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being studied. For example, if we bacterium and put them into the
were studying a gene that turns DNA of another. Because we have
house-flies orange, we would call to separate the genes we want
the normal-looking ones the wild- from the first bacterium and then
type. re-combine them into the second,
we call the DNA we create
Modern Genetics recombinant.
Genes are the stuff of life. To cut genes out of a strand of
Naturally, current genetic research DNA, geneticists use an extremely
is extremely relevant and exciting. useful tool called restriction
Advances in genetics include better enzymes. Restriction enzymes cut
treatments of diseases, more DNA at specific points (specific
productive agriculture, and sequences of DNA). There are
improved crime-fighting. However, more than 3,000 known restriction
as we learn to control the basic enzymes. Because we know where
units of life we begin to walk into theses restriction enzymes cut the
ethical grey-zones. Should humans DNA, we can use them to cut the
be able to clone themselves? specific section of DNA we want to
Should we be able to choose what re-combine. Restriction enzymes’
traits we want our children to ability to cut DNA at specific
have? These are questions that still sequences makes them an
need to be answered. As we reap important part of the process of
the benefits of our control, we creating recombinant DNA.
must still ask ourselves—at each
step—whether what we are doing
is ethically correct. The Human Genome
Project
How to cut and paste
genes A genome is all the genetic
information of an organism. The
We can manipulate DNA to get
human genome is all of the genetic
proteins we want, and even entire
information that humans have—all
organisms we want.
that makes us human.
This is done by creating
The Human Genome Project,
recombinant DNA. Recombinant
completed in 2003, was an
DNA is DNA from multiple sources.
international effort to identify and
For example, we can take genes
(that is, a piece of DNA) from one
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