Tools of the modern gene engineer
A simple look at the gene engineers tool box
| Tools | specific tool | Generalized use | Gene engineering |
| Organisms | Metabolism |
Cloning DNA, Bio Safety, great, HV systems, genetic system |
|
|
Yeast |
fermentation | Cloning DNA, Expression Systems, Cell Division | |
|
Arabidopsis |
genetics, weed | Plant system, development | |
| fruit fly | genetic and population studies | Genetics known, Developmentatl system, Population | |
| Mouse | Human model | ||
| Nucleic Acids | Viral |
living entity | vector |
| Plasmid |
sex factors | vector | |
| Transposon |
drug resistance factors | major componant of vectors | |
| m RNA | c DNA | Expression | |
|
Chromosomes |
carry genes | BAC, YAC, etc | |
| Enzymes | Restriction Enzymes | restricting virus growth, barrier to crossing | cutting DNA, Mapping DNA |
| Ligase | DNA replication | Cloning DNA | |
| DNA polymerase | DNA replication | Sequencing DNA | |
| Reverse transcriptase | retro virus infection | cDNA | |
| Taq polymerase | DNA replication | PCR | |
| Chemistries | ethidium bromide | stain | DNA detection |
| alkylating agents | mutation | sequencing nucleic acids | |
| radioactive chemicals | metabolism | detection in nano to pico molar levels | |
| Machines | DC power supplies | electrophoresis | electroporation |
| Computers | data manipulation | Bioinformatics |
by Kenneth G. Wilson,
Professor of Botany
Miami University
wilsonkg@muohio.edu