The Use of Recombinant DNA

The Use of Recombinant DNA

I agree that recombinant DNA benefits humans only to a certain extent

though. During the late 1960s and early 1970s a series of independent

discoveries made in rapid succession yielded a new technology whereby

humans have the capability to manipulate and direct the very evolution

of life itself. This is accomplished through the process of gene

splicing (Recombinant DNA). There are four essential elements of the

process: a method of breaking and joining DNA molecules from different

sources, a gene carrier that can replicate both itself and the foreign

DNA, a means of introducing the foreign DNA into a functional bacteria

cell, and a method of selecting from a large population the cells

which carry the foreign DNA.

Using procedures like recombinant DNA, many human genes have been

cloned in E. coli or in yeast. This was made possible for the first

time to produce unlimited amounts of human proteins. Cultured cells

(E. coli, yeast, mammalian cells) transformed with the human gene are

being used to manufacture: insulin for diabetics, human growth hormone

(GH) GH from domestic mammals like cows and pigs does not work in

humans. So for many years, the only source of GH for therapy was that

taken out from the glands of human cadavers. But this supply was shut

off when several patients died from a rare neurological disease

attributed to contaminated glands. Now, thanks to recombinant DNA

technology, recombinant human GH is available. While a great benefit

to patients suffering form GH deficiency, there has also been pressure

to use it to stimulate growth in youngsters who have no deficiency but

whose parents want them to grow up tall, erythropoietin (EPO) People

with failing kidneys can be kept alive by dialysis. But dialysis only

cleanses the blood of wastes. Without a source of EPO, these patients

suffer from anaemia. Now, thanks to recombinant DNA technology,

recombinant human EPO is available to treat these patients, for

treating anaemia, tissue plasminogen activator (TPA) for dissolving

blood clots, angiostatin and endostatin for trials as anti-cancer