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15.1 Selective Breeding

Lesson Objectives
Explain the purpose of selective breeding.
Explain how people increase genetic variation.

Lesson Summary
Selective Breeding Through selective breeding, humans choose organisms with wanted
characteristics to produce the next generation.
▶ This takes advantage of natural variation among organisms and passes wanted traits to
offspring.
▶ The numerous breeds of dogs and varieties of crop plants and domestic animals are
examples of selective breeding.
Hybridization crosses dissimilar individuals to bring together the best of both parents in the
offspring. Inbreeding is the continued breeding of individuals with selected characteristics. It
ensures that wanted traits are preserved, but can also result in defects being passed on.

Increasing Variation Mutations are the source of biological diversity. Breeders introduce
mutations into populations to increase genetic variation. Biotechnology is the application of
a technological process, invention, or method to living organisms. Selective breeding is one
example of biotechnology.
▶ Radiation and chemicals can increase the mutation rate. Diverse bacterial strains have
been bred from mutated lines.
▶ Drugs can prevent the separation of chromosomes during mitosis, leading to polyploidy
in plants. Such plants may be larger or stronger than their diploid relatives.

Selective Breeding
For Questions 1–5, write True if the statement is true. If the statement is false, change the
underlined word or words to make the statement true.
True
1. Selective breeding works because of the natural genetic variation in a
population.
dissimilar
2. Hybridization crosses similar individuals to bring together the best of
both.
hybrids 3. The individuals produced by crossing dissimilar parents are
purebreeds.
inbreeding
4. The continued crossing of individuals with similar characteristics is
hybridization.
True 5. Inbreeding increases the risk of genetic defects.

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6. Complete the table describing the types of selective breeding.

Selective Breeding

Type Description Examples

Hybridization Crossing dissimilar individuals Disease-resistant Burbank

to bring together the best of potato
both organisms

Inbreeding The continued breeding Elberta peaches

of individuals with similar
characteristics

Increasing Variation
7. Complete this concept map about biotechnology.

Biotechnology

is

The application of a
technological process, invention or
method to a living organism

which can increase genetic variation through

Introducing mutations Preventing chromosomes from

separating during meiosis

an example of which is an example of which is

Radiation and chemicals increase the Drugs that prevent the

mutation rate in bacteria, producing separation of chromosomes during
new strains that can perform useful meiosis induce polyploidy, which can
functions, such as cleaning up yield stronger, larger plants.
oil spills.

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For Questions 8–11, match the example with the probable method used to introduce the
mutation. Each answer can be used more than once.
A 8. Bacteria that clean up radioactive substances A. radiation or chemicals
B 9. Larger, stronger banana trees B. polyploidy
A 10. Bacteria that clean up metal pollution
B 11. Watermelons that grow faster and larger

12. Is it easy for breeders to produce mutants with desirable mutations? Explain.
No, many mutations are harmful, and it requires luck and perseverance to pro-
duce a few mutants with desirable characteristics that are not found in the original
population.

13. Why are radiation and chemicals useful techniques for producing mutant bacteria?
The small size of bacteria enables millions of organisms to be treated at the same
time, thus increasing the chances of producing a useful mutant.

14. What technique do scientists use to produce mutant plants?

Scientists use drugs that prevent chromosomal separation during meiosis.

15. What are polyploid plants?

Polyploid plants are plants grown from cells that have many times the normal num-
ber of chromosomes due to the use of drugs that prevent the separation of chromo-
somes during meiosis.

16. The muscles that racehorses use to move their legs are strong, heavy, and powerful. The
bones of racehorses are very lightweight. How are these traits advantageous in racehorses?
Describe a process that breeders might have used, over time, to produce racehorses with
these characteristics.
SAMPLE ANSWER: A light skeleton would have made it easier for horses run fast. Strong,
heavy muscles would have given them the power to run fast. Over time, breeders
selected animals that showed the traits they wanted in a racehorse. Generation after
generation, breeders selected parents that had those same traits. Eventually, they
bred horses that have the distinctive characteristics of today’s racehorses.

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15.2 Recombinant DNA

Lesson Objectives
Explain how scientists manipulate DNA.
Describe the importance of recombinant DNA.
Define transgenic and describe the usefulness of some transgenic organisms to humans.

Lesson Summary
Copying DNA Genetic engineers can transfer a gene from one organism to another to
achieve a goal, but first, individual genes must be identified and separated from DNA. The
original method (used by Douglas Prasher) involved several steps:
▶ Determine the amino acid sequence in a protein.
▶ Predict the mRNA code for that sequence.
▶ Use a complementary base sequence to attract the predicted mRNA.
▶ Find the DNA fragment that binds to the mRNA.
Once scientists find a gene, they can use a technique called the polymerase chain reaction to
make many copies.
▶ Heat separates the DNA into two strands.
▶ As the DNA cools, primers are added to opposite ends of the strands.
▶ DNA polymerase adds nucleotides between the primers, producing two complementary
strands. The process can be repeated as many times as needed.

Changing DNA Recombinant DNA molecules contain DNA from two different sources.
Recombinant-DNA technology can change the genetic composition of living organisms.
▶ Plasmids are circular DNA molecules found in bacteria and yeasts; they are widely
used by scientists studying recombinant DNA, because DNA joined to a plasmid can be
replicated.
▶ A genetic marker is a gene that is used to differentiate a cell that carries a recombinant
plasmid from those that do not.

