Scientist Profile:
Paul Berg
Berg
used a restriction
enzyme to
isolate a gene from a human cancer-causing
monkey virus. Then, he used ligase to join the section of
virus DNA with a molecule of DNA from the bacterial virus
lambda, creating the first recombinant DNA molecule. Berg
realized the dangers of his experiment and temporarily
terminated it before the recombinant DNA molecule was
added to E. Coli, where it would have been quickly
reproduced. Following the termination of his experiment,
he proposed a one year moratorium on recombinant DNA
studies while safety issues where addressed.
Berg later resumed his studies into recombinant DNA techniques, and was awarded the 1980 Nobel Prize in chemistry. His discoveries laid the foundation for field of genetic engineering, and the modern biotechnology industry.
Technique: Recombinant
DNA
Animation:
Recombinant DNA
Web Link:
Speaking
the Language of Recombinant DNA
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