Bacterial transformation and gene expression Lab Report

Bacterial transformation and gene expression - Lab Report Example This study looks into DNA as the blueprint of our life. Life without these molecules is not possible. DNA are transcribed into RNA and translated into proteins. These proteins are important for the biochemical functions of the cell. In bacteria, apart from DNA, there is extrachromosomal DNA called as plasmids. They are double stranded DNA which forms circles with size ranging from 1 kb to 200kb (kilobase). Plasmids are very advantageous for the genetic engineering. Plasmids code for many antibiotic regions and they have the ability to accept the gene of interest. The transformation of our gene of interest into the plasmid is called recombination and the bacteria are called recombinant bacteria. Thus plasmids can be used as cloning vehicles or vectors. These plasmids are not essential for the survival of bacteria, but in some instances, for survival in the different environments, they can provide some extra advantage. The best example is the survival of the bacterial cell in the prese nce of an antibiotic drug. Antibiotic resistant bacteria like Escherichia coli are used for the transformation of the gene of interest into the host cell. Transformation and cloning are the two important genetic engineering tools used for the expression of the foreign gene of interest in the given bacterial cell. Three conditions required for the transformation are: 1) the host into which the foreign DNA is inserted, 2) a method for the insertion of the DNA into the host cell, and 3) methods to identify the transformed cells and select them.