Transgenic Organisms Transgenic organisms contain genes from other species. They
result from the insertion of recombinant DNA into the genome of the host organism. A clone
is a member of a population of genetically identical cells.

Copying DNA
For Questions 1–5, complete each statement by writing in the correct word or words.
1. Genetic engineers can transfer genes from one organism to another.
2. As a first step toward finding a gene, Douglas Prasher studied the amino acid
sequence of part of a protein.
3. Prasher next found the mRNA base sequence that coded for the protein.

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4. Using the technique of gel electrophoresis, Prasher matched the mRNA to a DNA
fragment that contained the gene for GFP.
5. Southern blot analysis uses radioactive probes to bind to fragments with
complementary base sequences.
6. Make a sketch to show the steps in the polymerase chain reaction
(PCR) method of copying genes. Label each part of your sketch.

See the textbook illustration of polymerase chain reac-

tion for what the students’ sketches should look like. The
sketches should show the four steps in the procedure.

Changing DNA
For Questions 7–10, write the letter of the correct answer on the line at the left.
B 7. Why is DNA ligase so important in recombinant DNA technology?
A. It causes DNA to make multiple copies of itself.
B. It joins two DNA fragments together.
C. It shapes bacterial DNA into a circular plasmid.
D. It cuts DNA into restriction fragments.
D 8. A recombinant plasmid can be used to
A. prevent nondisjunction at meiosis.
B. double the number of chromosomes in a plant cell.
C. cut DNA into restriction fragments.
D. transform a bacterium.

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C 9. What do genetic engineers use to create the “sticky ends” needed to splice two
fragments of DNA together?
A. an amino acid sequence
B. DNA ligase
C. restriction enzymes
D. mRNA
B 10. Why must a genetically engineered plasmid contain a genetic marker?
A. to prevent the construction of an artificial chromosome
B. to separate cells that contain recombinant DNA from those that do not
C. to produce multiple copies of the recombined plasmid after heat treatment
D. to break apart the circular plasmid and introduce another DNA fragment
11. Give a reason why a plasmid is useful for DNA transfer.
It has a DNA sequence that helps promote plasmid replication, helping to ensure that
the foreign DNA will be replicated.

Transgenic Organisms
12. Complete the flowchart about how a transgenic plant is produced, using Agrobacterium as
an example.

Agrobacterium can cause tumors in plants. The part of the DNA that causes
tumors is deactivated and replaced with recombinant DNA.

The transformed bacteria are placed in a dish with plant cells.

The bacteria infect the plant cells.

Inside a plant cell, Agrobacterium inserts part of its DNA into the host cell
chromosome .

A complete or new plant is generated from the transformed cell.

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13. What is a transgenic organism?

It is an organism that contains genes from other species.

14. What can happen when DNA is injected into the nucleus of an animal’s egg cell?
Enzymes that are normally responsible for repair and recombination may help insert
the foreign DNA into the chromosomes of the injected cell.

15. How is a DNA molecule constructed so that it will eliminate a particular gene?
The DNA molecule is constructed with two ends that will sometimes recombine with
specific sequences in the host chromosome. The host gene between the two sequences
may then be lost or replaced with a new gene.

16. What is a clone?

It is a member of a population of genetically identical cells produced from a single
cell.

17. What kinds of mammals have been cloned in recent years?

Sheep, cows, pigs, mice, and cats have been cloned.

For Questions 18–22, write True if the statement is true. If the statement is false, change the
underlined word to make the statement true.
transgenic 18. An organism that contains one or more genes from another species is
inbred.
True 19. Transgenic organisms can be made by inserting recombinant DNA
into the genome of the host organism.
gene 20. Examining the properties of a transgenic organism allows scientists to
discover the function of the transferred chromosome.
True 21. Plant cells will sometimes take up DNA on their own if their cell walls
are absent.
True 22. Carefully designed DNA molecules can achieve gene replacement.

On the lines below, write T next to an example of a transgenic organism, and C next to an
example of a clone.
T 23. A goat that produces spider’s silk in its milk
T 24. A plant that is grown from a cell into which Agrobacterium has
incorporated recombinant DNA
C 25. A lamb that is born with the same DNA as a donor cell
C 26. A colony of bacteria that grows from one bacterium
T 27. A bacterium that can produce human insulin

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28. Complete the sentences in the diagram below to show the steps in
cloning a sheep.

Donor The egg cell is fused with a(an)

Nucleus cell
taken from another adult using
an electric shock.

Fused Cell

Egg Cell

The nucleus
of an egg cell is removed.

The fused cell begins to

divide
normally.

The embryo Embryo

Cloned Lamb is placed in the uterus of a foster mother,
where it develops normally.

29. The most successful heart transplants occur when proteins in the donor heart closely
match those of the recipient’s original heart. If the proteins don’t match, the recipient’s
immune system may reject the transplanted organ. Scientists would like to develop a
strain of transgenic pigs that could provide donor hearts for humans. How might such an
animal be developed? How might cloning help provide hearts for human recipients?
SAMPLE ANSWER: Recombinant DNA techniques could be used to splice human genes into
the genes of a fertilized egg from a pig. Those genes would direct the developing pig
embryo to make a heart similar to a human heart. If the proteins in the pig’s heart
matched the proteins in a patient’s original heart closely enough, the pig’s heart
would not be rejected by the human recipient’s immune system. Once such an animal
was developed, many hundreds of hearts might be “farmed” by cloning the transgenic
pig.

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