What is gene splicing used for?
What is gene splicing used for?
Splicing: The process in which introns are removed to produce mature messenger RNA that is generally composed of only exons is called splicing
Gene splicing: It is a post-transcriptional modification in which introns, the non-coding regions of genes, are excised out of the primary messenger RNA transcript and the exons (i.e., coding regions) are joined together to generate mature messenger RNA which serves as the template for the synthesis of a specific protein.
Uses of gene-splicing technology:
1. Vaccines have been produced. DNA from a virus can be spliced into the genome of a harmless strain of bacterial strain. When the bacteria produced the viral protein, this protein can be harvested. Since bacteria grow quickly and easily, a large amount of this protein can be extracted, purified, and used as a vaccine. It is introduced into an individual by injection, which will elicit an immune response. When a person is infected with a virus by natural exposure, a rapid immune response can be initiated due to the initial inoculation.
2. Another application of gene spicing technology is related to the gene involved in Vitamin B production. This gene has been removed from a carrot's genome and spliced into the genome of rice. The genetically engineered recombinant rice strain, therefore, is modified to produce Vitamin B. This can have many health-related benefits, particularly in third-world countries that rely on rice as a major food source and do not have access to food sources rich in vitamins.
Splicing: The process in which introns are removed to produce mature messenger RNA that is generally composed of only exons is called splicing
Gene splicing: It is a post-transcriptional modification in which introns, the non-coding regions of genes, are excised out of the primary messenger RNA transcript and the exons (i.e., coding regions) are joined together to generate mature messenger RNA which serves as the template for the synthesis of a specific protein.
Uses of gene-splicing technology:
1. Vaccines have been produced. DNA from a virus can be spliced into the genome of a harmless strain of bacterial strain. When the bacteria produced the viral protein, this protein can be harvested. Since bacteria grow quickly and easily, a large amount of this protein can be extracted, purified, and used as a vaccine. It is introduced into an individual by injection, which will elicit an immune response. When a person is infected with a virus by natural exposure, a rapid immune response can be initiated due to the initial inoculation.
2. Another application of gene spicing technology is related to the gene involved in Vitamin B production. This gene has been removed from a carrot's genome and spliced into the genome of rice. The genetically engineered recombinant rice strain, therefore, is modified to produce Vitamin B. This can have many health-related benefits, particularly in third-world countries that rely on rice as a major food source and do not have access to food sources rich in vitamins.
