Expression cloning involves reproducing a segment of DNA and implanting it into a cell for study. It is used in scientific research and can be combined with recombinant DNA technology. Unlike reproductive cloning, it does not create a viable organism and is sometimes considered acceptable for ethical reasons.
Expression cloning is a form of cloning in which a scientist reproduces DNA of particular interest and implants it into a cell so that the DNA can be studied in action to learn more. While the term “cloning” often evokes an image of reproductive cloning, in which a genetic copy of a living organism is created, expression cloning only clones a segment of DNA, not an entire organism. It is used in scientific research and has contributed significantly to many studies in the field of DNA and the genome of living organisms.
In expression cloning, a scientist first selects a segment of DNA of interest, then attaches it to a plasmid that can penetrate a cell to transport the DNA inside. These plasmids are known as cloning vectors or expression vectors. Once a cell has been transfected, as this process is called, the scientist can grow the cell to create numerous cloned cells that can be further studied. Each cloned cell will follow the instructions in the introduced DNA, producing a response that can be analyzed in the laboratory.
This type of cloning can also be combined with recombinant DNA technology, in which a section of the DNA is altered for scientific study. Using this technique, a researcher could do something like change the proteins expressed by a particular segment of DNA to understand how an organism becomes resistant to antibiotics. Expression cloning can also be used to create a library of cloned DNA that can be distributed to other laboratories for further study.
Scientists can also create an assortment of clones, each expressing a specific protein, in search of a particular gene. In these cases, the cells can be grown and then studied, isolating the cells that produce the relevant gene for further study. One could think of this type of study as a series of dessert recipes that one experiments to find a dessert with the desired properties.
Unlike reproductive cloning, expression cloning does not produce a viable organism, only a small section of DNA. For people who struggle with the ethical issues involved in reproductive cloning, expression cloning is sometimes considered acceptable, because it doesn’t create something that could be considered “alive.” Expression cloning can also be used in therapeutic cloning and will theoretically play a role in gene therapy, should gene therapy become viable.
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