Microbiology - Restriction Enzymes: Introduction and Functions

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Which of the following is the primary purpose of using antibiotic resistance to select cells during cloning?

To provide a nutritional supplement for the transformed cells
To kill off any untransformed cells that do not contain the plasmid
To ensure that only the transformed cells containing the plasmid are able to grow and multiply (correct)
To induce the expression of the cloned gene in the transformed cells

In the context of cloning, what is the purpose of blue-white screening?

To amplify the cloned DNA fragment using PCR
To visually identify the colonies that contain the cloned gene of interest (correct)
To ensure the transformed cells are resistant to the antibiotic
To determine the concentration of the cloned DNA fragment

Which of the following is the primary function of restriction enzymes in the context of cloning?

To amplify the cloned DNA fragment using PCR
To protect the host cells from the introduction of foreign DNA
To select for the transformed cells containing the cloned gene
To cut the donor DNA into smaller fragments for insertion into the vector (correct)

How does bacterial protection from foreign DNA, such as through the use of restriction enzymes, help in the cloning process?

It allows for the selective growth of only the transformed cells (B) Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following techniques is most commonly used to transfer recombinant DNA (rDNA) into host cells during the cloning process?

Electroporation (A) Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is the primary purpose of using PCR in the context of cloning?

To amplify the cloned DNA fragment to increase the quantity for analysis (A) Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is the primary purpose of using restriction enzymes in recombinant DNA technology?

To cleave the DNA fragment at specific sequences (D) Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary mechanism by which bacteria protect themselves from the effects of their own recombinant DNA?

Methylation of DNA sequences recognized by restriction enzymes (D) Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is the primary method used to transfer recombinant DNA into a host cell during the cloning process?

Chemical transformation (A) Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is the most common selection method used to identify bacterial cells that have successfully incorporated recombinant DNA?

Blue-white screening (A) Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following enzymes is primarily responsible for ligating the DNA fragment into the vector during the construction of recombinant DNA?

DNA ligase (B) Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is the primary purpose of using the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) in recombinant DNA technology?

To amplify the desired DNA fragment for cloning (B) Signup and view all the answers

Which statement about restriction enzymes and the generation of sticky or cohesive ends is correct?

Sticky ends are produced when restriction enzymes cleave DNA in a staggered manner, leaving short single-stranded overhangs. (B) Signup and view all the answers

How do bacteria protect their own DNA from cleavage by restriction enzymes like EcoRI?

Bacteria modify their DNA by methylating specific nucleotides within the restriction enzyme recognition sequence, preventing cleavage. (B) Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following statements about the transfer of recombinant DNA (rDNA) to cells is correct?

Electroporation and microinjection are two techniques used to introduce rDNA into eukaryotic cells, while transformation is used for prokaryotic cells. (B) Signup and view all the answers

In the context of cloning, what is the purpose of selection during the process of transferring rDNA to cells?

Selection identifies cells that have successfully taken up the rDNA construct, allowing for their isolation and further propagation. (A) Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following statements about the use of enzymes in biotechnology is correct?

All of the above statements about the use of enzymes in biotechnology are correct. (D) Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following statements regarding bacterial transformation is correct?

A bacterial cell that is capable of undergoing transformation is referred to as 'competent', meaning it can take up exogenous DNA. (B) Signup and view all the answers

Antibiotic Resistance Selection

A process in cloning that uses antibiotic resistance to selectively allow only transformed cells containing the plasmid to grow and multiply.

Blue-White Screening

A technique in cloning that visually distinguishes colonies containing the desired cloned gene by their color. Colonies with the gene are white, while those without are blue.

Restriction Enzymes

Enzymes used in cloning to cut DNA at specific sequences, creating smaller fragments for insertion into a vector.

Bacterial Protection from Foreign DNA

Bacteria's natural defense mechanism against foreign DNA, like restriction enzymes, is crucial for cloning because it selects for transformed cells.