TASK: Research the bio-engineering technique

Gene transfer- taking a gene out of on organism and putting it into another organism is called gene transfer.

Simple summary steps as to how this is done:

First we need to CUT the section of the DNA to get the gene that we need and then PASTE the gene into the organism that we are transferring the gene to: (The cutting and pasting process is known as GENE SPLICING)

The ‘scissor’s used for cutting these base sequences are in fact enzymes. To be exact they are called restriction enzymes (molecular scissors) called endonucleases. 

They find and recognize the specific sequence of base pairs on the DNA molecule. Then they cut the DNA at the specific points (normally about four to six base pairs long). The gene is cut and then it is released and then is removed from the donor organism. 

After cutting the PASTING is done by another enzyme called DNA ligase. It recognizes the parts of the base sequences that have to be stuck together (sticky ends) and attached them to the plasmid (circular DNA found in bacteria) or chromosome of the new organism. 

The DNA of the plasmid or chromosome is usually cut with the same restriction enzyme used to cut the DNA from the first organism in order to make room for the gene that is going to be transferred. 

(Also the fact that both DNA where cut from the same restriction enzyme implies that the sticky ends will have the same DNA code as the end of the going to be pasted gene: thus allows the stranded to be more easily matched up) 

Then the enzyme LIGASE is used to join the join between the transferred gene and the plasmid or chromosome.

NOTE: restriction enzymes will work on DNA from other organisms because DNA is chemically identical as the bases are always the same (it is just the order of bases that varies).

Now the next step is copying DNA (or DNA cloning): now a HOST cell is needed. Cells such as yeast cells can be used but the most popular is E. coli (a type of bacteria). In which case is Escherichia coli is used, gene splicing involves plasmid. 

Once the gene has been transferred to the plasmid the plasmid with the new gene is called a recombinant plasmid.  This recombinant plasmid is then used as a vector to introduce this new gene into an organism’s genome.

The recombinant plasmid is then placed inside the host bacterium and to encourage growth and reproduction it is put in ideal conditions. (Such as putting in a bioreactor where the bacterium will be in a liquid that is full of nutrients and kept at the right warm temperature).

Then the host cell make copies of the gene (new gene is copied as well). But not only that since the gene is part of it’s genetic make up, the host and it’s newly reproduced bacterium begins to synthesize whatever the protein the gene codes for.

A real life example is getting E. Coli to make human insulin (a protein to treat diabetes) by producing a recombinant plasmid that involves the human gene for making insulin. 

Citation: http://www.biotechnologyonline.gov.au/biotec/cutpaste.html