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binzing
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We genetically modified E. Coli with jellyfish genes for flourescence. It was probably the coolest lab we've done yet. No freakin' titrations or counting and sexing any damn fruit flies.
lisab said:And can you make your intestine glow ?
Moonbear said:Sounds like you're having fun with that class.
binzing said:FOR ONCE!
Lisa, haha. No. These E. Coli are special ones that won't survive outside of a lab environment. We actually haven't seen if they glow yet, but we can make our predictions based on what we did. Tomorrow we get to see if they glow.
lisab said:Great...let us know how it turns out.
Moonbear said:Great! As Chris points out, what you did in your biology class really is a tool used in actual research labs, not just some outdated busy-work exercise with no application beyond the classroom.
binzing said:Yeah. It was kind of scary as to how simple it was, considering that's the same method terrorists could use to create bio weapons.
moose said:I remember that lab back in high school.
It was cool but nowhere near as awesome as some of my chem labs in college.
Moonbear said:Rest assured, it's only easy because you were inserting a small gene that is known to work when transfected into the cells you were supplied with the kit used. Usually, you would transfect that GFP sequence attached to another gene of interest, and the reason for doing that is to find out if your gene of interest got into the cell and is being expressed by quickly looking for the GFP expression.
binzing said:Well mostly. Actually the to get glowing proteins the E. Coli we had had to A. have the positive gene splice for it, B. be resistant to ampicillin (sp?), and C. be in the presence or a certain chemical (ara-something).
The purpose of this experiment is to introduce new genetic material into E. Coli bacteria in order to make them produce a protein that glows under certain conditions. This allows scientists to easily track the bacteria in a lab setting and study their behavior and growth patterns.
The process involves extracting DNA from a jellyfish and inserting it into the DNA of the E. Coli bacteria. This is done using specialized enzymes that can cut and paste DNA segments. The modified bacteria are then grown in a controlled environment to observe their behavior.
Yes, it is considered safe as long as proper precautions and protocols are followed. The modified bacteria are contained in a controlled environment and cannot survive outside of the lab. Additionally, extensive testing and regulations are in place to ensure the safety of both the scientists and the environment.
There are many potential applications for this type of genetic modification. It could be used to study the behavior of bacteria and their response to different environments, to develop new antibiotics or other medical treatments, or to improve the production of certain proteins for industrial or medical purposes.
As with any type of genetic modification, there are ethical considerations that need to be taken into account. These may include potential impacts on the environment, the safety of consuming genetically modified bacteria, and the potential for unintended consequences. However, extensive testing and regulations are in place to address these concerns and ensure responsible use of genetic modification techniques.