such as bacteria and blue-green algae, in Proterozoic rocks.
- The Ediacaran Period saw the emergence of more complex animal species.
- The oldest known fossil chordate is Pikaia gracilens.
Learn about the processes of isolating a specific gene and making copies of that gene, known as DNA cloning, as well as the construction of recombinant DNA by combining DNA from different sources. Explore the advancements in gene manipulation in the lab.
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