6.8 Biotechnology

Explain the use of genetic engineering techniques in analyzing or manipulating DNA.

• Genetic engineering techniques can be used to analyze and manipulate DNA and RNA.
  • i. Gel electrophoresis is a process that separat es DNA fragments by size and charge.
  • ii. During polymerase chain reaction (PCR), DNA fragments ar e amplified by denaturing DNA, annealing primers to the original strand, and extending the new DNA molecule.
  • iii. Bacterial transformation introduces foreign DNA int o bacterial cells.
  • iv. DNA sequencing technology determines the order of nucleotides in a DNA molecule. T ypically, these techniques result in a DNA fingerprint that allows for the comparison of DNA sequences from various samples.
  • Exclusion: Knowledge of the details of each of these genetic engineering techniques is beyond the scope of the AP Exam.