5.15 Genetically Modified Plants

• Maize
• Maize which is damaged by cork borer larvae reduces crop yield by 20%
• "BT", a bacteria that contains a chromosome with a gene that, when activated, produces "BT" toxins
• Can kill the cork borer larvae
• The DNA from the BT gene is cut with restriction enzymes
• isolates the desired gene
• Transferred to the cells of the maize plant via 'gene gun'
• Genegun fires a tiny golden pellet coated with DNA 
• DNA contains the desired BT gene
• Fired directly into young plant tissue
• The genetically modified tissue can be grown into new plants
• gives maize resistance againts damage from the cork borer larvae

5.14 Humulin

• The bacterial cell is transformed by the recombinant DNA
• Human DNA for the insulin gene is combined with the plasmid DNA
• A large population of the bacteria is injected into a fermenter
• Necessities
• Provides the right nutrients
• Controls the temperature
• Controls the pH level
• Controls the gases in the fermenting chamber
• Optimum temperature for bacterial growth > population increase + manifacture the protine insulin
• The insulin protein will be manufactured from the amino acid (nutrient protein) by the bacteria
• Necessary to remove the product to carry out purification by downstream processing
• This genetically engineered human insulin is called 'Humulin'

5.13 Recombinant DNA and Hosting Recombinant DNA

• Plasmid
• Found in bacterial cells
• Is a small circular piece of DNA
• Doesn't carry a lot genes
• Virus
• Contains Caspid
• protein shell
• Contains DNA/RNA
• A nucleic acid
• Has no nucleus or cytoplasm
• Human Chromosome 
• Identify the gene (Insulin- Hormone controling the blood sugar levels)
• The selected restriction enzyme cuts the DNA (Cuts the insulin gene)
• Cut the gene
• Isolate the plasmids and cut with the same enzyme
• the plasmids are now open allowing the insulin gene to be mixed
• Vector
• Transfers the gene into the plasmid
• The nucleic acid is removed from the virus to obtain the Caspid protein shell
• The virus takes the plasmids and acts as a vector for the recombiant DNA
• This helps transfer the DNA to the host
• Phage
• A type of virus
• Infects bacteria cells
• The virus is able to insert the recombinant DNA into the host cell by attaching itself to the cell membrane of the bacteria host
• the recombinant DNA and the human gene for insulin is now in the bacteria cell
• This is a combination called 'transgenic