cloning DNA
Last reviewed 01/2018
Cloning DNA, the production of one or more copies of a gene or genes, can occur by several means.
One method is to isolate the required gene and then insert it into a vector like a bacterial virus by a technique termed ligation using a ligase enzyme. The vector with the new gene replicates with host DNA when placed into a host bacterial cell such as E. coli. The technique of placing foreign DNA into the bacterium is termed transformation or transfection. The vector's DNA is then isolated from the host broth, the required gene excised using restriction enzymes, and finally it is isolated and purified by electrophoresis.
An alternative method of cloning DNA is the polymerase chain reaction (PCR).