Gene Transfer by Albert Kwan

albert1922 — 2013-02-14 19:26:45 UTC

Gene Transfer the process of genetic material (DNA) exchanging between two organisms.

albert1922 — 2013-02-15 19:16:01 UTC

There are actually two types of Gene Transfer, horizontal and vertical.

albert1922 — 2013-02-15 19:17:44 UTC

Vertical Gene Transfer is the natural process of genetic material being

moved into the offspring of two natural parents of the same species.

Horizontal gene transfer is when an organism incorporates genetic

material from another organism who is not their parent, in fact, the two

organisms are usually unrelated.

Conjugation

albert1922 — 2013-02-15 22:09:50 UTC

Conjugation is done through a conjugation pilus which carries a plasmid (a plasmid is a type of circular DNA that replicates independently of the chromosome) into another cell.

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There are three ways Gene Transfer can be carried out: conjugation, transformation, and transduction.

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Transformation

albert1922 — 2013-02-15 22:24:01 UTC

Transformation is when the DNA of one cell is moved directly into another in raw form. When one cell dies, it breaks apart, and a nearby cell can scavenge the raw DNA to incorporate into their own DNA, which may have advantageous effects.

Transduction

albert1922 — 2013-02-15 22:27:55 UTC

Transduction occurs when a bacteriophage injects its genetic material into a bacteria in an attempt to hijack the bacteria to start producing more bacteriophages. Sometimes, the bacteria survives this attempted hijacking, and incorporates the bacteriophage genetic material into its own. Then, as the cell produces more bacteriophages containing the cell’s genetic material, the cycle starts over again, with the bacteriophage which contains the bacteria’s genetic material injecting the genetic material into other bacteria for the other bacteria to incorporate into its system.

Gene Transfer Between Viruses

albert1922 — 2013-02-15 22:44:59 UTC

Gene Transfer also happens between viruses, for example, virus called Mimivirus infects amoebae. Another virus, called Sputnik, also infects amoebae, but it cannot reproduce unless mimivirus has already infected the same cell. Sputnik’s genome reveals further insight into its biology. Although 13 of its genes show little similarity to any other known genes, three are closely related to mimivirus genes, perhaps cannibalized by the tiny virus as it packaged up particles sometime in its history. This means that the Sputnik virus could perform horizontal gene transfer between viruses, similar to the way that bacteriophages transmit genes between bacteria.

Visual Explanation Of Transduction

albert1922 — 2013-02-16 15:31:26 UTC

Shown here is an actual microscopic picture of a Bacteriophage. You can see the capsid (the head) at the top, the viral DNA sheath (middle), and the tail fibers and base pin used for attachment to the cell.

albert1922 — 2013-02-16 23:26:50 UTC

Benefits Of Gene Transfer

albert1922 — 2013-02-16 23:44:26 UTC

Gene Transfer can be beneficial to the scientific world because scientists can now implant foreign genetic material into organisms other than bacteria, even some multi-celled plants and other organisms. This is so with plants because their chloroplasts are similar to older bacteria.

Bibliography

albert1922 — 2013-02-16 23:48:46 UTC

- Horizontal gene transfer - Wikipedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Horizontal_gene_transfer

- About Gene Transfer - eHow

http://www.ehow.com/about_4567954_gene-transfer.html
- Transformation (genetics) - Wikipedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transformation_(genetics)
- Transduction (genetics) - Wikipedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transduction_(genetics)
- Bacterial Conjugation (genetics) - Wikipedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bacterial_conjugation

- Retroviral Vector video - Youtube

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eS1GODinO8w

- Types of gene transfer video - Youtube

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7stZk6TesKk

Human Gene Transfer

albert1922 — 2013-02-16 23:50:43 UTC

Gene Transfer within Humans theoretically can be used to cure all illnesses. Ways of transfer include: using retroviral vectors (a retrovirus is a RNA virus that replicates in the host cell, it uses its own reverse transcriptase enzyme to produce DNA from its RNA genome, hence the name "retro"), using raw DNA, and using encapsulated DNA (DNA from a cell). When using retroviral vectors, scientists always use replication-defective vectors (as opposed to replication-competent), this is because replication-defective vectors can deliver their genetic payload to the cell without continuing the lytic cycle (the lytic cycle is how viruses propogate) leading to cell lysis and then death

Example Of Retrovirus In Action

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Ways Gene Transfer Can Occur

albert1922 — 2013-02-17 16:27:19 UTC

Bacterial Gene Transfer Providing Evolutionary Benefits

albert1922 — 2013-02-21 18:59:11 UTC

The Coffee Berry is a small beetle native to Africa. As scientists examined its genome they identified a beetle gene, HhMAN1, that codes for a protein called mannanase, which breaks down polysaccharide galactomannan (a complex sugar molecule) that is found in coffee beans. The genetic material of the Coffee Borer closely resembles the sequence of bacterial mannanase and it’s the first kind of this type that has been discovered in an insect. This means that the Borer can eat coffee beans and effectively digest the complex sugars thanks to the bacterial mannanase whose genetic material the Borer received through horizontal gene transfer. The method which the Coffee Borer has received the genes is still unknown.

albert1922 — 2013-02-22 19:14:54 UTC

Reverse Transcriptase Enzyme

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albert1922 — 2013-02-25 19:00:30 UTC

EXTRA BOX EXTRA BOX EXTRA BOX EXTRA BOX EXTRA BOX EXTRA BOX EXTRA BOX EXTRA BOX EXTRA BOX

albert1922 — 2013-02-25 19:06:34 UTC

YIPPITY-FRIGGIN-DO-DA-DAY

albert1922 — 2013-02-26 19:13:52 UTC