8.17—Drug production using GM organisms

A desired gene is isolated, amplified and joined to a plasmid vector using restriction enzymes and ligase. The recombinant plasmid enters a microorganism, which is cultured in a fermenter to make the protein for purification.

Microbes grow rapidly and express the inserted gene at scale. The final product must still be isolated, purified and checked for safety and function.

A bacterial plasmid carrying the human insulin gene allows cultured bacteria to produce insulin, which is purified rather than administered with the whole bacterial culture.

A vector carries DNA but does not guarantee correct expression or a safe product. Separate gene insertion, culture, purification and quality control.