Question

The first recombinant DNA was constructed by

• A. Stanley Cohen
• B. Herbert Boyer
• C. Both (a) and (b)
• D. Temin and Baltimore

Answer 1

The correct option is C Both (a) and (b)

Recombinant DNA refers to DNA that has been formed artificially by combining DNA segments from two or more than two organisms by using various enzymes.

Stanley Cohen and Herbert Boyer generated the first recombinant DNA molecule by combining a gene (DNA) from a bacterium with a plasmid (DNA) of Escherichia coli.

Boyer studied many restriction enzymes related to E.coli. These restriction enzymes were specific in cutting DNA strands in a particular manner.

Cohen worked on plasmids (extrachromosomal rings of DNA present in certain bacterial cells), isolated them from one bacterium and then reinserted them into another cell.

Working independently, Baltimore and Temin discovered reverse transcriptase, an enzyme that catalyses the synthesis of DNA from an RNA template.