Nucleic Acid Polymers and Applications of Recombinant DNA Technology

Abstract

This chapter presents a concise introduction to nucleic acid polymers and the general techniques and applications of recombinant deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) technology. It describes the chemical structure of DNA which consists of a backbone of repeating pentose sugar rings, bridged with phosphate groups and with one of four possible bases (bicyclic purines or monocyclic pyrimidines) covalently attached to each sugar. The location and properties of DNA are described including how the basic chemical sequence determines the amino acid structure of proteins. Methods described include the synthesis of oligonucleotides, the polymerase chain reaction and the cloning of genes, which may be introduced into a cell or organism so that identical copies of the foreign DNA are perpetuated in the host. The use of these technologies in research and in industries such as health and agriculture is highlighted. The first self-replicating bacterial cell with a totally synthetic DNA genome is described, with the expectation that the new era of “synthetic biology” will allow complete control over design of the genome and the subsequent traits of the resultant organism. Progress and innovation in DNA sequencing indicates that cheap, rapid and high quality sequencing of individual genomes is achievable. This information could be included in health records and form part of a personalised health care system. As sequencing techniques continues to progress, along with improved interpretation of the sequences, individual health records may consist of multiple personal genomes to reflect the “mosaicism” that may occur in different tissues and in different populations of cells.