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Cool Tool: Recombinant Paper Plasmid Lab
Type: Activity
Topic: Recombinant DNA/Genetic Engineering
Grade Level: High school, middle school
Contributor: Cindy Mitchell
School: West Seattle High School, Seattle School District, Seattle, WA
Purpose: To model the steps involved in making a genetically engineered plasmid.
References: Adapted from "Recombinant Paper Plasmids," by C. Jenkins, in The Science Teacher, Apr. 1987, pp. 44-48. A very similar activity of the same name can be found in the high school textbook, Recombinant DNA and Biotechnology, by H. Kreuzer and A. Massey.
Materials: Instruction sheet; yellow and blue strips of paper with DNA sequence printed on it (blue = vector/plasmid sequence, yellow = insert DNA sequence such as the insulin gene); small green pieces of paper that represent various enzymes (ligase and restriction enzymes, which have their recognition sequences written on the them); scissors; pencil; tape (representing ligase).
Methods: Students are directed to design a novel plasmid based on the paper vector and insert DNAs they are given. For example, students may be told the new plasmid must contain the insulin gene found on the insert DNA, and they work out that this gene must be inserted into vector DNA that retains its replication origin and antibiotic resistance region. They find all possible recognition sites for the various restriction enzymes and determine the enzymes that will meet the requirements of their plasmid construction (i.e. enzymes must not cut in the middle of either the insert gene or in the bacterial selection marker on the vector). After this planning stage, students cut and connect the DNA strips for the plasmid and insert DNA. They "restrict" the strips with scissors at the right sites, and then "ligate" the vector and insert together with the paper enzyme and tape. Follow-up questions are included in both references, which also provide the sequence masters for you to photocopy and cut into strips. To assess student understanding, ask questions such as which enzymes could be used for the construction and which ones could not, which antibiotic could be used for selection of bacteria containing plasmid after the transformation, what use such a construction might be to a scientist, etc.
Classroom Use:
High School, Advanced Biology Class: Use this tool in conjunction
with doing an actual lab (e.g. recombinant DNA/bacterial transformation)
to help students understand what they are doing.
High School, Introductory Biology Class: This tool could be used to develop understanding of recombinant DNA techniques.
Middle School: The Recombinant Paper Plasmid Lab may be appropriate in classes doing a biotechnology unit.
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last updated 06/15/04